If you’re on a mission to prevent food waste, just like we are, it’s really useful to get the whole family involved. In fact, it could end up being your greatest food waste solution yet.
Trying to manage the weekly grocery shopping, cut down on portion sizes and organise how to use leftovers can be a lot easier when you have a helping hand.
Once the kids get on board, it can make the whole process a lot more fun too - and it’s a great way to keep them entertained this autumn.
So we’ve got a few tips and tricks that’ll help them start fighting food waste.
1. Smoothies
Try using up any leftover, overripe fruit by making smoothies.
Creating fun food is a sure way to keep them occupied for half an hour - they can give you a hand making it, and they’ll come out with a delicious healthy treat at the end.
If you keep a large variety of fruit at home, they’re sure to enjoy picking out the flavours they want, and you could even use some extra fruit pieces to decorate it.
2. Cooking Because kids love getting creative in the kitchen, why not get them to help you cook up even more tasty treats that’ll use up even more fruit and veg?
From putting overripe berries in muffins, to making crisps out of leftover vegetables, or baking old apples into a crumble, there are plenty of recipes around that they’ll love.
Not only is it a great way to help them get their 5-a-day, but of course it’s a good way to use food that might otherwise end up in the bin.
3. Plant seeds
When you’re cooking, try keeping some of the scraps, stones and seeds from your fruit and veg so the kids can help you plant them. With something like an avocado, you may not get any fruit, but if you plant the stone you can end up with a really lovely house plant.
With onion or lettuce though, you could be eating your own after a while, if you do it right.
The kids will love getting involved, and they’re bound to enjoy watching as it grows.
4. Meal planning
Most food waste in the home comes from incorrect portion sizes and lack of planning before going shopping.
Cooking too much can often lead to leftovers being wasted, and no pre-planning often ends with us buying far more food than we need.
And of course it doesn’t help when kids decide to be picky about what they eat. So, why not get them involved?
Try sitting down with them once a week and let them choose what they’d like to eat next week - from a list that’s been pre-approved by parents, of course.
You can even make it fun with a whiteboard or some magnets that can turn it into a bit of a game.
That way, the kids will be happier with the meals they’re eating, and it gives you a chance to plan out a list before you go shopping.
It’s always worth leaving one day a week free for ‘leftover night’ as well, so if you do end up cooking too much, you know it won’t go to waste. 5. Donate food
If you find that you have some tins going spare, the kids will love helping you donate them to a food bank or charity.
Perhaps they could decorate a box for keeping all the items in, and maybe they could write a letter to whoever might receive them.
They could even design a presentation to help encourage their classmates to get involved.
Not only will this stop you from simply throwing food away, but you’ll be doing your bit to help those in need as well.