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How to reduce food waste at home

Most food waste at home is not dramatic. It is half a bag of spinach, the end of a loaf and a lonely carrot at the back of the fridge. These habits catch most of it.

Plan before you shop

Food gets wasted when we buy without a plan. If you know what you will cook this week, you can buy the amounts you need rather than guess. Planning meals first and shopping second is the single most effective habit.

Shop from a list, and check the cupboards first

Look at what you already have before you write the list. It stops you buying a fourth jar of paprika and reminds you what needs using up. Keep your list in one place so you can tick things off as you go.

Store things so they last

• Keep herbs like parsley and coriander in a glass of water in the fridge, loosely covered
• Freeze bread in slices and take out what you need
• Freeze ripe bananas for smoothies or baking
• Keep onions and potatoes somewhere cool, dark and dry, and apart from each other
• Use clear containers for leftovers so you can see them

Know what the dates mean

"Use by" is about safety and is the date to follow for things like meat and fish. "Best before" is about quality, so many foods are still fine afterwards. Look, smell and use your judgement for those.

Cook with what you already have

Keep a running list of what is in your fridge, freezer and cupboards, and put the things that will go off soonest at the front. Then pick meals that use them up. In Nibbowl you can add your pantry items and it shows which of your recipes use them. Nibby, the app's AI cook, can also suggest ideas.

• Veggie Breakfast Hash
• One-Pot Paprika Chicken and Rice
• Chunky Vegetable and Bean Soup

Plan a "use it up" night

Leave one dinner towards the end of the week open for whatever is left. Stir-fries, soups, omelettes, frittatas and fried rice are all forgiving and happily absorb odds and ends.

Start small

You do not have to do everything. Pick one habit, such as planning your meals or making a list, and stick with it for a few weeks. Small changes add up.