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Food waste

How to use up commonly wasted food

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Learn how to reduce food waste and save money by using up food items with these helpful tips and ideas.

Using things up before they go off can be difficult. Busy schedules, various commitments, and changing food preferences can lead to leftovers, half-eaten meals, and spoiled food.

To help limit food waste, here are some ideas for using up your food items and leftovers.

Milk

  • Milk approaching its expiry date can offer a great opportunity to make a custard or white sauce. Use milk nearing expiry to make a white or cheese sauce for macaroni, lasagne, or vegetable bake. Add this to your family's meal plan for the week or freeze for later use.
  • Craving a creamy pasta but don’t have any cream on hand? Cook pasta in half water, half milk for a creamy base. Add roasted vegetables, pesto, or grilled meat for an easy weeknight meal.

Bananas

  • Freeze bananas for later use in smoothies or a healthy snack. Freeze smoothie mix in popsicle moulds. Add extra fruit or vegetables you need to use up. Freezing bananas, milk, and other ingredients extends their life and gets the best out of them.

Bread

  • Bread is one of Brisbane’s most wasted foods. Warm weather causes mould to grow quickly.
  • Store fresh bread in small quantities, and freeze the rest to get the best out of each loaf you buy.
  • Incidental food waste like the half-eaten sandwich your toddler hasn’t finished, can often end up in the bin. Toast an unfinished ham and cheese sandwich for a snack. Cut into a fun shape with a cookie cutter if a nibbled edge deters a little one.
  • Turn honey, jam or peanut butter sandwich crusts into a bread-and-butter pudding with extra flavour. Great if you have some milk to use up for the custard element too.
  • Feel like you’re always throwing away those end of loaf crusts? Try storing them in the freezer to make breadcrumbs or croutons, or add open-grill sandwiches into your dinner meal plan. Make a small pizza using crusts. Add sauce and cheese. Include mushrooms or pineapple for a pizza-inspired open sandwich. Try some asparagus, ham and cheese for more of a café style option.

More food waste tips

Look for recipes online to help use up as much of your weekly shop as possible. This will help reduce the amount of food that ends up in your bin each week. This can save you money in the long run and break some bad food waste habits.

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