In this series of blogs, we’re going to look at rubbish. From the good to the bad and downright ugly, we’ll be looking at everything you ever wanted to know, from A right down to Z.
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Rubbish From A to Z - K
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Rubbish from A to Z
K is for kitchen waste
It’s a fair bet that most of the waste you produce at home comes from your kitchen, and food and food packaging account for a huge amount of this waste.
Think about how much food waste you throw away on average and you’ll probably be shocked. From the extras you bought at the supermarket that you didn’t eat before the use-by date, or the leftovers you put away in the fridge and forgot about, every little bit of food waste costs you money and costs the planet dearly.
So to help you save money and save your food waste from landfill, here are our top tips on how to reduce your kitchen waste.
Make a shopping list-and don’t deviate from it
Only buy what you need. Those little extras that end up in your trolley are usually the things you end up not eating and throwing in the bin. Supermarket offers are only good offers if you’re actually going to eat what you buy!
Take a good look in your bin
Now we know the idea isn’t pleasant, but have a look in your bin. What can you see? Is there a lot of vegetable waste or leftovers that you forgot to eat in time? This will give you an idea of what you need to buy or cook less of, and you’ll also see if you need to start making better use of your freezer.
Get organised
Do a little stock rotation in your fridge. Move the things with the soonest expiry dates to the front of the fridge and don’t pile new purchases on things that are already in the fridge or they’ll get forgotten about and most likely end up in the bin.
Plan your meals
If you plan your meals, you’ll be able to focus on buying only what you need and work out what you can use the leftovers for. For example, the leftover meat from your Sunday roast can be used in stir-fries, curries, and sandwiches for easy weeknight meals. Remember that freezing your leftovers for future quick meals can also help you avoid waste and save money.
Watch your portions
It’s easy to cook too much of some foods like rice and pasta, so try to weigh it before you cook. If you still have food left over, freeze it or knock up an easy lunch to take to work the next day. Being sensible with your portions is good for your waistline, your wallet, and the planet.
Don’t turn down the odd-looking produce
It’s amazing how many shoppers avoid buying produce because it doesn’t look perfect, even though it’s perfectly edible. So just because those poor carrots and potatoes don’t look the part, they often get thrown out which contributes to the obscene amount of waste that supermarkets throw away. Don’t let appearances deceive you, opt for the less conventional looking produce once in a while and know that you’re helping cut down on waste and protecting the environment.
Start a compost pile or heap
If you don’t compost already, start! You can save a lot of waste from being thrown in the bin, like eggshells, vegetables scraps and peel, coffee grounds, and teabags. By putting them in a compost heap or pile, you can prevent any negative effects on the environment and create a natural nutrient-rich fertiliser for your garden.
Save the parts of vegetables that you’d usually throw away
Don’t throw away vegetable skins, trimmings, or ends in the bin. Instead, put them in freezer bags and use them to add flavour to homemade soups, or other dishes.
All you have to do is bring them to a boil in a large pot for around an hour and strain the liquid. The result is you don’t waste any of your veg and you save money on the vegetable stock you would have had to buy otherwise.
When it comes to rubbish, we know our stuff
Disposing of different types of waste correctly is everyone’s business, whether you’re a householder, landlord, business owner, or you are in charge of any private or public sector organisation. But whatever your needs, we have a bin to suit you in our huge range, from small 50 litre bins for smaller households to 1100 litre wheelies for businesses or apartment blocks.
When you buy from us, you can expect quality, durability, and peace of mind. We could go on all day telling you about how great our products are, but we let the fact that our bins are the preferred option for a large number of UK councils speak for itself.
Check out our huge range of products, and if there’s anything else you’d like to know, we’re just a phone call or an email away.