Thrifty Eats March 2020

easy on the planet, easy on the pocket

THRIFTY EATS

UNBEETABLE seasonal recipes FOR * BRUNCH TWO UNDER £3

BEETROOT * VEGAN RISOTTO FOR £2 BEETROOT *£3 CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE

FROZEN

vs

FRESH

THE VERDICT "I’ve always hated throwing away good food"

food sharing app creator on tackling food waste March 2020 // Issue 01

PLUS

EASY 2-COU RSE

DINNE R PARTY

RECIP

E

Flawsome! was founded by a passionate duo who was inspired by their nan’s tasty recipes to start saving imperfect fruit and transform it into perfectly crafted cold-pressed juice.

THE SEASON

4 What’s in season?

5 Star of the issue 6-7 Prepping your veg

E M O C L WE TO THE MARCH ISSUE

NO FUSS RECIPES

8 Carrot and parsnip rösti 9 Beetroot risotto 10 Chocolate beet fudge cake

WASTE NOT

11 DIY natural dyes 12-13 5-day plastic free challenge

CONTENTS

FOOD FOR THOUGHT 14-16 Frozen vs fresh 17-18 Smart shopping tips

MY LIFE IN FOOD

18-19 Interview with Olio app creator, Tessa Clarke

GREENBIZ

20-21 Drink beer, save the planet

WHAT YOU CAN LEARN FROM…

22-23 Eco-friendly inspiration from Indian cooking

T

hrifty Eats is all about cooking and eating good food while saving the planet, without breaking the bank.

Well, we’ve certainly done a lot of that, eating.

For our very first issue, beetroot has been one of our five-a-day, literally every single day. It’s coming up to peak season for Britain’s favourite red beet. Because, yes, fruit and vegetables do still have seasons.

Buying in season and local is actually one of the easiest ways to cut down your carbon footprint. So we thought we’d make the most out of this seasonal star, from root to tip.

Our beetroot risotto and beet chocolate cake

the THR

IFTY

HACKS

24 Pocket money composting 25 Grow your own veggies

THRIFTY LIVING

26 Interview: The Reduction Raider

are to dye for, if we say so ourselves (it’s a dye pun because we’ve also got a recipe to make dyes with yourbeetroot waste).

Our food photographer has fattened up with plenty of carrot and parsnip rostïs to get those pictures right, while one of our writers struggled with going plasticfree for a working week.

It’s been a hell of a journey putting together a magazine that will help you find ways to be green with your food, while also saving some pennies.

Making eco-friendly choices isn’t easy, we know from experience, but if you are reading this then you are definitely on the right track… so read on!

Thrifty.Eats

team x

Thrifty Eats

WHAT'S IN SEASON IN MARCH?

y all n o eas be r s n g pe tin fte Ea an o , chea e c r hie s mor ive t l hea and i ble. G ina go! a t sus it a

In some cult ure s, if a man and woman eat from the same beet, they will In 2 fall in love.

Som 001, Ia erse nN

reco t bro eale f grow rd for ke the rom own n bee the lar world ge priz t root ed b with st 3st eet we his ighi 6l bs ng .

bolism is a meta t o o r t e e B booster.

The Romans were the first to use them as food.

You can make your own wine from leftover beetroot juice

al e r u u at c, d s of n a l y s a disi leve ctl ' t e I ro h ir ans d g h i t um s. ap s h a it n th to h ne o t ro es rmo bo lat ho re ex s

*

Find the throughout the issue

ll ma l of s e ul On is f late as fo n et be bre, now 9), , B fi o k n iron . i s l (a tam um, n C vi assi ami t t po vi d an

Eating raw b eets or drinking beet juice can com bat garlic breath .

Bee kno ts are w be the n to effe mos veg ctive t et to c able han ure wh gover ok s new , !

*MEET OUR MARCH STAR ... BEETROOT* You either love it or loathe it, but you can’t beet it!

P R E P Y O U R

[ all serve 2

THE SEASON

BEETROOTS

]

peeled and roasted

Before you start... * Preheat your oven to 200 degrees (180 fan) * Top and tail two beets but leave them unpeeled

utes n for 45 min e v o e th in * Roast

S E S O N CABBAGE A shredded and fried L

* Allow to off the cool for five then p skin us ul l ing ki tchen r ol l

* Chop up how you want and

serve with feta chee se in a salad

Before you start... * Wash four cabbage leaves * Lay them flat on a board, cut off the stems

V E G

Cooking... * Heat a little oil in a frying pan * Gently fry for 10 minutes, seasoning at the end * Serve in a Chinese-inspired stir fry

6

& slice the roll * Roll up the leaves

PARSNIPS

Cooking... * Put onto a baking tray, season and add a drizzle of oil * Roast for 20 minutes, turn and then roast for another 20

chopped and roasted Before you start... * Preheat your oven to 200 degrees (180 fan) * Top and tail two parsnips, leaving unpeeled but washed

* Chop your parsnips into quarters

CARROTS

boiled and buttery

* And then into eighths, c eighth in Before you start... hop each half, crea ting baton Top and tail two carrots, leaving s * unpeeled but washed *Chop your carrots into quarters, Cooking... then eighths * Put into a saucepan and cover with water * Add a knob of butter/vegan spread, seasoning and a tsp of sugar and cook until the water has evaporated. Stir through some parsley

in half, each eighth p o h C * tons creating ba

* Serve your carr ots as a side a nice cottag to e pie

7

sites.jomec.co.uk/thriftyeats/

NO FUSS RECIPES BRUNCH FOR TWO Carrot AND PARSNIP RöSTI

You’ll find everything you need for this super easy brunch recipe at the supermarket or your local farmer’s market in March. It’s a great way to use parsnips and early spring onions when they come into season this spring, and an easy hangover cure! If you’re not a fan of boiled eggs, scrambled, poached or fried work just as well in this dish.

PREP TIME - 5 minutes COOKING TIME - 15 minutes

METHOD

1. Put a large, deep pan of water on the hob over a high heat. Once boiled, turn down to a simmer.

2. In a frying pan, melt 50g of the butter over a low heat and gently fry the carrot for 2 minutes. Add the parsnip and cook for another 5 minutes until soft.

3. Remove from the pan into a bowl and stir in the egg yolk, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.

With the rest of the butter, spoon the mix back into the pan in four goes. Flatten each spoonful to a pancake shape with the spoon.

4. Fry for a few minutes on each side and remove when both sides are lightly browned.

5. Meanwhile, turn your water up so it starts boiling and lower your eggs in one by one.

6. Cook the eggs for 6 minutes for a soft boiled egg with runny yolk, 9 minutes for a medium yolk and 12 minutes for a hard boiled egg.

7. As the eggs and rösti cook, toss together your rocket and spring onions and serve on a plate.

8. Peel the eggs when cooked, using a towel to hold them if they’re hot and then serve alongside the rösti.

Want more savings?

Leave out the boiled eggs. Rösti and salad works just as well for brunch.

ER D N

U

£3

TOTAL COST – £2.36

COST PER SERVING – £1.18

INGREDIENTS Serves two

200g parsnip, grated - 25p 200g carrot, grated - 12p 70g butter - 42p 2 free-range egg yolks - 50p 2 whole, free-range eggs - 50p 1 tsp smoked paprika - 10p A large handful of rocket, - 38p 2 Spring onions, sliced - 9p Salt and pepper to taste

An egg-cellent recipe, easy for your Sunday morning

Short on time?

Boil your eggs beforehand.

Covered, they’ll last a week in the fridge.

8

Use what’s in...

Don’t have parsnips or carrots in the house?

Potatoes and onions work, too.

NO FUSS RECIPES

PREP TIME - 10 mins COOKING TIME

- 25 mins

TOTAL COST - £1.74

COST PER SERVING - 87p

INGREDIENTS

I’M !

VEGAN METHOD 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Great for your lunch or dinner; you really can’t beet it

ONE POT MEAL

7.

BEETROOT RISOTTO

Who doesn’t love a good Italian risotto, eh? It’s tasty, it’s easy and it’s pretty cheap but most importantly, it’s incredibly adaptable. This March, we’ve added our seasonal star, beetroot, to make it gloriously pink, rich and creamy. Enjoy!

*

8.

Serves two

5 small pre-cooked beetroots - 59p 1 onion - 9p 150g arborio rice - 38p ½ glass of vegan beer - 25p 500ml vegetable stock - 15p 5 tbsp vegan spread - 15p 10g parsley - 13p Salt & pepper to taste

Start by preparing the base of your risotto: the beetroots. Dice 3 of them and blend them in a food processor until you get a smooth consistency. add some water if too dry.

Dice the 2 beetroots and leave them on a side, we’ll use them to decorate the finished product.

Chop up the onion and place it in a large pan with 2 tbsp of vegan spread on a medium heat Once golden, add the rice and let it cook for 4 minutes, mixing it well with the onions Turn the heat to high and add the beer. Let the alcohol burn out while stirring the rice so it doesn’t stick to the plan.

Add the beetroot mix from the blender and stir well, then start adding some the vegetable stock, a glass at the time. This is also a good time to add salt and pepper to taste.

Continue to add the stock until the rice is cooked al dente (about 15 minutes from when you add the beer, the rice should still have a little bit of bite when you turn it off), then add the diced beetroots and the chopped parsley and turn off the heat.

Finally, add the 3 tbsp of vegan spread and stir into the rice until melted, serve with some more parsley on top and a sprinkle of pepper.

SUSTAINABLE BEETROOTS

Cut down on plastic

Meal Prep

Buy your beets from a local market, where possible, or check that they are British beets if bought from the supermarket.

Most supermarkets now do pre-cooked beetroots canned or in jars, make sure you buy those to cut down on your plastic waste.

Double up portions and make some more for the week. You can store it in the fridge for a couple of days or in the freezer for longer.

NO FUSS RECIPES PREP TIME: 20 minutes BAKING TIME: 40-45 minutes

INGREDIENTS 250g cooked beetroot - 80p 225g plain flour - 9p 300g golden caster sugar - 57p 3 medium free-range eggs - 42p 1 tsp vanilla extract - 32p 250ml vegetable oil + extra for greasing - 30p 50g cocoa powder - 40p 1 heaped tsp bicarbonate of soda - 2p 50g dark chocolate - 25p A pinch of salt - 1p TOTAL COST - £3.16 COST PER SERVING - 26P

SERVES

12

METHOD 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

TRY !

ME

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees and grease and line a 8 x 3-inch deep cake tin Whizz up the cooked beetroot in a food processor until it’s pureed.

Once it’s nice and smooth, tip the contents into a large mixing bowl with the eggs, oil, vanilla extract and sugar and whisk until everything is well combined.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt before sieving into the beetroot mixture.

Mix everything together,. Make sure that the ingredients are well combined.

Pour the mixture into your cake tin and bake in the pre-heated oven for around 40-45 minutes. When the cake is ready, a skewer or cocktail stick will come out more or less clean. If it’s sticky, it’ll need slightly longer.

Leave the cake to cool off before moving it onto a wire rack.

Meanwhile, melt the dark chocolate in the microwave or in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Drizzle it over the cake to make any sort of pattern you fancy.

A SWEET BEET TREAT

*

CHOCOLATE BEET FUDGE CAKE

Beetroot with chocolate?! It might sound like a strange combination but trust us, it’s a match made in heaven. We promise you can’t taste a hint of beetroot in the cake, it simply creates an incredibly moist texture that complements the rich chocolate flavour. Give it a go, it’s guaranteed to win even your most avid beetroot-hating friends.

FREEZE IT

HOW TO STORE IT

MIX IT UP

Did you know that 75,000 tonnes of cake are thrown away in the UK every year? To freeze it, make sure the cake is cool then wrap it tightly in tin foil and store it in the freezer for up to three months.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Storing it in the fridge will only make it go stale quicker.

Use milk or white chocolate instead of dark for the chocolate drizzle.

If you want to push the boat out, whip up some buttercream icing.

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*DYE ANOTHER DAY For this issue’s waste not section, we’re guiding you on how to use your beets and carrots in more exciting ways. Seeing as it’s the month of the root vegetable, what better way than to dig up the past and find natural sustainable forms of dyeing clothing?

Our March issue star and its carrot companion can create vivid and bright natural dyes, so why not try it out? You’ll also be helping decrease the hundreds of containers full of disregarded clothing that just end up in landfill. In the UK alone, it is estimated that around £140 million worth of clothing goes to landfill every year.

As of 2018, textile dyeing across the world is regarded as the second largest pollutant of clean water following agriculture. Polluting our airways with toxic chemicals for the sake of vibrancy in our clothing is unnecessary, especially when you can find the exact same colour in the food you consume.

So do our planet a favour and try out a new form of revitalising your old, worn clothing.

Be preppy Make sure your vegetables aren’t dry. If they are then the colour extracting process won’t work.

Cover all surfaces with newspaper or tabletop covers. If these ingredients are strong enough to dye your clothes, they’re strong enough to stain your counters too.

Natural fabrics like cotton, wool and silk produce the best outcomes. Use light coloured clothing for best results.

Fix up a fixative • • • •

Method • • • • • •

What you’ll need Vinegar Salt Water Gloves/tongs Wash buckets / old pots Glass jars Funnel Measuring cup Large mixing bowl Strainer Knife Small saucepans

Prepare a ‘fixative’, which is a mixture to help the dyeing process.

Simmer 1 cup vinegar and 4 cups water with clothing.

Allow to simmer for 1 hour before rinsing with cool water.

Boil the clothing that you want to dye in the fixative for 1 hour.

• • •

Once this is done, add one vegetable to the saucepan alongside double the amount of water.

Allow the mixture to simmer for 1 hour.

After an hour, turn off the heat, allowing the mixture to return to room temperature.

Strain the room temperature ingredients into a mixing bowl.

Then use a funnel to transfer the remains into a glass jar or wash bucket.

Soak the fabric in the natural dye until it reaches your desired shade.

Remove the clothing and rinse lightly in cool water.

Put the clothing out to air dry - the longer you leave it, the better.

If you wish to further set the colour in the fabric, run through the dryer alone for one hour (but remember, we’re trying to help the planet).

11

Dyeing for attention: this beetroot dye will insure you stand out from the crowd

S

o you’ve had your cake and eaten it. But before throwing the scraps of the beetroot into the food bin, stop and think. Can I be more sustainable with my leftovers and unused fruit and veg?

sites.jomec.co.uk/thriftyeats/

WASTE NOT

PLASTIC SURGERY FIVE DAYS WITHOUT PLASTIC PACKAGED FOOD

Priyankaa Joshi details the trials and tribulations of her plastic-free experience for a working week

W

e all know that life in plastic is far from fantastic. It’s estimated there’s over five trillion pieces of plastic floating in our oceans and if we carry on like this, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050. There’s even a floating island of plastic in the Pacfiic that’s three times the size of France. There’s no shying away from these facts. It’s clear that we need to change our consumption habits and fast.

While businesses from supermarkets to coffee shop chains are making pledges to ditch single-use plastic, what can we do to reduce our personal plastic footprints?

I like to think of myself as a pretty eco-conscious person. I don’t eat meat, I walk everywhere and I’ve got a reusable coffee cup. Well done me. That being said, there’s definitely room for improvement. I often forget said reusable coffee cup, I’m partial to a takeaway and I buy my fruit and veg from the supermarket, wrapped in plastic.

So, I set out on a five day challenge to see how easy it is for the average person, who doesn’t have oodles of time or money, to cut out plastic food and drink packaging.

HERE’S WHAT I LEARNT...

CHE

Not exactly the pick’n’mix I was hoping for

CK O

UT:

E FRI ASY E END C LY OSW APS ON O UR W

Plastic straws suck!

EBS

PREPARATION IS KEY

ITE

Ahead of the challenge. I’d planned to hit up a farmer’s market and a local zero-waste shop to stock up on some plastic-free essentials. Unfortunately, life got in the way and I didn’t get round to it.

When Monday morning arrived and the challenge began, I really wished I had made the effort. Breakfast was a sorry affair.

My usual combination of granola, yogurt and berries was off the menu – they all came in plastic packaging. To make matters worse, oat milk was off limits too because the carton had a plastic lid. Porridge with water and a black coffee it was. Brilliant.

Things didn’t get much better as the day progressed. I ended up being dehydrated because I couldn’t take my plastic water bottle around with me and I had no plastic-free tupperware to take a packed lunch in.

Key learnings: invest in a plastic-free water bottle and Tupperware, carry around metal cutlery and stock up on food that isn’t wrapped in plastic.

WASTE NOT

Plastic problem stats • • • •

Almost 1 million plastic bottles are sold around the world every minute More than 40% of plastic is used just once then thrown away Only 9% of plastic waste is recycled globally 700 species of marine animal have eaten or become entangled in plastic

700 billion plastic bottles end up in the ocean every day Source: National Geographic

Did you know?

Going plastic-free tips • • • • • • • •

Carry a reusable coffee cup And a reusable water bottle Get a few reusable bags and take it around with you Say no to plastic straws and disposable cutlery Invest in some eco-friendly utensils Take a trip to your local market Buy fresh bread Take your own containers to the butcher

PLASTIC IS EVERYWHERE

After a disastrous day one, day two didn’t get off to the best of starts either. I forgot to make myself a packed lunch again so I had to venture into town to see what I could find.

The supermarkets were useless – filled with plastic containers of fruit, sandwiches and pasta salads – so I ended up in Pret a Manger where I couldn’t have one of the flatbreads or salad boxes I usually go for.

The only option was a mushroom risotto soup which came in a cardboard container. In the evening, I headed to my local supermarket to see what plastic-free purchases I could make.

The answer: very few. I’m a huge salad fan but it all comes in bags. Bagels were a no-no. As was cheese, hummus, yogurt, rice and pasta. I ended up buying a random but wholesome mix of fruit and veg as well as some frozen Linda McCartney sausages, Weetabix and baked beans to keep me going for a few days.

Takeaways: there is still an awful lot of plastic packaging in supermarkets and tinned food is your friend.

YOU HAVE TO GET CREATIVE

I love a good snack. My cupboard is filled with chocolate, fruit and nut bars, biscuits and crisps. You name it, I’ve got it.

Unfortunately, pretty much all of them come with some sort of plastic packages. Even the ones that give off an eco-friendly impression tend to be wrapped in plastic.

The thought of a whole week without any sweet treats was too much for me, so I russelled up some banana and oat cookies to snack on, which were delicious. I also made my own beetroot hummus and attempted to make some falafels.

What did I learn? Being plastic-free pushes you to try new things and cook from scratch more. Also, the packaging on the Galaxy vegan chocolate bars is made from a compostable film packaging and wood fibre that can be composted at home.

Downside: it costs a hefty £3 for a bar.

13

• • • • •

The average plastic shopping bag takes 100 years to decompose 7 million coffee cups are thrown away in the UK every day There has been an 85% drop in the use of plastic bags in the UK since the plastic bag charge was introduced Almost every piece of plastic ever made still exists today Enough plastic is thrown away each year to circle the earth four times

AVOIDING PLASTIC CAN BE EXPENSIVE

I ended up spending more than usual during the week but that’s partly because I had to stock up on the essentials to get started.

I ventured to a zero waste shop and bought some pasta and coffee and while they weren’t ridiculously expensive, they cost significantly more than I’d usually spend. On the flipside, going plastic-free does help you save money in the long-term. Most coffee shops give you a discount of around 25p for bringing your own cup, and carrying a water bottle around with you means you never have to buy a plastic bottle. I also discovered that buying fruit and veg from a local market is a lot cheaper.

IT’S PRETTY TIME-CONSUMING

Wandering around the supermarket aisles searching for plasticfree things was a pain. I also had to go to multiple shops to get everything I wanted which was fine for a week but I don’t think it’s practical for most people who have busy lives, particularly if you have children. And as much as I loved getting creative in the kitchen, baking sweet treats and cooking everything from scratch takes a long time.There were times when I got home after a busy day and wanted nothing more than to order a takeaway or shove a frozen pizza in the oven.

THE VERDICT

I’ll be honest, I was relieved when the challenge was over.

Although I’ve kept up with some of the habits I formed during the challenge (tote bag, reusable water bottle, no plastic cutlery), cutting out plastic takes preparation, time and money. Until supermarkets heavily cut back on plastic and zero-waste shops become more common, I don’t see how the average person can avoid plastic food and drink packaging. It’s everywhere.That being said, perfection isn’t the goal, it’s simply about doing what we can to help heal the planet. After all, choosing loose veg over the packaged variety means there’s a little bit less plastic in the ocean.

TRAN

ION T A T R e SPO Produc

he ing to t rts about Accord . po d a o im r his the ntly yed on the UK curre or air. T t la d p a o is r e y r ) b en e A c h ly e t M r h s o (P tc A The ma g Association om the EU, m nvironment. don to r e f n in o L the Market sh vegetables ht from ions than act on fre t a flig nt imp s a a is c h t m ifi e 85% of d f n reveale carbon e durability o ve a sig can ha The Guardian oduce more h t a y bo t. ks to y pr e UK b hich . Than h t study b d back can ld r o t o w d e ,w orte an s in th issions re imp Rome countrie ost of these a 0% of CO2 em able means 9 1 e in som usta ts, m p to 2 produc can reduce u much more s frozen a a e s e v ia a gv sh n.

Shippin at frozen food transportatio f h t o s n a me 1-0

N!

ZE ... FRO s i e r o The sc

NUTRIT

IONAL

VALUE

The myth complete of fresh foods b eing mo ly mista ken. Dr re nutrit Plant Ph MacTavis ional isn ysiology h-West, ’t and Bioc the proce professo hemistry ss of blan r of , explain ching - c high tem s that durin ooking th perature g e ve s fo them in cold wate r a few minute getables at really s and th r to cool, product en puttin can lose before fr g so eezing th true for em - the fresh pro me nutrients. H owever, ducts, as when co this is a Dr MacT oked fre lso a sh, prod as when ucts lose vish-West explain they are s th being bla e same whatsoe n n ver to th e nutritio ched, making no utrients nal value d of the tw ifference o produc ts.

A

goal to ea 2-1 to fr ch! ozen

FROZEN vs FRESH THE VERDICT

Frozen vegetables are generally considered cheaper and more convenient for quick meals, while fresh products are thought to be healthier and tastier. But what’s actually the best option to save our planet and some pennies in the process?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

FOOD WASTE

lt in some sort Frozen and fresh foods both resu the difference , of waste, unfortunately. However fresh product A ted. was lies in where the food gets to peel and pota re whe e, hom gets wasted at ther with toge onion skins go straight into the bin week. last cook to ot the rotten beetroots you forg te was r thei of all uce prod ead, Frozen products, inst ed reus cted and at the start, where it can be colle cubes or feeding k stoc ting crea s, juice ing mak for frozen foods to animals. It’s also very difficult for , which means time of od peri t shor a go bad within ss. even less waste and more thriftine

PRODUCT

ION

Here comes the tricky on both can be e. In terms of productio unsustainab le. Frozen p n, a lot of ener roducts can gy through use the process freezing, w of blanchin hile g and emissions fo fresh products can ca use really h r transporta ig tion. This, h be the case owever, wou h if the fresh ldn’t products w Buying pro ere lo ducts from our local ar cally sourced. reduce CO2 eas can gr emissions. ea A study con Mott Group ducted for th tly for Sustain e C.S. able Food that conven Systems sh tion owed for five to 17 al food distribution ca n be respon times more sible CO2 emissi sourced food ons than lo . So, in other ca lly w or ds, if you b carbon foot uy local, th print of fres e h products is reduced.

Frozen get another 3-1

Fresh scor es * but on ly if local* 3 -2 to fro zen

PRICE If you want to be thrifty, you have to look at the price, and in this case the tags say it all. In a study conducted by Dr MacTavish-West, the price comparison was found to clearly in favour of frozen foods. A mixed pack of frozen vegetables costs around £2.19/kg while the same amount of fresh produce from the whole veg costs around £2.96/kg. In the case of pre-prepared fresh vegetables, the price can go up to £4.40/kg giving us a clear winner once again.

Another goal for frozen. Looks like we have a winner…

15

THE VERDICT

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

4 - 2 FRESH] [ FROZEN THE FINAL SCORE Being thrifty, sustainable and healthy has never been easier with frozen products.

In the current climate emergency, every little change can make a difference and using more frozen vegetables in our meals can be an easy and sustainable way to save some money and reduce our carbon footprint.

TIP 1

TIP 2

TIP 3

Using frozen veg straight from the freezer will make sure that you are consuming all the nutrients that can be found in the fresh vegetables.

Make your shopping a good balance of inseason fresh products and off-season frozen products.

With most fresh vegetables bought from local markets, you can chop them up and freeze them straight away and you can use them as you please.

FROZEN Broccoli and cauliflower pasta with chilli

Prep time: 5 mins Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients Serves 2

100g frozen broccoli and cauliflower - 15p 3 garlic cloves - 5p 5g chilli flakes - 10p 160g pasta - 20p 1 tbsp olive oil

50P

Method 1.

Start with heating some water in a small pot. When the water reaches a boil, add some salt, the broccoli and cauliflower and cook for 6 minutes.

2. In a frying pan, heat the olive oil and lightly fry the garlic and the chilli flakes for a couple of minutes.

3. Once the broccoli and cauliflower are cooked, take them out of the water (but don’t pour the water away!) Add them to the garlic and chilli flakes but make sure to turn off the heat before you do so in case the oil starts to spit.

4. Turn the heat back on and let the broccoli, cauliflower, garlic and chilli flakes cook together.

5. Bring the water used to cook the vegetables to boil again. Add some more salt in the water before you put in the pasta.

6. Cook the pasta al dente and then add it to the broccoli and cauliflower sauce.

7. Finish off with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top and buon appetito!

16

Pretty perfect for a pasta party

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Meat: Quality

not quantity Say

We could repeat the ugly facts about how bad the meat industry is for the planet, but we’re sure you know this all too well. Embracing more of a plant-based diet is quite simply one of the best things we can do to reduce our impact on the planet.

“As we become more aware of the urgency to act on climate change, addressing what we eat is a key area to reduce our own environmental impact. Eating more plants and less meat is a good step to take,” says Jo Hand, founder of Giki, an app which holds sustainability information on supermarkets.

When you’re doing your weekly shop, try to not to gravitate towards the meat aisle. Look to plant-based products first, like beans and pulses before you go grabbing the three for £10 meat.

Although ethical meat-eating is somewhat of a misnomer, you can buy better. Look for RSPCA assured products and avoid red meat where possible, as it has a considerably higher carbon footprint than white meat. Buy only what you need; have an idea for how you’re going to use the products, ensuring less food waste.

no to unnecessary plastic

We know that going plastic-free is a difficult experience. Despite supermarket promises, plastic still dominates the fridges and shelves, and although zero-waste shops are a more conscious alternative, they remain expensive and inaccessible.

Think before you throw plastic packaged products in your trolley, and assess whether the packaging is necessary. Can you buy a card packaged alternative?

Does fruit and veg really need packaging at all? Probably not.

“Among the plastics commonly found in marine animals are straws and plastic bags. Both items we can collectively stop using, considering there are more sustainable options out there,” says Bill Newbrough, founder of the Nature Bag which he claims is the most eco-friendly bag available. Although it may sound obvious, one of the smartest and most sustainable choices we can make is to ditch plastic bags, which supermarkets still dish out by the millions every year.

We recommend buying a sturdier and more practical alternative at the checkout, rather than buying online. All supermarkets should offer a ‘bag for life’, but we most prefer Lidl’s big reusable bags which only cost a few pence.

MAKE SMART, SUSTAINABLE SHOPPING OUR

FUTURE

When it comes to the big shop, we’re overwhelmed with choice and information. But among the noise, official *statistics* show that we are becoming more sustainably minded; we are buying less meat and buying more veg which would otherwise go to waste. As the big retailers are promising to cut down on plastic products, here’s our four easy ways that you can shop smarter.

*Statistics from statistasurvey: Share of sustainable shopping behaviours among UK shoppers in 2019 statista.com/statistics/1056522/sustainable-shopping-behaviour-of-uk-shoppers

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re-usable options

It’s not just bags we can cut down on. Plastic water bottles sold at supermarkets often end in landfill or in the ocean rather than recycled. Due to well covered campaigns against singleuse plastic, many reusable bottles and cups are now available.

Before you splash the cash ask yourself if you really need a flashy branded bottle. You can pop into Wilko and get one for only a fiver, considerably less than equivalents. We’d recommend washing it out first however, unless you like your water tasting metallic. Better than plastic I suppose.

The same goes for coffee cups, as most of us still drink from the cups offered in store, which often don’t get recycled.

We like rCups, which are made from recycled paper cups and keep your drink of choice nice and hot. Costs vary from £10-12, and yes the initial investment can seem daunting, but the discounts will eventually tot up, so you’ll be saving money in the long run. Winner.

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Look

beyond the supermarket

Zoe Morrison, author of Eco Thrifty Living, suggests to “Look outside the supermarkets for bulk, local, seasonal and less packaged food.” Although most of us are accustomed to the supermarket, you can find hidden gems in local markets and butchers. Shopping at a market ensures the produce you buy is locally grown, seasonal and can be a friendlier, hassle-free experience.There’s also no packaging involved, and it can save you some pennies.

You can also look at the many apps and websites that sell food either that’s near or past its best before dates.

OLIO is a great app to try, as you and neighbouring people can list food to give away, resulting in less waste.

The Kind Store is a website which handily collates the most planet-friendly products for the home. The founder Natasha Tyler says, “By making small achievable changes to our daily life, we will have a big impact on the environment, animals and ourselves. Where we spend our money will shape the world we live in.”

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MY LIFE IN FOOD:

TESSA CLARKE

We caught up with one-half of the brains behind the popular food-sharing app OLIO to discuss food waste, kitchen essentials and sticky toffee pudding

MY LIFE IN FOOD

As a society, we are becoming more and more eco-conscious. Have you seen a rise in the number of people using the app recently?

So, Tessa, what inspired you to start OLIO? I’m a farmer’s daughter, and so have always hated throwing away good food. This is because I know from first-hand experience just how much hard work goes into producing it! The idea for OLIO came when I was moving to a different country and on moving day, I found myself with some good food that I hadn’t managed to eat and I couldn’t bring myself to throw it away so I set off on a bit of a wild goose chase to try and find someone to give it to. I failed miserably. It seemed crazy that I should have to throw this food away when there were surely plenty of people within hundreds of metres of me who would love it, the problem was they just didn’t know about it. And so the idea of OLIO, a mobile app that connects neighbours to share food, was born.

How does the app work?

To use OLIO, you simply snap a picture of your surplus food and add it to the app. Neighbours then receive customised alerts and can request anything that takes their fancy. Pick-up takes place, often on the same day, at the home or another agreed location. All the food on OLIO is available for free and half of all listings are requested in less than one hour! OLIO also has a section for household items such as toiletries and kitchen equipment.

Why is tackling food waste so important today?

Without a doubt. Something happened in 2019 and it seems like we’ve had a collective awakening to the climate, biodiversity and resource depletion crises and people are wanting to take action.

As a result, we’ve seen more and more people joining OLIO – we now have 1.7 million users, and they’ve together shared three million portions of food. This has had the environmental impact of taking nine million car miles off the road and has saved 450 million litres of water.

What are your goals for OLIO in the future?

Our vision for the future is an unashamedly bold one – we want a billion OLIOers within the next 10 years!

It makes absolutely no sense to be puzzling over how to stay within a 1.5 degree “IT’S NOT AN warmed world and feed a population of 10 billion, whilst continuing to throw away EXAGGERATION a third of all the food we produce.

TO SAY THAT FOOD WASTE IS ONE OF THE LARGEST PROBLEMS FACING HUMANITY”

Sadly, it’s not an exaggeration to say that food waste is one of the largest problems facing humanity today. Globally, a third of all the food produced gets thrown away each year. And if it were to be a country, food waste would be the third-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions after the USA and China.That’s because a landmass larger than China is used to grow food that’s never eaten, and so it’s not only the food that’s wasted but also all the resources that go into producing that food are also wasted.

What are your top tips for people who want to reduce their food waste but aren’t sure where to begin?

Plan for your meals each week, and then to shop to that plan. Also, learn to love your freezer – it’s amazing how many things can be frozen and then used later on. And finally, there are lots of tips and tricks that can be found online about how to store food properly to preserve it for longer, for example, keep onions and potatoes apart; keep tomatoes out of the fridge; pop a slice of onion in with an opened avocado.

What are your kitchen essentials?

A NutriBullet which I use every day to transform half-eaten or sad-looking fruit and veg into delicious smoothies! Also, beeswax wraps as a replacement for clingfilm, and lots and lots of Tupperware for storage.

Can you tell us something about the issue of food waste that most people might not know?

And finally, what’s your all-time favourite meal (starter, main and dessert)?

In a country such as the UK, half of all food waste takes place in the home! This is in contrast to retail stores that generate only 2% of all food waste. This is because we have 28 million households in the UK throwing away approximately a quarter of the weekly shop, which collectively adds up to £14 billion every year whereas there are just tens of thousands of retail stores throwing away less than 1%. So this means that we’re half the problem. But, on a positive note, it also means we can be half the solution!

Ooooh, that’s a really tough one! I’m a total dessert person so I immediately went there – probably a sticky toffee pudding with ice cream or an Eton mess. For starters, I’d probably go for soup. And for the main, I think it’s hard to beat a good roast. Very traditional British choices!

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Drink BEER save the planet

Brewgooder, an Edinburgh-based brewer, donate 100% of its profits to clean water charities.

Here’s how you can get involved...

BREWGOODER: SPONSORED CONTENT MAIN IMAGE: On tap: a Brewgooder clean water tank TOP LEFT: Clean water lager: craft, crisp and creative BOTTOM LEFT: Founder Alan Mahon is brewing a world of good FAR RIGHT: Brewgooders projects help communities in Malawi who are facing water poverty

GREENBIZ

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hink of the ways people raise money for charity. A half marathon.

A sponsored silence. Growing a moustache. Drinking a beer probably isn’t on that list. Here’s where Brewgooder comes in to save the day.

Based in Edinburgh, its Clean Water Lager is distributed around the UK in selected retailers and bars. It donates 100% of profits made to clean water projects in Malawi and has successfully funded 130 projects, from water tanks to wells, affecting over 64,000 lives.

So why beer? Brewgooder believes that the craft beer industry represents the best qualities in human society; innovation, collaboration, passion and diversity. Beer is a powerful social weapon, going for a pint is the default for most of us. They want to harness the social nature of beer for good.

A lack of safe drinking water seems unimaginable to us - yet globally, 880 million people don’t have access to it.

In Malawi alone, over five million people lack safe water access. In Malawian communities, there’s a saying, “Madzi ndi Moyo” translating to “water is life”.

As such, all fundraising will be spent in Malawi to bring water and life to more and more native communities.

So far, funds raised from the sales of Clean Water Lager in retailers and bars have contributed to the installation of a water tank and have repaired wells and boreholes across Malawi through their partnerships with charity partners.

This month, Brewgooder is hosting a

“Water is life” - Madzi ndi Moyo

Global Gathering, a collaboration project that will unite the most diverse breweries around the world to end water poverty for 100,000 people over World Water Day Weekend, 20-22 March.

They want breweries to collaborate and contribute towards creating a unique brew released on the same day, March 20th and fundraise at least £500.

This can be achieved through taproom events, beer festivals or online fundraising.

Brewgooder will provide a dedicated

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fundraising manager and hands-on help.

Even beer giants like Brewdog have got on board, raising £20,000 in the process.

So how can you, the casual drinker, get on board? Well, you can simply buy a pack of cans. Then drink them. It’s that simple. You can buy Brewgooder ale and lager online or in selected retailers and bars. You can even subscribe to get cans or bottles delivered to your office on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis. We should say we don’t endorse drinking at the workplace, but it is for charity so…

It’s important to note that the production of beer and alcohol, unfortunately, has many ethical and sustainability issues. The labour costs and transport associated with distribution means beer isn’t the best for the planet.

Beer production also uses an incredible amount of water, so a donation to a clean water charity is a wise and ethical consumer choice. It also remains an easy way to donate to charity. Unlike a marathon, the only exercise involved is putting the beer to your mouth, which admittedly can be a bit taxing after the fourth or fifth can.

Check out the Brewgooder shop: brewgooder.com/shop

WHAT YOU CAN LEARN FROM

INDIAN COOKING

Known for its generous use of fragrant spices and array of exciting ingredients, we discuss the incredibly diverse cuisine and share a simple but tasty recipe

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raditional Indian food is somewhat of a misnomer. Our British version of Indian food is as Indian as beans on toast. One of our most loved dishes, a chicken tikka masala, is thought to have originated in a Glasgow kitchen way back in the 1970s.

How authentic.

Although we are accustomed to meatheavy dishes when we eat out or get a takeaway, there’s much more to classic Indian food than just poppadoms, chicken korma and Bombay aloo. It’s actually a lot lighter and fresher and makes for the perfect thrifty snack, lunch or evening meal.

And with over 500 million vegetarians in India, a lot of dishes are actually meat-free.

Despite its economic prowess, India’s perpetually growing population is providing its own unique challenges regarding nutrition and agriculture. Yet, its attitude towards food waste is overwhelmingly positive. The Food Sustainability Index reports that India performs particularly low among the 25 countries surveyed for food waste.

Concerning the meals themselves, Indian food is as sustainable as they come.

Although cooking styles and ingredients vary region-to-region, Indian food easily lends itself to a plant-based diet and is high in natural proteins from pulses, beans, grains and more. With a focus on veg, tins and rice, it’s healthy, affordable and very tasty indeed.

The real takeaways

Turn up the heat: The spice is always right

Be generous with your spices: one of the things that people may find intimidating about cooking Indian food are the spices involved but by stocking up on ground spices, Indian food is at your fingertips. We recommend having turmeric, chilli powder, cumin, ground coriander and garam masala in your cupboard for when that curry craving strikes.

Eat communally: it’s sad that the dining table experience is becoming increasingly obsolete in British homes. Eating in

India is an intrinsic part of shared human experience, it’s customary to share food and meals are often, if not always, eaten with family and friends present. Like most Indians, we believe eating should be a quintessentially mutual experience, and proper home-cooked food is part of that.

Love your cupboard:

your dedicated kitchen space should really be more than pasta and beans, especially if you love Indian food. One reason why Indian recipes can be so cheap and easy is because they call for store cupboard staples like chickpeas, tinned tomatoes, lentils, potatoes and more.

WHAT YOU CAN LEARN FROM...

Short on time?

Chop up the potatoes and cauliflower into bite-size chunks so they cook even quicker.

Want more savings?

swap

Don’t have fresh tomatoes? A tin of chopped tomatoes

Leave out the fresh coriander, add an extra teaspoon of ground coriander for extra flavour.

will do the job.

Cheap, filling and bursting with flavour, this traditional Punjabi cauliflower and potato curry is one to have in your repertoire.

Cook everything up in one pot and serve with rice, naan, a dollop of yoghurt and some pickle or chutney.

TRY OUR ALOO GOBI

This a-peeling Indian classic just happens to be vegan

PREP TIME: 15 minutes

COOKING TIME: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS 5 tbsp oil - 7p 2 medium potatoes (chopped into cubes) - 60p 1 medium cauliflower (cut into florets) - £1 1 large onion (diced) - 9p 1 tsp cumin seeds - 2p 3 garlic cloves (crushed or finely chopped) - 2p 1.5 tbsp grated ginger - 12p 1 green chilli (deseeded and finely chopped) - 10p 5 chopped fresh tomatoes - 65p ½ tsp ground turmeric - 19p ½ tsp - 1 tsp chilli powder - 15p 2 tsp ground coriander - 5p Small bunch of fresh coriander leaves - 70p Juice ½ lime - 15p Salt to taste

4 s e

rv £4 e S or f METHOD

1. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan on medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the potatoes and cauliflower together and sauté until golden.

2. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and leave to drain on some kitchen paper.

3. Turn the heat down to medium-low, add a little more oil if necessary then pop in the cumin seeds and cook for a few seconds until they pop.

4. Add the onion and cook until soft and golden but not brown, then stir in the garlic, ginger and green chilli and cook for a couple of minutes.

5. Add the chopped tomatoes, ground turmeric, chilli powder and ground coriander and cook, stirring regularly, for 2-3 minutes.

6. Add the potatoes, cauliflower and salt and turn down the heat. Cover and cook until both are tender, stirring occasionally to make sure they don’t stick. Add a splash of water if necessary.

7. When cooked, take off the heat then add in the lime juice and chopped fresh coriander.

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HACKS

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NO FOOD WASTE COLLECTI ON? No worrie s!

Start compo

sting with your spare ch ange

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or anyone living in an area with no food waste collection, it can be frustrating. Binning old food so that it gets taken to landfill does one of two things, both terrible for the environment. The food either fails to decompose, as it becomes trapped and preserved by the non-decomposable material surrounding it. Or, it decomposes without oxygen in a process called anaerobic digestion which can release carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere. But it’s not all bad news...

Food waste collection isn’t perfect to begin with. Councils can turn it into fertiliser or reproduce anaerobic digestion, capturing the gases to produce energy. But both things require lorries to collect the waste and industrial processing to make use of it.

You can do it yourself just fine. All you need to get started with recycling your own food waste is a small patch of outdoor space and a couple of quid. You can even use your old newspapers and cardboard boxes.

Wasting your food: what a load of rubbish!

1. Getting started

The first thing to do is get yourself an outdoor dustbin with a lid, 80L should do. Don’t buy yourself a new one if you can avoid it; for a fiver you can buy a used one on Ebay or, even better, an old one to pick up locally from Facebook Marketplace (the cheapest we found was £2.50). If you can find a purpose-built composter, great, but these need slightly different treatment, as we’ll get into.

Now find a way to drill a few drain holes in the bottom or cut some carefully with a sharp knife. People often think of compost as wet and smelly, but neither should be true when done right. If the compost can drain, it should be dry and shouldn’t smell. If you’ve managed to get yourself a proper composter, add a layer of sticks at the bottom to aid aeration – we’ll go into why later.

Then grab yourself a few old bricks or a disused wooden pallet and put your bin on top, ideally in a shaded area. This will allow space for drainage and aeration while preventing overheating from sunlight (another cause of smells). Your thrifty compost bin is now complete and ready for you to begin using.

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2. How to use it

Almost everything you’d put in the food waste can go into your compost but it is important to note that there is a difference between rotting and composting. If you add meat or bones to your compost, they will start to rot, causing smells and attracting flies, maggots and local animals. Meat products need a bokashi bin to pickle and ferment them instead.

Your food waste, known as your ‘green material’, can also start to rot if not looked after properly. Avoid this by adding ‘brown material’ – add either some torn up cardboard, newspaper or old dried leaves every other time you go out to add food waste to your bin. This balances out ‘green’ decomposing nitrogen with ‘brown’ decomposing carbon, keeping your compost smell-free.

Finally, you need to turn the material to introduce air. Every so often, use a pitchfork to give the material a turn. If you don’t have one then simply pick up your bin (lid on) by its handles and give it a good toss, as you would a pan of pasta. For purpose-built composters, this may not be possible due to their size. That’s where the stick layer comes in, which allows aeration from below.

Every six months to a year you’ll have perfect compost at the bottom of your bin. It’ll be easier to get at if you can save to invest in a proper compost bin with a low placed hatch, but this is still a great way to get yourself started. You can use the compost on your own plant beds or, if you don’t have any soil, give it to someone who does. There’s no self-respecting gardener in existence who would turn down an offer of free compost.

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HACKS The need for seed: good for your pocket and the planet

World Planting Day is coming up on 21 March, and what better way to get involved in the global movement than by planting your own herbs and vegetables To help you out, here are three herbs and vegetables you can easily plant at home and will happily grow all year round for your thrifty meals

GROW YOUR OWN this world planting day GARLIC GREENS

MICRO GREENS

GINGER

Garlic greens can be used in any dish you would use regular garlic cloves in - just expect a more subtle flavour.

The process of planting your own is simple.

Using a four-inch pot with multiple holes at the bottom, plant 10-12 unpeeled cloves individually in the pot, making sure they’re all close enough together and about one inch down in the compost. That’s it! All that’s left to do is care for your potted pal by placing it in a sunny spot and watering it well.

After a week, you should see the beams begin to rise. Once the shoots are around 8-10 inches long, you can snip them off and use them as you please. Just be mindful to compost the contents and begin the process from scratch. A good tip is to save up your leftover cloves throughout the week and make this a habit.

Microgreens are simply the seedlings of vegetables and herbs all grown as one and can be used to garnish any meal that tickles your fancy from salads to pasta dishes.

Just like the garlic greens, the process of growing your own is quick and easy. Just pick up some vegetable and herb seeds from your local farmers market or garden centre. You can choose anything from kale and radishes to beets and basil. Fill a shallow tray (no more than two inches deep with air holes at the base) with compost. Sprinkle the seeds on the surface before lightly covering them once again with more compost. Continue to keep the soil moist, preferably using a spray bottle and make sure your seedlings get 12-14 hours of light per day.

The batch should take between three to four weeks to grow around two inches. Once they do, hold the greens at the stem and snip them towards the base just above the soil.

There you go, you’re good to garnish! You should use your greens the same day, but if not, store them in a bag in the fridge where they will last up to five days.

You can never have too much ginger lying around. If you’re anything like us, you like to save leftover ginger, especially for hot ginger and lemon water when you’re feeling weak. It also helps to clam nausea and inflammation.

To grow your own, all you need is a chunk of ginger, some soil and a container. It takes two minutes to begin the growing process.

Just pop the ginger in the container and cover it with soil. Place in an area where it receives indirect sunlight and patiently wait for new growth. Make sure you keep the soil moist but ensure it’s never waterlogged.

To harvest the ginger that constantly grows within the soil, simply remove it from the soil and cut off as much as you need. Once you’ve harvested the amount you need, chuck it back in the soil and allow it to continue growing. It’s really that simple!

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THRIFTY LIVING

THE REDUCTION RAIDER

... Spills the beans

Frugal foodie and food waste warrior Laura Gaga AKA The Reduction Raider tells us why yellow-sticker food shopping is the way forward

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aura Gaga is a civil servant from London who is passionate about eating well for less and avoiding food waste where possible. For the past eight years, she has solely been buying discounted “yellow sticker” food from the reduced aisle in supermarkets. In 2015, she set up an Instagram account reduction_ raider1 to share her experiences of yellow sticker shopping. She also has a blog reductionraider1.wordpress.com where she shares thrifty recipes and tips.

Can’t cook, won’t cook

Growing up in London in the 80s, Laura was as fussy an eater as they come. Her diet consisted of fish fingers, waffles and fizzy drinks. Things didn’t get much better when she went to university. Unable to cook, Laura relied on ready meals and takeaways to get by. “The idea of food waste wasn’t on my mind at all back then. I didn’t pay any attention to how much I was actually spending on food either.” says Laura.

Needs must

It was only after university when Laura moved into her own flat that she reluctantly started cooking for herself. “When you live alone, you become completely responsible for your meals. I had no idea how to shop for one person, how to budget or what meals to make for myself,” says Laura.

Spaghetti bolognese, shepherd’s pie and chilli con carne became her go-to dishes and she remained wary of trying new things.

“I was still really fussy and I was adamant on following recipes to the letter,” she adds.

A yellow sticker revelation

Everything changed in 2011 when she sat down to have lunch with her work colleague Andy one day. “He brought in all this reduced food with yellow stickers on it. I didn’t even know that supermarkets reduced food at the end of the day. My mind was blown,” exclaims Laura. “Like most

of us, I wanted to cut down my food bill so I started looking out for yellow stickers myself. I think the first thing I ever bought was a bag of donuts for 10p - it was such a buzz! I was on the phone to anyone who would listen, telling them about it,” she laughs. Before long she was buying all her staples - fruit and veg, bread, meat and fish from the reduced aisles too.

REDUCED What are yellow sticker items?

Products that have been reduced in price because they are approaching their “use by” or “best before” date. Discounts range from a few pence to over 90% of the full price.

New ways of thinking

“To begin with, yellow sticker shopping was just about saving money, but over time, it transformed my relationship with food.

Usually, when you go food shopping, you buy what you need but when you shop this way you’ve got to be more open-minded.

I’d think, right, this is what I’ve got - what can I make from it?” explains Laura. “With the internet, we’re lucky enough to have information at our fingertips. If I don’t have a specific ingredient, I’ll just Google a substitute.” One question Laura often gets asked is how to find the best reduced items but she believes there is no secret trick, “You can’t go in with something specific in mind or you’ll just be disappointed.”

Waste not

Yellow-sticker shopping has also made Laura more mindful of wasting food. “Even when we have plenty of food in, we buy more and it ends up going to waste,” she says. “It’s about being creative with what you already have - really, there are no rules about what can and can’t go together.” Now following a vegan diet, Laura believes she is proof that you can have a well-rounded diet consisting of food that would otherwise have gone to waste. Indeed, looking at the recipes on her blog which feature exciting dishes such as peanut butter dal, white beet and leek burgers and rhubarb muffins, Laura doesn’t seem to be missing out in terms of nutrition or flavour. Plus, she’s saving pennies and saving the planet in the process.

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Laura’s savvy shopping tips: Understand sell-by dates:

It’s easy to get confused between ‘best before’, ‘use by’ and ‘display until’ labels on food. ‘Best before’ refers to the quality of the product rather than how safe it is to eat, apart from eggs. ‘Display until’ labels aren’t of any use to the consumer, these are used to help with stock control. The ‘use by date’ means the product should be used by the end of this date - you should follow storage instructions on the packaging.

Know what you’ve got in:

Before you go food shopping, take stock of what’s in your fridge and cupboards so you think about how you can use it up before you go out and buy another bag of onions you don’t really need.

The freezer is your friend:

Most yellow sticker items can be frozen and used later. Research how to store different types of produce - milk, cheese, bread, leftovers and herbs can all be frozen.

Be careful with meat and fish, however.

BEETS To make sure you’re not left with the inevitable ‘pink finger’ from beetroot, rub lemon juice and salt on your hands before washing with soap and warm water

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