Tips To Reduce Food Waste

tips to REDUCE FOoD WASTE, FROM olio

WHO ARE OLIO? FIND OUT ABOUT US

OLIO is a free app which connects neighbours with each other and with local businesses to exchange their edible surplus food. Think food nearing its sell-by date in local stores, spare vegetables from the allotment, cupcakes from an amateur baker, or the groceries in your fridge when you go away. The list goes on. OLIO is super easy. To make food available, simply open the app, add a photo, description, price (if applicable), and when and where the item is available for pick-up. To access food, simply browse available items near you, request whatever takes your fancy and arrange a pick-up via private messaging.

TESSA COOK’S TOP TIP NO ONE LIKES A BROWN AVOCADO!

Store an opened avocado with a slice of onion and the avocado doesn’t go brown! One more tip? The other one is an investment, but has been a life changing investment for me in terms of my ability to dramatically reduce my family’s food waste – I bought a Nutri Ninja and now I blend up everything into a smoothie – wrinkly apples, sorry looking carrots, half eaten bananas (toddler!), leftover broccoli or curly kale........ it all goes in there with full fat greek yoghurt, some porridge oats and then a dash of cinnamon or something, and it makes a DELICIOUS smoothie!! Plus the young kids LOVE helping me make it AND it’s the easiest way to get lots of nutritional goodness into them!

(Pinterest, 2016)

BEN CULLEN’S & AC MORNINGTONSTOP TIP WHAT DO TO WITH FRESH HERBS?

Don’t chuck out leftover fresh herbs. Make a herb butter with them! Herb butter is an easy, quick way to transform wilting herbs into tasty capsules of flavour that’ll last you for months. Roughly chop whatever herbs you have (finely chop and add the stalks of soft herbs, but discard woody stems), then combine with softened butter. Finely chop or grate in any leftover chillies, garlic or even ginger, if you like, then place onto a piece of greaseproof paper. Wrap it up into a cylinder shape, twisting the ends of the greaseproof to secure. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up, remove and slice the butter into rounds, then return to the freezer. Add to fish, steaks or veggies while they’re cooking for delicious flavour, or melt into finished risottos. So tasty!

Pinterest, 2016

MICHEAL BARSTIES’ TOP TIP JUST BUY WHAT YOU NEED

With buy one get one free and lots of appealing deals we sometimes may buy more than we actually need. My advice would be just buy what you need. That way you are reducing the risk of wasting food and also save alot of money too.! Apart from that I’d say be creative and try to create a new dish. Try to find out what works together and what doesn’t , and of course, freeze food you know you won’t eat soon as soon as possible.

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SAASHA CELESTIAL-ONE & LINDSAY WATTS’S TOP TIP IT CAN BE MADE INTO SOUP

My top tip is to make soup. You can put just about anything in soups and stews - wilted veg, half a can of open beans, cheese, pasta - just call it minestrone or chili and it’s guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser! Serve with day old bread - if it’s toasted it tastes fine.

(Pinterest, 2016)

RUBY SPENCER’S TOP TIP I LOVE HUMMUS AND MUSHROOMS

I love hummus ! But what makes me sad is that it goes off super quickly when you buy it from a supermarket. If you have half a pot of hummus left that you might not be able to eat straight away, why not make a pasta sauce, fry some veg and just add with a little water and stir! Its super yummy and quick to makes.

Also top tips for mushrooms because they go off very fast and people chuck them away.

Never freeze mushrooms raw, just cook tuem and freeze them all.

(Pinterest, 2016)

BENJAMIN BELL’S TOP TIP ALWAYS THINK AHEAD

Aside from militantly freezing food to extend its life (be it straight after purchase or if the use-by approaches), the main thing we do is sit down before our weekly shop on the weekend and think about what nights we’re in for the week ahead and then shop accordingly.

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VIVENNE TAYLOR’S TOP TIP DONT BE AFRAID

Don’t be afraid to upload all sorts of food to OLIO as you never know what someone else might need. For example, old bananas can be used to make banana bread. We have some great food on the OLIO app which can be transformed into some amazing dishes! What is the point in going to the supermarket and buying things when you could just get them on OLIO for free.

(Pinterest, 2016)

SANDY O’BRIEN’S TOP TIP ICE FRUIT CUBES

Freezing fruit that is about to go off and then blend it to make a thick smoothy. You could always make fruit ice cubes by mashing up fruit and then putting it in the ice cube block.

It saves money and also space in your freezer!

(Pinterest, 2016)

MARTINA RANDLES TOP TIP KEEP THE SLUGS AWAY

Dont you just hate it when slugs eat your plants ? Well did you know that egg shells are great in the garden as they stop slugs. I also love using my lemon rind in rice with fresh curry leaves it gives it a fantastic taste. Finally did you know the seed of the avocado is one of the most nutritious and often thrown out parts of this superfood? Why not grate the seed and put it in your morning smoothy!

(Pinterest, 2016)

WANT TO GET INVOLVED? THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO HELP

Do you want to become an OLIO volunteer or ambassador?

If you love OLIO, believe in our mission, and would like to volunteer, please email us at hello@olioex.com.

Find us on facebook at: OLIO - The Food Sharing Revolution Website: www.olioex.com

(Pinterest, 2016)