According to a national research survey of 1,100 people conducted by Stop Food Waste, a programme developed by the Environmental Protection Agency, 53 per cent of Mayo people throw away food regularly. In fact, 30 per cent of the food we buy ends up in the bin, costing the average household up to €1,000 a year in food waste.
The extensive survey also revealed the main foods that are regularly thrown out in Mayo homes are fruits and vegetables. Others include bread and bread rolls, condiments, yoghurts, dairy desserts and food leftovers.
The research also showed that almost half of Mayo people buy more food than needed when shopping with just less than half planning ahead and using a shopping list - one third of those using a shopping list were found to stick to it. Other findings include tht almost a third of Mayo people regularly discard leftover food after preparing a meal and again, almost a third do not consider additional meals that can be made out of leftover food at the point of purchase. StopFoodWaste.ie shopping tips
Don’t go shopping when you are hungry.
If you are shopping for the week try to plan your meals ahead.
Check your fridge, freezer and cupboards before shopping and plan meals around requirements.
Make a shopping list.
Try to buy loose fruit and veg.
Check use-by dates to avoid buying food that might get thrown out if not eaten immediately.
Poke around at the back of shelves — you will often find use-by dates that are further away.
Shop for what you actually eat, not for what you want/wish you would eat.
