When our volunteers pick up a donation of surplus food from our generous suppliers, they have no idea what they are going to get. So our cooking teams need to be very creative when they decide what recipe they are going to use. This decision includes how many guests they are cooking for and how best to use the ingredients, so not a scrap of food goes to waste. Any ingredients that aren’t used in the meal are given to guests to take home with them.
Making sure we’re using up food in our projects and at home is one of the easiest ways we can nurture our planet. By planning meals and making the most of leftovers, we can save money, time spent shopping and even end up with extra meals to share with family, friends and neighbours.
We know how tricky it can be to use up leftover food at home, so we have collated 10 of the easiest and best recipes from the internet to use up leftovers and reduce food waste.
Food Waste Recipes
- Turn stale slices of bread into these tasty garlic and herb croutons to add an extra crunch to salads
- Always got scraps of veg left over at the end of the week? Pickle them to impress guests, friends, family and neighbours.
- Reduce that pang of guilt you feel when you chuck potato peelings in the bin. Keep them and make this Hugh Fearnley- Whittingstall approved soup.
- This carbonara is a quick and delicious way to use eggs that need eating. Substitute bacon for mushrooms for extra good to the earth points.
- Make the most of celery, carrots, potatoes and apples in this use-up Dahl, big enough to feed a family or to be prepped for the week.
- Bananas browning in the bowl means it’s Banana Bread time. You will be showered with appreciation on all sides.
- You bought aubergines with every good intention of turning them into something delicious. They watch you whenever you open the fridge. Make the most of them with pasta with this recipe.
- Make your own bread-crumbs and add them to stuffed peppers for a tasty side dish that reduces waste.
- This vegan chilli packs in a load of veg and those tins of beans you have in the cupboard.
- Finally, a FoodCycle favourite, custard! Our projects love to perk up fruit, or any pudding with a splash of custard. Make it yourself to get the most from milk, eggs and sugar.
