Some of the biggest names in the country have shared their tips and tricks on making your food last longer as part of Countdown’s Zero Food Waste Challenge.
Countdown has revealed that Kiwis waste over $ 3 billion worth of food annually, which is enough to feed the population of Hamilton for a whole year. That adds up to $1520 of food wasted by every household every year, and the numbers have worsened compared to last year.
To help out, some NZ legends have shared how they reduce food waste and save a good chunk of money in the long run.
Al Brown
Who better to give food advice than one of our best chefs Al Brown? He says to always be wary of how much food, particularly fish, the meal requires before getting it, and to make sure you use every part of the fish.
“Firstly, as a recreational fisherman/fisherwoman, before you venture out ask yourself the question, how much fish do you need?” he said.
“There is no point or anything good about catching your limit, only taking the fillets (and heaven forbid freezing them) and throwing a third of the edible fish left on the frames away. Use the whole fish, not just the pearly white fillets… The wings, the belly, the bones for stock (minus the gills) etc.
“Again, when purchasing fish, think about buying and cooking a whole fish. Easier on the wallet, a slower eating experience, visually stunning and zero wastage.”
Antonia Prebble
Antonia Prebble recommends a product that will help your veggies last longer and recommends using the internet when you’ve got an odd bunch of ingredients in your pantry and no clue what to do with them.
“I recently purchased a "The Swag" bag, which helps to keep your veggies fresher for longer in the fridge. It really works so I would totally recommend that (I'm not at all connected to the company, just a happy customer!)”
“I also look at whatever fresh food I've got and google recipes with those ingredients. So if there's an eggplant and some tofu languishing in the fridge, I'll see what ‘eggplant and tofu’ recipes google has to offer me.”
“It's a great way to avoid having to throw out items that have gone too far, and also discover some new dishes and combinations of ingredients that you might not necessarily have thought of”
Kim Crossman
Shortland Street star Kim Crossman recommends making some veggie soup when your greens are close to rotting and shares a tip to get it tasting nice.
“Use all your veggies that need to be eaten and make a soup or a vegetable scramble. This is my go-to when I have neglected some of the items in the fridge and don’t want to have any waste. If it doesn’t taste too flash I tend to add copious amounts of hot sauce on top!”
