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Every day we throw tonnes of food away. Why is that and what can we do to stop it?

In this article you can learn:

• what causes food waste
• how to store food to prevent food waste
• what compost is

This resource is suitable for Health and Wellbeing for primary school learners.

In this video, the Great Spoon explains what food waste is, why it is bad for us and how we can prevent and reduce food waste.

Food ends up in the bin because:

• We buy more than we need.
• We cook and fill our plates with more than we are going to eat.
• We forget to use food up before it goes out of date.
• We do not store food correctly so it goes bad more quickly than it should.

Storing food correctly can keep it fresher for longer. Here are some examples:

• Bread needs to be stored in a cool, dark place.
• Lettuce is best kept in the salad drawer of the fridge.
• Cheese should be wrapped and chilled in the fridge.

Click through the slideshow below to find out what you should store in each place.

Sometimes even if we try not to waste, we are still left with food scraps. Before we bin them and send them to landfill, we should stop and think…compost!

• Composting is a natural process that breaks down rotting food and plants and turns it into soil.
• Compost bins can be as simple as a plastic bin with air holes in it.
• Fill your compost bin with scraps of fruit, vegetables, cut grass and other garden waste. You can even compost teabags and scrunched up paper.
• Food waste and scraps from animal products like meat cannot be put in most compost bins.
• Over time the waste will break down and become nutrient-rich soil.
• This soil is perfect for helping new plants grow. You could use your compost to grow your own vegetables.