Organisation is key, make a list in advance of who will bring certain items to avoid everyone bringing the same food and having large amounts of waste because there is nothing worse than having to eat the same leftovers for four days. You could even budget per guest, for example each person will eat 1 sausage, 1 burger and one bread bun to avoid buying too much.
You can check what everyone wants to eat before cooking and cook to order rather than all at once, if anyone is still hungry then you can cook more. This avoids waste because any uncooked food can be frozen for later. Freezing uncooked or uneaten food is a brilliant way to reduce waste and save yourself money.
When serving food, don’t be tempted to use paper plates because it saves on washing up. Reusable plates and cutlery can be washed and used over and over again. This can save you money and help the environment.
Get creative with your leftovers and make some tasty meals, rather than throwing them away.
Here are some great recipes to try:
BBQ chicken drumsticks with slaw
You could make smoothies or ice lollies from leftover fruit salads or tired fruit in the bowl.
You do not even need a food blender, you can put pieces of fruit in an ice lolly mould with sugar-free lemonade or juice!
What do you think of our tips on how to reduce food waste? Get in touch with us on twitter @WasteLessSYorks and let us know.