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  Local mother Rosie reveals something she learned at the Love Food Hate Waste session

  More free sessions available for the public to enrol

Six Sutton residents have reduced their food waste by more than 70 per cent after taking part in a series of Love Food Hate Waste activity sessions.

Before the sessions, Sutton Council encouraged residents to complete a seven-day diary detailing how much food they disposed of during that period. This meant that during the session recycling advisers were able to share relevant and practical tips on how residents could have reduced their food waste.

Afterwards, the six residents were asked to complete a second seven-day food waste diary showing how the advice they had received helped them to reduce it. The total amount of food thrown away by the group was cut back by more than 70 per cent.

Some of the practical tips they learnt included:

• Storing eggs in the freezer
• Keeping apples in the fridge to prolong their lives
• Using a clothes peg to keep bread fresher for longer

There are still opportunities for anyone who would like to learn more about reducing their food waste. Contact Amy Harris at  or on 020 8770 6389 to find out how you can get involved with an LFHW activity session.

Cllr Jill Whitehead, Chair of the Environment & Neighbourhood Committee at Sutton Council, said:

“I’m really pleased to hear that everyone who took the food waste diary activities found them useful. As we aim to reach our ambitious One Planet Sutton targets to create a greener borough we need to be aware of all the ways we can each make a difference.

“The figures show that we can still do much more to reduce food waste in Sutton. We know our residents want to live in environmentally-friendly sustainable borough, and we’re committed to helping them achieve it.”

Food waste costs UK households on average £700 a year, or almost £60 a month.  The LFHW campaign aims to cut this figure by sharing simple tips on how waste can be reduced by using or storing food properly.

Rosie, a Sutton resident and local blogger at www.mummyandboo.com, said:

“The Love Food Hate Waste session was a great opportunity to come together with other local residents to share our tips on reducing food waste and discover new ways on making the most of leftovers. I’d recommend it to anyone. We came away with some fresh ideas that are both practical and speedy, perfect for busy family life.”

One Planet Sutton is a vision for Sutton where people lead happy, healthy lives with a fair share of the Earth’s resources. Sutton Council has committed to becoming a One Planet Borough by 2025. The council is working in partnership with a wide range of local voluntary and community groups to deliver this vision under the themes of cutting carbon emissions, cutting waste, valuing our natural environment, supporting healthy communities and supporting the local economy. You can find out more about the One Planet Sutton initiative here.

The Sutton Love Food Hate Waste campaign is funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) after Sutton Council’s successful bid for funding.

To store eggs in a freezer break the eggs and store in a sealed container. More info here.