Plan ahead
Know what you're going to buy at the shop. Add things you need on your phone or on a pad in the kitchen throughout the week. Take a photo of your fridge before you go to the shop so you don't double up.
Reducing waste
Did you know each UK household throws away on average £500 worth of food each year? We're doing all we can to prevent food waste in our stores and help you reduce food waste in your home. Follow our simple steps to play your part.
Tips and tricks
Food storage tips
Should you put eggs in the fridge and how do you stop bread from going stale? We’ve got some useful advice about storage to help your food last longer.
Make the most of your fridge
- Keep your refrigerator at or below 5°C
- Store fish and chicken at the bottom of the fridge where it is coldest and to stop them dripping on other things
- Put flour in the fridge to prevent it from going bad and keep its natural oils as cool as possible
- Refrigerated eggs last longer and their temperature will be kept consistent
- Cool cooked rice quickly by rinsing in cold water and refrigerating within an hour – eat within 24 hours
- Always keep cheese in the fridge to keep it fresh. You can even refrigerate hard cheese such as cheddar after grating
- Jams and condiments are better in the fridge
- Store apples in a reusable container to make them last two weeks longer
- Mushrooms store better in a paper bag or folded into a tea towel
- Try not to overpack your fridge as it can affect the lifespan of everything in there
Other storage advice
- Tomatoes taste nicer at room temperature and can lose their flavour if kept too cold
- Fruits such as bananas, pineapples and nectarines should be kept in a cool, dark place
- Bread should be kept in a cool, dry place and will go stale or mouldy more quickly when placed next to chilled produce
- Peanut butter should be stored in the cupboard
- Celery looking a little sad? Instantly revive it in ice cold water
- Cakes and similar treats can be frozen if you wrap them well
- Freeze pasta, but let it cool and give it a little drizzle of olive oil
- Fresh herbs survive longer if kept in water - like fresh flowers!
Love your leftovers
Wondering what to do with your leftovers? Before you throw anything away, check out these recipes that allow you to create something delicious from the bits that didn't quite make it into other meals.
Leftover tips
Looking for creative ways to use up your leftovers? Try some of these handy tips.
- Sliced veg can perk up any pizza topping - just try it.
- Spare fruit can be added to breakfast cereal for extra zing.
- Upgrade omelettes by adding already cooked potatoes.
- Boil your chicken bones for a few hours to make super tasty stock.
- Edible tomatoes should never be thrown out - you’re halfway to a salad.
- Bananas getting too ripe? They’ll still taste great in banana bread.
- Unused veg such as spring onion can be added to mash for a lovely twist.
- Rice tastes even better with leftover sweetcorn, peas or onion mixed through it.
- Stale bread? That means bread and butter pudding to us.
- Keep your salad and use it in tomorrow’s lunch sandwiches.
- Sunday roast leftovers can be converted into Monday dishes such as this Shepherd’s pie.
- Baked potatoes go with lots of leftovers such as cooked salmon or sausages.
- Give pickling a go with leftover cucumber or cabbage - it’s very simple.
Share what you can’t use
Share what you can’t use
If you have a surplus of fresh fruit, veg, cheese (and much more!) but really won't be able to use it, why not help others in your local area? Most places in the UK have a Community Fridge close to them. Just take your spare food items along and they’ll make sure they go to those who need them most.
Helping to feed the nation
Depot Redistribution Partners
Since 2013, we've partnered with FareShare to distribute surplus fruit, vegetables, ready meals and chilled items from our depots to community groups helping vulnerable people across the UK. We also work with The Bread and Butter Thing, Company Shop and City Harvest to redistribute surplus food from our depots.
