During the summer months, when people head off on holiday or eat out more frequently, food waste in the UK rises sharply. Almost half of Brits (48%) are self-aware of their wasteful habits, admitting they waste too much food. But despite this, only one in ten (10%) say they make a conscious effort to avoid food waste entirely.
The survey results were revealed by AEG in support of their latest campaign, Food for thought: The Waste Less Index, which reveals the common misconceptions pushing people to throw away perfectly good food.
To help set the record straight, the experts at AEG, including product training manager Michael Forbes, have shared practical advice on how to get the most out of your food shop and utilise your kitchen appliances.
“You shouldn’t reheat certain foods”
Confusion and misinformation around reheating foods is one of the biggest drivers of unnecessary waste. Two-thirds (66%) of Brits worry about food safety when reheating a meal, with one in six admitting they will only reheat certain foods. The three food items that cause the most concern for Brits are seafood (28%), rice (14%) and chicken (12%).
A spokesperson at AEG explains, “There’s a widespread belief that reheating foods like rice and chicken is inherently unsafe, but that’s a misconception. The danger doesn’t come from reheating these foods; the real risk comes from how these foods are cooled and stored beforehand.
“Because of this, many people throw away perfectly good leftovers, which leads to a considerable amount of food waste, when in fact, if leftovers are cooled correctly, stored properly and reheated thoroughly, they will be completely safe to eat. When storing leftovers, make sure to refrigerate them within 2 hours of cooking for safety.
Michael adds, “Many people won’t realise, but some ovens have a reheat function which is the best and safest way to reheat most foods and can often give better results than a microwave.
“Microwave ovens are still a great option as they cook food quickly and thoroughly, but make sure to stir your food halfway through cooking, as this will even the temperature as it heats from the centre outwards.
“For dishes that benefit from a more even, gentle heat – like fish or anything you want to revive without drying out, a steam oven or the steam refresh setting is a fantastic option. Steam reheating helps retain moisture and texture far better than a conventional oven, so food tastes closer to freshly cooked. For anything like soups, sauces or grains, the hob is just as effective – simply reheat on a medium heat and stir regularly until piping hot throughout. ”
“You can’t eat food past the best‑before date”
According to the index, almost one in four (23%) Brits will avoid eating an item of food if it has passed the best‑before date. But, according to the experts, in many cases, it is still safe to do so.
AEG explain that educating people on the difference between sell‑by, use‑by and best‑before dates would go a long way in preventing people from throwing away as much food as they do, as one in six adults can’t explain the difference between the three.
AEG explains, “One of the most common (and costly) mistakes people make is confusing best-before dates with use-by dates – and they mean very different things.
“Best before dates are indicative of how long the product will retain its peak quality and freshness, but foods are generally still edible after this date, they may just lose optimal taste.
“What a lot of people do is mix up the best-before date with the use-by date. Use-by dates are based on food safety rather than quality, meaning you should not eat, cook or put the items in the freezer past this date. These are usually on dairy and meat products. It’s safe to eat these items on the use-by date, but not the day after.
“Whilst it can be safe to eat an item after the best before date, it is still advised to use sensory cues like look, smell and taste to judge whether a food is still good to eat after this date.”
“Food ‘goes off’ faster than it actually does”
Over half of Brits (52%) say that the main reason they waste food is that food “goes off too quickly”, but in reality this is not true, and instead food is perceived to have gone off due to its appearance, often caused by incorrect storage or misunderstanding visual signs.
AEG explain, “A lot of people will judge whether an item of food has gone off or is unsafe to eat purely based on visual appearance, which can lead to many food items being thrown away before they need to be, when in reality they can still be cooked and taste just as good.
“Wilted salad or slightly softer vegetables don’t mean the food has gone bad – in many cases they can be rehydrated or cooked and will taste just as good. A lot of foods don’t go off as quickly as people think, and the reason for them spoiling is often because they haven’t been stored properly.
Michael adds, “There are a lot of simple habits and tricks people can adopt to help keep their food fresher for longer when storing it in their fridge freezer. One that a lot of people aren’t aware of but can make a big difference is making sure anything that is wet/liquid based is properly covered, as this will prevent cross-contamination in the fridge.
“You can also place a paper towel in a bag of salad leaves to absorb excess moisture (but make sure to change it regularly), store bread in the freezer, or keep vegetables in the fridge drawer, which can add days, sometimes weeks, to how long they stay fresh.
“The other important thing to check is that your fridge is set to the correct temperature; the optimum temperature for keeping food fresh is between 3C and 5C, with 4C being the optimum. You should also avoid packing your fridge too densely, as this will prevent the cold air from circulating evenly; make sure there is space for air to flow between items and the back wall. ”
With nearly half of Brits acknowledging they waste too much food, tackling these misconceptions and making smarter use of kitchen appliances can make a meaningful difference. To find out more about the UK’s food waste habits, visit the AEG website.
