Common home food waste

Fruit

Over a quarter of fruit produce is wasted across Australian households³. When buying, plan when you want to eat your fruit. If you know you won’t be enjoying it for a few days, select hard and slightly under ripe items. If you’re ready to eat your fruit the same day you buy it, just pick up enough to last until your next shop.

Once overripe, fruit can work best in a bake or crumble. Try drying fruit pieces for a delicious roll-up snack, or turn leftover fruit into a chutney, jam or compote that can last you a few months as a delicious toast topper or cheese board condiment. From marinades to sauces, read our handy guides to making the most of your ageing summer fruits, plums, blueberries, tomatoes or apples and pears.

Vegetables & herbs

When vegetables start to turn lacklustre, they sadly end up in the bin sooner than expected. Don’t let your fridge crisper drawer become a graveyard for once-vibrant veg. Savour the last of their life in a vegetable stock for your soups, stews or risottos, cook and blitz them in a warming soup, or slice and dice them in a crowd-pleasing frittata. 

Bread

We’ve all been left with those few remaining slices that are at risk of turning stale or mouldy. Use your less-than-fresh bread leftovers as sweet and savory bread crust chips, or turn them into breakfast tarts. Use bread crumbs to coat your nuggets - the more stale the better when it comes to creating a crumb! You can also use crunchy crumbs to top your pasta. There are so many ways to make the most of your leftover bread and avoid food waste, we’ve even written an article about it.

Bagged salad

Usually lasting a week in the crisper drawer of your fridge, bagged salads are easily forgotten once stored. Before buying, plan when you want to use your salad leaves and choose your bag size accordingly. Chop up leftover lettuce and toss in a salad, slaw or wrap. Bring older lettuce to life on the grill with pork chops, and bake tired looking spinach with feta in a crumbly, mouthwatering roll. Take your spinach for the long haul and freeze it for a few months’ storage before cooking it in a pie or dropping it in smoothie.

Leftovers

Whether it’s the pizza you ordered in, a pan full of stir-fry, or last night’s pasta, leftovers are unfortunately one of the most commonly wasted food items. Discover our tips to using leftover spaghetti bolognese, leftover barbecue meats, even leftover cake!