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This is the second part of our Food Waste Special. In the last issue, we looked at food waste recycling. This week, we will focus on how to reduce the amount of food waste in the run-up to Food Waste Action Week.
Service update: Blue bag delivery
The borough-wide delivery of blue general rubbish bags is ongoing and expected to complete by 13 March (Monday). If you haven't received your blue bags after this date, please report it on our website.
 Food Waste Action Week (6 to 12 March)
Led by WRAP, a climate action NGO in the UK, the third Food Waste Action Week will take place next week (6 to 12 March). This year's theme is ‘Win. Don’t Bin.’
Throughout the week, WRAP will share how to save time and money by making the most of food you buy on the Love Food Hate Waste Facebook page.
We will re-share some of the tips on our social media. Stay tuned!
Did you know?
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Can I recycle pizza boxes?
You can put used pizza boxes in your green recycling bag, but any clumps of cheese, toppings or crusts should go straight to your food waste caddy.
A small amount of oil in the pizza box, though not ideal, won’t be a problem. You can try to soak up any excess with a napkin or kitchen towel.
If the bottom of the pizza box is heavily soiled with toppings, sauces or grease, tear it out and recycle only the top part of it.
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 'Use by' vs 'Best before'
Have you thrown away food that is passed its best before date, but still seems edible?
You may find date labels on food packaging confusing. Here is a quick guide to help you make sense of them and save your food from being wasted:
'Use by' date refers to safety. You should not eat food after the ‘use by’ date, even if it looks or smells alright.
‘Best before’ refers to quality. After this date, it might not be at its best, but it will still be safe to eat. Use your senses to make a judgement.
'Display until' or 'sell by' date labels are for retailers, not for us at home, so you don't need to worry about them.
Know date labels to save money
Knowing date labels helps you save money. You can freeze food right up to and including the ‘use by’ date. If you’re not sure you will eat it in time, freeze it for another day!
Over time, you’ll begin to realise just how much more edible food is being eaten and saved from the bin.
 Store food in your fridge
Apart from freezing, storing food in your fridge is also a great way to reduce waste.
The Food Standards Agency and the Love Food Hate Waste website share these tips on how to store food in your fridge:
Your fridge should be 5°C or below
You can use a regular thermometer to test how cold your fridge is, or check it using the online tool on the Love Food Hate Waste website.
Also, it's important to keep the fridge door shut as the temperature inside rises every time it is opened.
Store food on the right shelves
The coldest spot in your fridge is at the bottom, so
- Fresh food like fruits, vegetable, meat, poultry and fish should go on the bottom shelf
- Ready-to-eat foods can be put on the middle and top shelves
- The fridge door is one of the warmest areas in your fridge, so store your dairy items in the cooler parts of your fridge instead to keep them fresher for longer
Hot food will heat up your fridge, so cool cooked food to room temperature before placing it in the fridge within one or two hours.
Don't overfill your fridge
Leaving space in your fridge allows air to circulate and maintains the set temperature.
A - Z guide to food storage
If you are not sure how to store certain kinds of food, the online A to Z guide to food storage will be able to help.
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