Top tips
Know your dates
Use-by
(usually found on chilled products)
The key date in terms of safety: never eat products after this date and observe storage instructions. Check if the food can be frozen if you need to eat it at a later date.
Best before
(usually found on longer shelf life foods such as frozen, tinned or dried goods)
Refers to quality rather than safety. You can judge if it’s safe to eat food after the ‘best before’ date, but food may no longer be at its best. Eggs are the exception. Never eat eggs after the ‘best before’ date.
Display until and sell by
Used by some shops to help with stock control and are instructions for shop staff, not shoppers.
Make the most of our fruit and vegetables
- Store fruit and veg in the fridge and it can last up to a fortnight longer – only pop fruit you’ll eat in the next day or so into the fruit bowl (NB: exception is bananas and pineapples).
- “One bad apple” is true: keep older and new fruit separate to avoid fresher fruit ripening too quickly.
- Cooked apples and apple sauce make a great children’s dessert with syrup or ice cream.
- You can freeze bananas if they start to go black: defrost them for a quick smoothie.
- You can freeze tomatoes: simply treat like canned tomatoes when you are ready to use them. There is no need to defrost prior to adding to the pan but check they are thoroughly reheated.
- Keep a good selection of frozen vegetables in the freezer. They last longer, are nutritious, it gives children lots of options when it comes to dinner time and can be great for families in a hurry.
- Pineapples are best kept cool but not in the fridge. They do look stunning in the fruit bowl but best to move to a cool spot.
- Tired vegetables can be rescued for a sauce, curry or a casserole: slight bruises can be cut away and limp veg can often be resuscitated by popping in water to perk up.
Find out more on the Love Food Hate Waste website.
