1. Bread
There are 24 million slices being wasted every day! Some people are tempted to keep their bread in the fridge, but this makes your bread go stale much more quickly and you are more likely to throw it away. Very stale bread can be made into breadcrumbs or croutons and be kept in an airtight jar for up to a week. If your bread is a little stale, it will make a delicious Bread and Butter Pudding.

We recommend keeping sliced bread in the freezer, it stays fresh for longer, and you can pop it straight into the toaster.

2. Bananas
Don’t be put off by black skins, the fruit inside will be sweeter and softer than ever, and the obvious choice for a slightly old banana – a lockdown classic: banana bread. Bananas that are still fairly yellow can be frozen in slices, ready for smoothies and milkshakes.

3. Potatoes
In the UK, we waste an astounding 4.4 million potatoes a day. If you suspect yours are about to sprout eyes, turn them into mash and freeze it in portions. These can later be used for fish cakes and pie toppings. You can leave your pre-prepared mash in the freezer for up to a month.

4. Cake
I didn’t realise it was possible to have left over cake, but it is one of the most wasted food items. Sliced up and frozen, it will last for another month in your freezer.

5. Home cooked meals
The average family is throwing away the equivalent of an entire meal every day. Don’t throw out those leftovers, freeze them for later. You’ll thank yourself when you next want a proper meal but haven’t got the time to cook one from scratch.

6. Bacon
Separate your bacon rashers with greaseproof paper and they’ll store in the freezer for 8-12 weeks.

7. Milk
Milk can be frozen in ice cube trays to add to hot drinks. If you have some in the fridge with a limited life, you can make milkshakes, custard or Mac and Cheese.

8. Bagged Salad
Bags of salad are one of the most wasted foods with over half of it ending up in landfill. If you have a bag, that has seen better days, take a look at Jack Monroe’s legendary Salad Bag Pesto.

9. Chicken & Poultry
A large amount of chicken is wasted each year with the equivalent of 86 million chickens being thrown away. There are hundreds of chicken recipes to try and be sure to boil the carcass for stocks, soups and sauces. Chicken also freezes well.

10. Cheese
It’s a good idea to keep your half-used cheeses together in a box in the fridge. They’ll stay fresher and will be useful for making a cheese sauce, nacho toppings or cauliflower cheese. Most cheeses can also be frozen.

The Shocking Truth About Food Waste and 8 Ways To Prevent It