Love Food Hate Waste launches Lent food waste challenge

A food waste charity is calling for people to take on a different food challenge this Lent, which could have wider benefits.

During Lent, many people take the opportunity to give up certain luxuries, including some of our favourite foods.

In the past, I’ve given up fatty foods and tried to eat more healthily.

But food waste charity Love Food Hate Waste has launched a very different challenge this Lent. Its ‘Give Up Binning Food’ campaign is using the festival period to make people think again about their food consumption.

The big issue

Each year we throw away £13 billion-worth of food from our homes, Love Food Hate Waste has found.

That’s around 7.3 million tonnes, and 60% (4.4 million tonnes) could have been eaten.

To put that into context, that waste could fill Wembley Stadium to the brim eight times over.

How we can change it

The problem is most of us are unaware of the amount of food waste we create, not only in our homes but also more widely.

We all have lots of other things to think about in our day-to-day lives, but food waste is a real issue we can’t afford to ignore. For the sake of our planet and also for our pockets.

But it’s not all doom and gloom, and if everyone works together it can be fixed.

By making small changes, you can make a difference and also be £60 better off a month.

Simple things like buying just what you need, using what you’ve bought, freezing what you don't use and portion control can have a huge impact.

The challenge

As Lent is fast approaching, Love Food Hate Waste is setting us a new 40-day challenge: to give up wasting food!

So instead of giving up the booze, chocolate or even caffeine, why not help your pocket and the environment this year?

'Give Up Binning Food Instead' campaign

The charity is urging the nation to take on its 40-day challenge during the Lent period from 1 March to 13 April and stop binning food.

Throughout Lent, Love Food Hate Waste will guide, support and inspire you on your journey, by providing 40 tips, ideas, suggestions and challenges. Join in by visiting www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/lent.

More food for thought:

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The 5:5:5 diet: how many meals should we really eat a day?