Use it or lose it! Savvy tips for saving money & food waste

With the end of term just around the corner, it'll be soon be time to pack up your belongings and checkout 💔

When it comes to (sadly) leaving Halls, it'll be up to you to empty and remove all your belongings from not just your bedroom, but also your kitchen. This means your fridge, freezer and cupboards need to be totally empty to avoid any unwanted charges for cleaning or removal.

Save yourself from wasting money and food waste by using the next few weeks to use what you've got and make your ingredients go further.

First things first, take stock 📋

Now's the time to make note of what you've got in your kitchen and consciously use up your items that are sitting at the back of the cupboard and fridge (and don't forget the freezer!!). 

Make shopping lists 🛒

You might surprise yourself with what's hanging about those kitchen cupboards and the plates you can dish up. So before you head to the shops in the next few weeks, think about what you need to buy and make a list of what you actually need.

Set yourself an end of term cupboard challenge 🍛

Reach to the back of that cupboard and group together the ingredients that you could use!

Since it's also exam season, you want to fuel yourself and eat a balanced diet to give yourself energy for revision and exam day. Here's some ideal, simple recipes you can try in those final few wees:

• Stuffed, crispy jacket potatoes - ideal if you've got sweetcorn, mixed peppers, potatoes and cupboard herbs 
• Hearty, veggie quesadillas - ideal if you've got beans, herbs, tortilla wraps 
• Anything goes frittata - ideal for leftover eggs, veggies

Got leftover pasta, chilli flakes, tinned tomatoes? Pop it into a recipe generator and find a midweek treat you can rustle up in no time.

Host a 'use it up' night 🍝

Why not suggest a flat meal together? Put together each of your leftover ingredients to make up a flat meal you won't forget! Also, what better time to get everyone together before leaving?

Why not try this tasty chickpea curry which has only 5 ingredients you might find in your cupboard already?

Got ingredients that you might not get around to using? Let your flatmates know what's up for grabs! Pop a message in the group chat to say what's going spare.

Use your food waste bin ♻️

As much as we try to avoid, food waste can sometimes happen, especially during busy times like exams and end of year!

In May, you'll be able to put any unwanted non-perishable food items in your Fareshare donation box in reception. Other fresh ingredients that you don't manage to use from the fridge or freezer would need to go into your food waste caddy so it can be turned into energy. 

Be mindful that the food waste bins can fill up pretty easy if everyone is using it at the same time. It's best to avoid having too much leftover in the first place!

Finally

The last thing you want is to be throwing away food items in a hurry on that last day. Your Hall reception will have Fareshare boxes where you can donate non-perishable food items but for those fresher, already-opened ingredients, it's up to you to use them!

Get creative, set yourself a flat challenge and you'll never know what dish you'll discover!