Potatoes are the most wasted food item in the UK. 4.4 million whole, edible potatoes are being wasted from UK homes every day and one in four potatoes is thrown away uneaten. Of this, 56% is wasted due to personal choice to leave parts of the potato, such as skins on a jacket potato, 25% of potatoes are not used in time, and 17% is from cooking or serving too much. Small changes in the way we store, cook and purchase potatoes can have a big impact. Storing potatoes correctly can mean they last weeks not days- just keep them somewhere with good ventilation and away from other foods, especially onions.
Did you know that potatoes with sprouts or green patches don’t need to be thrown away; simply cut these parts off and use as normal. Making brand new dishes and treats from a product you simply have thrown away otherwise, is a brilliant way to reduce food waste and save some money, whilst brushing up on your cookery skills.
Cookery workshops
Following last year's successful campaign "Save a Crust", we have launched a series of "Save Your Spuds" workshops which are taking place across north London boroughs over the next few weeks, with professional chefs demonstrating how to make tasty treats with potatoes being the main ingredient. There will be seven free workshops where participants will get to cook a few select dishes themselves and take some home with them, and at the same time receive practical advice on portion planning, using shopping lists and making their food last longer.
In addition, a large outdoor event with a live cookery demonstration will be held on Saturday 29 February at Edmonton Green Shopping Centre. Clover Hutson from Artisan Cooks and the team will be giving live cookery demonstrations to showcase exciting dishes that can be prepared using up potatoes that would otherwise go to waste. There will be an opportunity to try the dishes and learn about other potato saving recipes, as well as learning tips and tricks on how to reduce food waste overall.
Residents will need to register for a workshop in their borough but anyone can turn up to the outdoor event in Edmonton on 29 February.
In light of the developing situation around the COVID-19/Coronavirus, all "Save Your Spuds" workshops have now been cancelled. More information about the workshops will be made available soon. Please, keep also an eye on our events page to see what's coming up next in the calendar. Thank you for your understanding.
Recipes
Do you need some inspiration to save your forgotten spuds and combat food waste? We have a delicious selection of potato-based recipes to share with you.
- Potato and veggie frittata
- Potato veggie pancakes
- Spicy potato soup
- Veggie and potato hash
- Potato rosti
- Loaded veggie and potato salad
North London Food Lovers' Cookbook, which offers many ideas for you to make the most of your leftovers! The Food Lovers Cookbook can be downloaded for FREE.
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