Add your voice

This is not some request for po-faced parsimony, dreary economy and the unthinking recycling of scraps, rather than a plea for plain common sense when shopping and cooking. The amount of food we waste per day is appalling and a good proportion is absolutely edible too. Not hold your nose and pray it’s not too rancid edible but truly safe and delectable. Animal bones should never hit the bin, rather be simmered for wonderful stocks. And trust your senses when it comes to Best Before dates. A carrot or potato one day over the recommended limit is not going to kill you. Chop them up and use for soup. Yesterday’s new potatoes can be today’s sauté potatoes, or Bubble and Squeak or fish cakes. The list goes on and on. Over-ripe tomatoes are perfect for sauce. Most important of all, try to buy what you actually need.

Tom Parker Bowles, food writer