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Top tips

Try our top tips and ideas for making the most of the food we buy. Find out what types of food can be frozen and how to make your fridge a true food saving hero. Why not share your own tips to reduce food waste with fellow Love Food Hate Waste supporters.

Our tips for potatoes

  • Who said potatoes don’t freeze?

    They’re guaranteed to be crispy and golden if you parboil and freeze them for later. Just thaw in the fridge and roast.

  • DIY frozen ready meals

    Celebrity tip by Sarah Beeny

    To use up veg that I know I won’t get around to eating I make my own ready meals. If I have a few potatoes that I need to use, I’ll boil them up and make mashed potato and freeze it in portions, so next time I am in a rush I know I have them on standby. They’re much cheaper than bought ready meals and there’s something quite nice about knowing you’ve cooked them yourself.

  • Storing potatoes

    Submitted by Caroline Marson, Cookery Advisor,

    Store potatoes in the dark above 5°C. Choose dirty potatoes as they seem to last longer!

  • Grow potatoes!

    Submitted by Caroline Marson, Cookery Advisor,

    Grow your own potatoes in a grow bag, even if you have little space, you can use terraces and balconies.

  • Leftover potatos

    Submitted by Caroline Marson, Cookery Advisor,

    Use leftover potatos to thicken soups.

  • Use Up Leftover Potatoes

    Submitted by Jo Brennan, London

    Thinly slice leftover boiled potatoes and add to omlettes.

  • Leftover Bubble and Squeak

    Submitted by Jo, Essex

    If after Christmas or at the weekend you are left with spare Brussels sprouts and roast or boiled potatoes, simply chop and fry together in a pan with some butter for a thrify bubble and squeak.

  • Potato Peel Crisps

    Submitted by Faye, Essex

    keep hold of potato peelings, sprinkle with salt, pepper, chilli or whatever flavour takes your fancy and pop them in the oven. Free crisps the kids will love!

  • Great soup from fridge oddments

    Submitted by Merryl Cook, Heaton Moor, Stockport

    Gather up all the bits from your fridge - coarse outside lettuce leaves, that bendy carrot, bit of onion, green tops of leeks and spring onions, a few herbs, etc, etc. Put in a pan with water to cover and a stock cube or meat jelly or gravy if you have some leftover and boil until the veg are soft. Whizz in processor or liquidiser. The French call this 'Garbure' and it's almost always delicious and different each time. Can be thickened with leftover potato, or some small pasta shapes can be added, or a cooked chopped bacon rasher. Soy sauce and a slowly poured beaten egg will make it Chinese-ish. Curry paste,and garlic, or grated cheese, or mushroom ketchup ... almost any mixture you invent will taste better than a tin of soup, and it's practically cash- and additive-free!

  • Keep Your Potatoes In The Dark

    Submitted by Love Food Hate Waste,

    Store potatoes in their bags in a cool dark dry place for freshness, using a bag will keep potatoes fresher for longer than if stored loose.

  • Creamy mash!

    Submitted by Womens Institute,

    Rub off shoots, cook in boiling water with skins on and then peel when cooked and mash with plenty of butter and milk and salt and pepper. (Mash can be frozen and saved for a later date.)

  • Delicious chips!

    Submitted by Womens Institute,

    Slice the potatoes, thinly or in wedges (with skin on) and cook in the oven coated in a little oil and whatever herbs are handy (cajun or paprika is nice too). You can even add a little garlic for extra flavour. Cook for 30 mins at Gas Mark 6, 200oC

  • Turn your leftover veg into a healthy soup

    Submitted by Anonymous,

    Use up left over veg to make a healthy & tasty soup - lovely weekend lunch with crusty bread. Any veg - the more the better, plus herbs, seasoning (tin of chopped tomatoes add colour & flavour). When cooked mash for chunky soup or liquidise for smooth. The options are endless - have never had a bad one & the kids love it!

  • Cheap and healthy batch cooking

    Submitted by Gemma Parnell, Bedfordshire

    Bulk up meals like pasta bakes, curry and chilli con carne with beans, pulses vegetables and potatoes. It's cheaper healthier and it means you can use up the rest of the vegetables in the fridge! I always make at least one extra portion to freeze when cooking, and I make food for my baby at the same time.

  • best before dates!!

    Submitted by amanda, ashford kent

    i often buy veggies that are at their prime and are marked down,i get home and decant into smaller bags,freeze them,and then when i cook my roast,chuck the veggies at the bottom. That way we get beautiful roasted veggies at a fraction of their price!!!

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