Save money by reducing your household waste with these top tips — plus win £27,000 towards your uni fees
Families are binning up to eight per cent of their average weekly shop with bread, bagged salad and fresh vegetables topping the list of dumped items
EVERY household could be throwing away more than £270 of food every year.
Families are binning up to eight per cent of their average weekly shop, according to a survey by Hotpoint, with bread, bagged salad and fresh vegetables topping the list of dumped items.
Here, we’ve asked a panel to give their top tips on reducing waste . . .
- Chef JAMIE OLIVER, says: “Freezers are like a time capsule for fresh food. It’s like pressing the pause button, locking in nutrients and preserving taste. If you have fruit that’s about to go bad, put it into the freezer in a container and it will be perfect for a smoothie on another day.”
- Sun Saver SHARON ADAMS, from Midsomer Norton, Bath, says: “Try putting the food on the plates BEFORE you cook it, so you can gauge how much is needed. Use meat or poultry to make a pie so it goes further and then put leftovers in sandwiches for next day’s lunches. You could also use leftovers in a soup.”
- HOLLY SMITH, founder of the Facebook page Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK, says: “After a roast dinner, save everything you didn’t eat and make bubble and squeak. Strip the carcass and make chicken soup. Plate up any extras and then freeze them for a quick homemade microwave meal.”
- HESTER GRAINGER, founder of the @mummysavingshopper Instagram page, says: “At the start of each week, work out who will be in and eating on the same day. There is no point cooking lots if everyone is going to be out. Batch cooking is another way to stop wasting food. Make lots of the same meal and freeze it into dinner-size portions.”
- KAREN MANNING, from Harwich, Essex, says: “Why don’t you do a food-saver family challenge? See who can leave the least amount of food on their plates. Set a reward for whoever manages to cut back most on waste.”
- EMMA DREW, founder of the EmmaDrew.info blog on saving and making money, says: “You can see the results straight away with meal planning. Go into your kitchen, see what you have and plan your meals around those ingredients. I save £40-60 a week on my shop by doing that.”
- ALL prices on this page are correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability.
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Reader's saving tip
MAUREEN CRAVEN, from Durham, says: “Don’t throw away instant noodle or rice pots. Wash them out, punch a hole in the base and you have instant plant pots.”
- Send your tips to and you’ll get 28 codes worth £5 if your tip is used. Please include your name and town.
Win £15,000 with Sun Savers Raffle
THERE’S still time join in with this month’s Sun Savers Raffle – where the paper you’re holding could be worth £15,000!
For each Sun Savers code you enter you will get a ticket into our £15,000 monthly raffle. Plus, collect ten raffle tickets in a calendar month and you’ll get a GOLDEN TICKET into our huge £80k raffle which takes place every three months.
Fancy getting involved? Just head to the Sun Savers app or website and opt-in to each month’s raffle by clicking “Yes!” when prompted. Then start collecting the Sun Savers codes printed daily inside the paper. Today’s code is on page 20.
Each time you enter a code you will earn yourself a monthly raffle ticket. With no limit on how many tickets you can collect per month, make sure you enter as many Sun Savers codes as possible to give yourself the best chance of winning. You’ve got to be in it to win it!
- Terms and conditions apply. For full T&Cs see .
Win £27,000 for uni fees
YOU could be on course for a big saving with Sun Savers.
We’re offering one lucky student £27,000 to help pay off uni fees.
Whether you are already a student, starting uni this year or know someone who is already studying and needs help, this competition is open to all of you.
To enter collect TEN of the 18 Sun Savers codes codes printed daily until Tuesday, September 11.
Today’s code is below. Then go to the Sun Savers app or website and enter your TEN codes.
Lastly, go to the Win Your Uni Fees promotion in the “Offers” section of Sun Savers and click “Enter”, before midnight on Monday, September 24.
Not already a Sun Savers member? Just go to or download the app to sign up.
Last chance to book with Hols From £9.50
HERE’S another chance to grab one of our Hols From £9.50.
There are 195 parks across the UK and Europe to choose from, at an unbeatable price.
If you find your exact holiday cheaper within 28 days of booking, we will refund the difference plus £10.
Choose a midweek break and get a fourth night’s stay free. To join in, just collect SEVEN Sun Savers codes or differently numbered tokens/codewords, printed daily until September 1.
Collecting tokens/codewords? Enter them at or post them using the online booking form.
If you are collecting Sun Savers codes, opt in to Hols From £9.50 in the Offers section in the app or on .
You can even use the cash in your Sun Savers wallet.
- Price per person based on four sharing. Subject to availability. Code/token collect. T&Cs and date restrictions apply.
Fancy a free fiver?
YOU can get FREE cash with super Sun Savers just for buying your favourite paper.
Our brilliant new rewards club will pay back our most loyal readers.
Just pick up the paper each day to collect your Sun Savers codes and we will GIVE YOU £5 when you have collected 28.
This isn’t a one-off and there is no limit to how much cash you can save.
For every 28 codes you enter, we will give you a fiver. So over the course of a year, that could add up to £65.
We are keeping it super-simple. You don’t have to enter codes from consecutive days, so don’t worry if you forget a day or two.
Download our easy Sun Savers app and quickly scan your code using your smartphone. Or go online and enter your code at .
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To get you on your way, join today and we will put a bonus £1 in your Sun Savers wallet tomorrow. And the good news doesn’t stop with free cash.
With Sun Savers, we give you the best hacks, deals and tips to save money every single day.
TO JOIN: Don’t worry, folks — .