FareShare works with hundreds of organisations across the food industry to obtain their surplus ingredients, using this food to supply our network of charities across the UK.
Here are a selection of delicious, cost effective recipes using surplus food, some basic ingredients, and requiring minimal fuss.
Use the drop-down menus to find the ingredient that you wish to cook with, select your dietary requirement and difficulty level, or try the search box to look through our recipe titles.
Over the festive season, waste increases by one third - with 46 million meals going in the bin and over 81 million unwanted gifts exchanged on Christmas Day.
While it’s very easy (and tempting) to overindulge at Christmas, we have lots of easy ways to make this time of year more sustainable. Whether you do just one or all of them, you will be helping to reduce the amount of food, gifts and wrapping that goes to waste this year.
Take a look at our list of top tips!
Ways to Reduce Food Waste
- Plan your festive meals in advance
Taking a list to the supermarket when you do your shopping is also essential.
- Enjoy your leftovers
- Freeze what you can
- Eat seasonally
Ways to Reduce Waste from Gifts
- Buy pre-loved gifts
Facebook Marketplace, Vinted, Depop, Ebay and charity shops are all amazing places to find pre-loved gifts. These are not only more sustainable, but also a great place for a bargain too!
- Include a gift receipt
Where possible, include a gift receipt with your presents so that if it’s not quite right, the receipt can exchange it.
- Gift experiences, charitable donations or gift cards
These are perfect for the people in your life who already have everything! A ticket for a show or a meal at their favourite restaurant is a really thoughtful gift, or a donation to a cause close to their heart will be sure to make them smile.
If in doubt, giving a gift card will ensure they get something they really want!
- Write a Christmas list
Help other people get the best gift for you by writing them a list. Don’t look at it again once you’ve sent it, so you slowly forget what was on there and still get a surprise on Christmas morning!
- Do a Secret Santa
Whether it’s with friends, family or colleagues, you can save on cost and waste by doing a secret santa. Simply put everyone’s names into a hat, and whoever you draw out is who you buy for.
Ways to Reduce Wrapping and Decoration Waste
- Wrap your Gifts with Love - Not Plastic!
Glitter wrapping paper contains plastic and can’t be recycled, so avoid it if you can. There are lots of beautiful wrapping papers which are recyclable. Just make sure you take off any sticky tape - or even better, use recyclable tape!
- Reuse Ribbon and Bows
Collect up ribbon, bows and decorations from gifts and reuse them. Lots of these things, particularly fabric ribbon, are good to use far more times than just once.
- Build a Collection of Ornaments you Love
Instead of wasting money on new decorations every year, get into the habit of re-using what you already have. Or have a go at DIY and transform old cards and packaging into fancy-looking decorations! 10 Christmas Decorations You Can Make From Recycled Materials
