This Christmas, Tesco is encouraging customers to squeeze all the value possible from their festive food and put their leftovers to “good use”.
Tesco says that, with 54% of people who celebrate Christmas doing another big food shop within five days or less of Christmas Day, it wants to help households replace “fridge grazing” with a Festive Use Up Day – a dedicated date between 25th and 30th December to safely make the most of their food already at home.
During the festive period, an estimated 2 million turkeys, 5 million Christmas puddings, and 74 million mince pies are thrown away while still being edible, causing almost 270,000 tonnes of food waste, Tesco says.
Tesco continues that one way to use up any turkey leftovers this year would be to ditch the traditional post-Christmas turkey sandwich in favour of a festive curry.
During the four-week run up to Christmas Day last year, Tesco saw a 20% increase in demand for cooking sauces like Tikka, Butter Chicken and Balti, suggesting Brits are increasingly seeking out alternative recipes to use up their leftover Christmas meat and veg.
By using up what they already have before going out to shop, people can spend less and reduce food waste, benefitting both our pockets and the planet.
According to a new study by Tesco, frequently leftover items include roasted meats or cheeses (in 46% of households who celebrate Christmas), Christmas puddings (42%), sauces (38%) and cooked trimmings such as stuffing and pigs in blankets (in 35% of households).
Findings from the Tesco study show that over a third (34%) of respondents say they will throw away chilled Christmas leftovers over concerns around whether it’s fit to eat, while 14% are unsure about what can be safely frozen.
Love Food Hate Waste’s A-Z guide on food storage shares that cooked meats including turkey and pigs in blankets can be stored for up to 2 days in the fridge, and 3-6 months in the freezer, whilst roast potatoes and parsnips can be stored for up to 2 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer.
Commenting on the campaign, Kené Umeasiegbu, Campaigns Director at Tesco, said: “For many, Christmas is a time where friends and families come together to enjoy delicious food, and we want our customers to be able to get more out of their Christmas food shop, while keeping tasty meals on the table for their loved ones.
“By using up what they already have before going out to shop, people can spend less and reduce food waste, benefitting both our pockets and the planet.”