People in Waterford on track to have wasted €33 million come the end of the year

People in Waterford will waste an estimated €33 million on food this year, with Christmas dinner one of the biggest problems.

Research from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicates that the average Irish household wastes an estimated €700 of salvageable food annually.

When this is multiplied by the 47,976 occupied households in Waterford, it works out at an estimated €33,583,200 in potentially wasted food over a 12-month period.

​​​Bread is the most commonly wasted item according to the research, with 48% of people admitting it’s the food they waste most often, followed closely by fruit and vegetables.

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These are food items that can easily be saved from the bin by being turned into breadcrumbs for Christmas stuffing, hearty vegetable soups and festive fruit cakes, crumbles, or apple tarts.

The research also pinpoints the specific "danger time" for waste, with a massive 79% of people reporting that dinner is the meal where the most food goes to waste.

With the biggest dinner of the year approaching, households are being urged to be extra vigilant with their portions and food waste this Christmas.

To help lower the food waste bill, Too Good To Go has shared its top tips in the run-up to Christmas:

1. The "Guestimate" Rule: With 79% of waste happening at dinner, don't cook for the whole village if you're only feeding your family. Calculate portions realistically.

2. Freezer Space: Start eating from the freezer this week. Using up the food you already have will lower your grocery bills in the expensive run-up to Christmas and clear essential space to freeze your leftovers over Christmas.

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3. Avoiding the "Just in Case": Avoid the temptation to bulk-buy "just in case" during your main shop. Remember that the shops only close for a day or two over the Christmas period.

4. The Day Two Veggie Revival: Maximise your Christmas vegetable leftovers by tackling them in two groups. The first group can be made into a hearty vegetable soup, perfect as a starter on St. Stephen's Day. For the second group put them in a mix of oil, a drizzle of honey and balsamic vinegar before roasting them in the oven to create honey-roasted vegetables to accompany your leftover turkey and ham.

"At Christmas, when food is at the heart of so many of our celebrations, it’s more important than ever to make it go further,” said Machaela O’Leary, Sales Manager at Too Good To Go Ireland.

"We know people across Ireland are feeling the pinch with the cost of living, so the idea that households in Waterford could be throwing away up to €700 worth of food every year is truly shocking," she concluded.