Donal Hickey: Food waste is a big problem for our pockets and for the planet

When food is wasted, all the resources used in bringing food to our tables are wasted too. Reducing your food waste is a key action you can take to help the environment and save money too

Irish households generate around 220,000 tonnes of waste, with bread and bakery items making up 42% of that. The average household throws out 120kg of food each year, though a significant amount of this food is suitable for consumption

As budget-aware parents try to avail of back-to-school food promotions in supermarkets, there’s an obvious means of saving that’s often overlooked — cutting out wastage.

With food prices rising — the shopping basket that five years ago cost €150, now sets you back €225 — people look for ways of slashing costs.