Are You Wasting These Essential Foods? The 10 Most Common Freezable Items Brits Throw Away – Including Herbs, Cheese and Potatoes

  • Food waste experts surveyed 3,000 Britons about their weekly shopping
  • The average Brit spends £85.72, 10 percent of which ends up in the bin

Food waste is a major problem in the UK, with Britons throwing away 9.5 million tonnes of produce each year.

Not only is food waste incredibly wasteful, it can also contribute to climate change as it releases huge amounts of methane gas as it breaks down.

Despite this, new research from AO.com has found that the average Brit throws away £450 worth of freezable food every year.

Over its lifetime, that’s a staggering £35,000!

‘In the wake of the cost of living crisis, it’s shocking that Britons are throwing away the equivalent of a month’s worth of food every year, especially when you consider that this is more than the average British salary in a lifetime,’ said Sarah Heap, food storage expert at AO.com.

A new survey by AO.com has revealed that the average Brit throws away £450 worth of freezable food every year

Food waste is a major problem in the UK, with Britons throwing away 9.5 million tonnes of produce each year.

Food waste is a major problem in the UK, with Britons throwing away 9.5 million tonnes of produce each year.

The 10 Most Common Foods Brits Throw Away
Item Average number of times per year in the trash Costs per year
Fruit and vegetables 53 €272.48
Bread 51 €72.80
Milk 47 €33.80
Meat and fish 43 €249.60
Yogurt 41 €43.16
Potatoes 38 €46.28
stock 37 €13.00
Cheese 36 €108.42
Eggs 36 €64.48
Spices 36 €65.00

For the research, AO.com asked 3,000 Britons about their weekly shopping.

The results showed that the average Brit spends £85.72, 10 percent of which ends up in the bin.

While many foods can be frozen to extend their shelf life.

“A lot of the essential food items that end up in the bin could actually be saved,” Ms Heap explains.

‘By portioning out these foods at the start of the week and stocking the freezer, Brits can save money and reduce their food waste.’

It is no surprise that fruit and vegetables top the list of most commonly thrown away items, with the average UK household throwing them away 53 times a year.

This is followed by bread (51 times a year), milk (47 times a year) and meat and fish (43 times a year).

Yogurt ranks fifth among the most commonly thrown away products (41 times per year), followed by potatoes (38 times per year) and broth (37 times per year).

The research found that the average household in the UK throws away cheese, eggs and herbs 37 times a year.

AO.com hopes the findings will encourage Britons to freeze food that is approaching its use-by date.

“It is important that people store their food in the best possible way to extend its shelf life,” adds Ms Heap.

AO.com hopes the findings will encourage Britons to consider freezing food that is approaching its use-by date

AO.com hopes the findings will encourage Britons to consider freezing food that is approaching its use-by date

‘For example, all the products mentioned in our study can be frozen, such as bread, cheese, stock and potatoes, if they are first prepared correctly.’

According to Wrap (Waste and Resources Action Programme), there are several things your household can do to reduce food waste.

Consider using a portion planner and replacing fresh products with frozen products, which have a much longer shelf life.

“By reducing food waste, the average UK household could save £500 a year and contribute positively to the UK’s waste reduction targets,” Wrap said.

HOW MUCH FOOD IS WASTED IN THE WORLD EVERY YEAR?

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization According to the United Nations, approximately 2.9 trillion pounds (or one-third of all the world’s food) is lost or wasted every year.

Fruits, vegetables, roots and tubers are the foods that are wasted the most.

In industrialized countries this is $680 billion worth of food. In developing countries this is $310 billion.

The average waste generation per capita in Europe and North America is 95–115 kg, or 209–254 lb, per year.

The food lost or wasted each year in Latin America is enough to feed 300 million people. In Europe it could feed 200 million people, and in Africa 300 million people.