Food Waste Action Week at Riverside Farmers Markets

The second annual Food Waste Action Week takes place this week, to raise awareness of the huge impact of household food waste on climate change.

That’s because every bit of wasted food has an environmental impact... transport, water, and energy use - it all adds up. And while governments and businesses have an important part to play, it’s the food waste in UK households that produces nearly 25 million tonnes of CO2 every year.

For the planet and for future generations - we all need to do more to save food from the bin by changing the way we buy, store, and use it.

Love Food Hate Waste

It requires an area almost the size of Wales to produce all the food and drink currently wasted in the UK, but the majority - around 4.5 million tonnes - is food that could have been eaten.

This year, Love Food Hate Waste is keen to show that if we all used our freezers more often, we could reduce waste by as much as 15,000 tonnes a year. You can find out more and get some top tips and inspiration at www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/article/be-freezer-hero.

Here at the markets, we play a part in reducing food waste because our traders will allow you to buy only as much or as little as you need - you won’t be tied to pre-packed portions of things. Our fresh produce is also more likely to be picked from the field within a few hours, so should keep for much longer once you get it home.

But we also have our own food waste warriors who are doing their bit to tackle the problem.

Inner City Pickle

Eira is the founder of Inner City Pickle and has been a regular at the market for more than a decade. Her range of delicious pickles, jams, preserves, conserves and chutneys are made using (where possible) locally grown or foraged ingredients.

Friends, family and market regulars often share produce from their gardens and allotments to turn into Eira’s tasty treats, meaning a seasonal glut never ends up in the bin. She spends hours late into the night cooking and labelling; and she also takes back the glass jars to be washed and reused time and time again.

“I make a lot of my products using organic produce from (fellow market trader) Paul’s Organic Veg. Looking at beautiful produce just makes me want to make something delicious with it!”

The Crafty Pickle Co

Madi & Arthur at The Crafty Pickle Co live by the motto of #fermentsfightingfoodwaste. They create tongue-tickling jars of small-batch fermented foods, a business idea which was inspired by a trip to the Scottish West Coast that was fuelled by un-refrigerated jars of fermented goodies.

This adventure convinced them that they could create a business combining their major passions of nutrition, fermented foods, science and sustainability. Additionally, a percentage of all of the couple’s sales also go towards addressing food insecurity.

“As nutritionists with long love-affairs with food we hate to see it go to waste. Fermentation allows us to preserve fresh produce, so we can enjoy it for longer.”

To find out when Inner City Pickle and The Crafty Pickle Co will be at our markets next, visit:

🥦Rhiwbina: riversidemarket.org.uk/rhiwbina

🥦Roath: riversidemarket.org.uk/roath-market

🥦Riverside: riversidemarket.org.uk/riversidemarket

For tips and resources to help you fight food waste at home, visit foodcardiff.com/action/fight-food-waste-and-love-your-leftovers.