Guest article from WRAP Cymru
Autumn is here, the holidays are behind us, and routines are back in full swing. Whether you’re juggling work, studies, or family life, autumn is the perfect time to reset habits – especially in the kitchen.
That’s why Wrexham Council has partnered with Wales Recycles to show how cooking smart can help you save time and money, reduce waste, and make it easier than ever to enjoy your 5-a-day…all while helping Wales on its journey to becoming the world’s number one recycling nation.
We’re already proud to be second in the global recycling league – just behind Austria – but food waste is where we can make the biggest impact. A quarter of the average rubbish bin in Wales is still made up of food, and over 80% of that could have been eaten. That wasted food costs the average household of four around £84 every month. That’s money (and meals) straight in the bin!
By getting smarter with your meals and recycling what you can’t eat, you’ll cut down on waste, save money, and easily pack in more of your 5-a-day – all while helping Wales reach the top spot. And we’re going to show you how simple it can be.
Cook once, serve multiple times: Prep it. Flex it. Recycle it!
With the evenings getting darker and time often in short supply, autumn is the season for easy, no-fuss comfort food. The idea is simple: Prep it. Flex it. Recycle it.
Cook up a simple base dish with everyday ingredients, then add a few extras to keep it fresh and tasty. Serve it up in different ways over the week so you spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying your meals.
And don’t forget – the bits you can’t eat, like peelings, stalks, bones or eggshells, should go straight into your food caddy. Food waste in Wales is turned into renewable energy. Just one caddy full can power a typical home for an hour! Here are 3 easy, simple recipes to get you started.
Jazzed-up stew – hearty, simple & flexible
This anything-goes stew is made for autumn evenings when you want something warming without too much effort. Start with a simple base of onion, garlic, tinned tomatoes, stock and your choice of protein – leftover meat, beans or lentils. Then add in whatever veg you’ve got to hand and let it simmer into something rich and hearty.
The beauty of this dish is how it can change through the week: enjoy it first with crusty bread, then ladle it over mashed potato the next night, and later in the week top it with pastry or mash to turn it into a pie. And remember, any onion skins, carrot tops, pepper stalks or bones go in your food caddy to be turned into green energy.
Mix ’n’ Match Curry – big flavour, minimal effort
Begin by frying onion, garlic and ginger, then stir through curry spices or paste. Add your choice of protein, whether that’s chicken, lentils or tofu, before pouring in tinned tomatoes or coconut milk. Bulk it out with whatever’s in season – pumpkin, peppers, mushrooms, spinach or beans all work brilliantly.
Once cooked, you can enjoy it with rice for a classic dinner, wrap it up in a flatbread for a quick lunch, or spoon it over a baked potato when you need something speedy. Don’t to recycle what you can’t eat to power Wales to No.1.
Healthy Fruit Crumble – simple, warming & versatile
When it comes to autumn comfort, nothing beats a fruit crumble. It’s simple to make and surprisingly versatile too. Just mix oats, flour and a little honey or syrup with butter to create a golden crumble topping, then bake it over soft seasonal fruit like apples, pears, plums or blackberries, with a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg for extra warmth.
Once baked, you can enjoy it hot from the oven with custard or ice cream, serve it cold with yoghurt for a wholesome breakfast, or even use it as a crunchy topping on toast spread with nut butter. As for the apple cores, pear stalks and plum stones – they all belong in your food caddy, ready to be recycled into clean, green energy.
Take the Smart Food Challenge and win a delicious Welsh prize
Head over to Wales Recycles to take the Smart Food Challenge, discover more smart recipes that will save you time and money, and be in with a chance of winning a delicious Welsh prize.
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