- 4th Sep 2018
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Potatoes might be the staple of the British public’s diet, but they are classed as the second most wasted food in the UK. Potatoes are still edible even when they have wrinkly skins, green patches and ‘sprouts’ and don’t just need to be thrown in the bin at the first sign of aging.
According to research supporting a government campaign which aims to reduce domestic food waste, the UK throws away 5.8 million potatoes a day and the cost of throwing away these potatoes amounts to an annual cost of £230 million.
To avoid having to chuck perfectly eatable spuds, consider these top tips:
- Store your potatoes in a dark, cool and well-ventilated place to reduce sprouting.
- If they have started sprouting, cut off the sprouts and the spuds will still be perfectly fine to eat.
- Any areas that have gone green should be removed - don’t eat those bits.
If your potatoes are looking a bit tired on the outside, they may just need a deeper peel to get to the goodness inside. We’ve got a few ideas to help you use them all up.
How to stop your potatoes going to waste:
If you’re making mash, why not make a big batch. Do enough for dinner and enough to keep in the fridge for the next night. You can reheat it in the microwave, or use it as an ingredient – it can easily be turned into tomorrow’s breakfast, brunch or lunch.
These quick and easy salmon patties are a great way to use up leftover mash.
These potato cakes can be prepared in advance and topped with whatever you fancy.
Here’s a delicious earthy snack that’s ideal for vegetarians.
Mash also freezes well in portion-sized bags, so that it’s ready to defrost and use whenever you are – saving you time and money (not to mention washing-up).
Mash doesn’t have to be boring – why not mix it up with some extra ingredients for a change of taste?
If you’ve got some boiled New or Baby potatoes left over, pop them in the fridge to use the next day. There are lots of different ways to use them up and this will have saved you valuable prep time.
A deliciously tasty Spanish style dish, that’s even quicker to prepare if your potatoes are already cooked.