Kiwi families throw away a surprising amount of food, and it's not good for our wallets or the environment. This week's tip is all about reducing food waste at home.

Start with a meal plan. Planning your meals for the week helps you buy only what you need, minimizing the chances of food going bad in your fridge. Check what you already have before you go shopping and build your meals around those ingredients. Remember to account for lunches and snacks too!

Proper storage is key to keeping food fresh longer. Store leftovers in airtight containers and label them with the date. Freezing is a great way to preserve extra portions of meals or ingredients like chopped vegetables or fruit. Get creative with using up leftovers – turn last night's roast chicken into a delicious chicken salad sandwich or soup for lunch.

Finally, make friends with your freezer! Freezing leftovers or excess ingredients is a fantastic way to reduce waste and have ready-made meals on hand. Freeze meals in portion-sized containers for easy defrosting.