Bedford Borough Council is proudly supporting Food Waste Action Week (9–15 March 2026), joining the national Love Food Hate Waste campaign to help residents cut food waste, save money and get ready for the new weekly food waste collections starting on 30 March.
This year’s theme, “Make your food go fuuuuurther - for your pocket, for our planet”, focuses on quick, easy steps that busy families can build into everyday life. Small changes such as planning meals, writing shopping lists, freezing leftovers and storing food correctly can stop good food ending up in the bin and save money.
Councillor Nicola Gribble, Portfolio Holder for Environment, said, “Families are under real pressure with the cost of living, and throwing away food is like throwing away cash. By planning what we buy, using our freezers, and getting the most from our leftovers, we can all make our food go fuuuuurther.
“At the same time, our new weekly food waste collections mean any unavoidable scraps can be recycled into renewable energy and a rich fertiliser. Every household can play a part - and every plate scraped makes a difference.”
During Food Waste Action Week, the Council will be promoting simple actions residents can take at home, including:
Plan your meals
Check your fridge, freezer and cupboards before you shop, plan a few meals for the week, and use up what you already have before buying more.
Write a shopping list - and stick to it
Planning portions and shopping with a list helps avoid impulse buys and cuts the chances of food going out of date before it’s used.
Use your freezer as a pause button
Bread, meat, leftovers and many fruits and vegetables can be frozen before they spoil. Label tubs with the date and contents so you remember what you have.
Store food better
Keep your fridge at the right temperature, move older items to the front, and use sealed containers or bags to keep food fresher for longer. Simple steps like keeping potatoes in a cool, dark place or closing cheese and ham packets tightly can add days of life.
Love your leftovers
Turn last night’s dinner into today’s lunch - for example, roast vegetables into pasta sauce, or leftover chicken into sandwiches or a curry.
From Monday, 30 March, residents will also be able to recycle all unavoidable food waste - such as peelings, eggshells, teabags and plate scrapings - using their new kitchen caddy and outdoor food waste bin. Once collected, this food waste will be turned into renewable energy and nutrient‑rich fertiliser, helping to power homes and support local farms.
Further information, recipe ideas and storage tips are available at www.lovefoodhatewaste.com and details of Bedford Borough’s new food waste service, including what can go in the caddy, can be found at www.bedford.gov.uk/FoodWaste