FIVE WAYS TO CREATE A ZERO-WASTE KITCHEN

1 Repurpose old items. Before you throw out old household items, think about how you can repurpose them. Old toothbrushes can be used as handy grout cleaners and old towels or T-shirts can be cut up into kitchen rags.

2 Keep leftover vegetables in water. Stuck with pieces of leftover vegetables? Make them last longer by storing them in a jar of water in the fridge. Chopped-up carrots, celery or cucumber can all be stored in a fresh cool jar of water in the fridge to prolong their freshness. Make sure to change the water out every few days.

3 Swap out single use. Nowadays, there’s a reusable alternative to most single-use kitchen items. Replace paper napkins with cloth ones and paper towels with cloth wipes. Opt for refillable spice jars instead of single-use ones and swap plastic scrubbers with natural-fibre brushes that can be composted.

4 Get creative with food scraps. Food scraps are great for the compost bin but can also be used to make a number of kitchen staples. Use leftover vegetable scraps to make an easy stock to keep in the freezer for later. Fruit peels like orange and lemon can be blended up into a zest to use in baking, dressings and salads.

5 Reorganise your fridge and pantry. Expired food is one of the biggest contributors to kitchen waste. Get spring cleaning and give your pantry or fridge an overhaul by pulling everything out and reorganising it. Take note of all the items that are nearing their expiry dates so you can plan how to use them. Doing a regular clean-out is a great way to keep stock of your food so you don’t have to throw it away.