Almost half of UK parents state they throw away uneaten food, leading to over £409 of food wasted each year - nearly equivalent to a month’s food shop.
*Research of parents whose kids, under the age of 18, who are living at home, conducted by savoury cracker brand Jacob’s, found that almost half (48%) of British households have the makings of a snack from leftovers in the fridge; however, a fifth (20%) admit they would never think to look in the fridge and use up food already in there when creating a snack. This results in a £409.32 food waste bill per household every year, nearly equivalent to a month’s food shop.
To help families be more resourceful with their snacking and reduce their yearly food waste, Jacob’s has launched the Less Waste More Taste Snackademy with actor and mum Jac Jossa, and food waste chef, Martyn Odell, whose Tik Tok cooking show has wasted far too many hours of my evenings, but is one I love!
The Jacob’s Snackademy will bring together recipes and tips from chefs and foodie influencers to help busy parents create easy and cost-effective snacks that the whole family will love, using food they already have in their fridges and cupboards.
Why parents throw snack-worthy food away
Almost half (47%) of UK parents admit to throwing away food which is still edible or able to be eaten safely, despite feeling guilty about this (53%). The main reasons for this waste are packets being opened for too long (41%) or too much food bought when shopping (33%), meaning it goes out of date before being eaten, as well as people not knowing what to do with their leftover food (25%).
Of those who throw away food that could still be eaten, almost half (44%) regularly bin leftovers from previous meals, while over a third (37%) struggle to eat all the fresh fruit (37%) and vegetables (36%) they ** buy.
Stuck in a ‘snack rut’
Over half (53%) of parents feel like they are stuck in a ‘snack rut’, purchasing the same snacks every week. Despite nearly a third (29%) considering snacking a good way to reduce food waste, over a third (35%) opt to buy the same ready-made snacks as they are not able to think of anything different to buy, and a further 32% feel their family members are fussy with their food choices.
Jac Jossa, actor and mum, said: “As a busy mum, there are sometimes moments when it’s easier to grab ready-made snacks, especially on a day when the kids are being fussy or want to eat different things. However, with the help of Jacob’s Snackademy, I’ve learnt some really easy, tasty and quick recipes made from the stuff in the back of the fridge or cupboard that everyone can have up their sleeve! Using up these ingredients can help to reduce food waste and save money throughout the year. I’m really excited to be launching Jacob’s Snackademy with Martyn to help inspire families to turn their leftovers into tasty snacks.”
Food waste disruptor Martyn Odell, The Lagom Chef said: “The recipes I’ve created all showcase how, with just a humble cracker, you can quickly knock up fresh and delicious snacks using food you already have at home. One of the best ways to fight food waste is to be more resourceful with the food you have; the Jacob’s Snackademy snacks are a great way to use up all those little bits and bobs leftover in your fridge that you may not know what to do with and so often throw away.”
Kate Stokes, Senior Brand Manager, Jacob’s said: “At Jacob’s, we’re on a mission to help families achieve Less Waste and deliver More Taste by showing how they can turn food which would otherwise go to waste, into delicious snacks. The Less Waste, More Taste Snackademy is just one way in which we’re helping families to bring more taste to their daily snacks and supports our partnership with FareShare to redistribute the equivalent of 40,000 meals to help fight hunger.”
Jacob’s has partnered with food waste charity FareShare, the UK’s largest charity fighting food waste and hunger, to redistribute the equivalent of 40,000 meals. The collaboration will help fight hunger across the charity’s network of nearly 9,500 charities and community organisations across the UK.
Follow Jacob’s Instagram channels @jacobsofficialuk for inspirational Less Waste, More Taste Snackademy content and recipes
* Nationally representative survey of 1,800 UK parents, with a child under 18 who still lives at home, conducted by OnePoll in February 2023
** Food items that could be eaten as snacks get thrown away the most:
44% leftovers
37% fresh fruit
36% fresh vegetables
31% bread/toast
19% yoghurt
18% cold cuts of meat
14% cheese
14% dips
11% Quick noodles/rice
11% Sandwiches
11% Baked goods like pastries or cakes
11% Baked goods (like pastries and cakes)
10% Dried fruit
10% Pre-packaged deli snacks (like olives)
10% Pre-packaged sweet snacks (like biscuits, chocolate, sweets)
9% Frozen Snacks (like ice cream or lollies)
9% Crackers
9% Snack bars (like cereal bars or protein bars)
8% Pre-packaged salty snacks (like crisps)
8% Nuts or seeds