Pancake Day can help stamp out food waste

The average UK family wasted £60 a month throwing away food and drink that could have been eaten, the charity warned.

It is encouraging people to use up the leftovers lurking at the back of their cupboards and fridges by including them in their Shrove Tuesday pancakes as part of its ‘Flippin Food Waste’ campaign.

Gavin Ellis, co-founder of Hubbub, said pancakes were a “great way”​ of reducing food waste.

Reduce food waste ​

 “Let’s all celebrate the pancake as a great way to reduce food waste,”​ he said.

“All around the world, from Sri Lanka to Peru, everyone has their version of the pancake and you can pretty much throw anything in and it will still taste good.”​

On February 22, the charity will be hosting a local chef pancake cook-off in Richmond, London alongside South West London Environment Network and West London Waste Authority.

Meanwhile, an extra 16M eggs will be cracked today (Tuesday 17) as Brits celebrate Shrove Tuesday, according to Love Free Range Eggs.

Shrove Tuesday precedes Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent in which people give up a vice for 40 days, and is celebrated by consuming pancakes.