Nearly 13 per cent of the Christmas food shop will end up in the bin this festive season

A poll of 2,000 adults who celebrate the festive season found 31 per cent admit to wasting more food than usual at this time of year – as 61 per cent overbuy to make sure they don’t run out.
And 16 per cent find it difficult to judge just how much they need to see them through.
But in a bid to curb the amount of food which gets chucked away, 35 per cent are going to force down foods they don’t particularly like.
While 38 per cent will be giving leftovers for their guests to take away with them, 41 per cent will try to get creative in the kitchen to use up their leftovers.
Sandwiches being the most popular leftover dish and 39 per cent like to spice things up on Boxing Day with a curry.
Just over a third (36 per cent) turn to the traditional bubble and squeak, and 31 per cent chuck their leftovers into a hearty soup.
The research was commissioned by Waitrose as part of its campaign to help halve UK household food waste by 2030.
To help customers to save money and take care in their meal planning, chefs from the supermarket have come up with their tips to make the most of festive leftovers [https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/recipes/special-occasion/christmas/christmas-leftover].
Zoe Simons, senior brand development chef at Waitrose, said: “Getting ready for the big day can be a stressful and exciting time, especially now we’re able to host family and friends once again after the pandemic.
“But both of these factors can cause people to buy much more food at Christmas than they actually need – and inevitably, a proportion of this unfortunately finds its way into the bin.
“It’s encouraging to learn that so many are taking care to reduce what they waste, particularly at Christmas and we want to help where we can.
“That’s why