A quarter of Brits set to throw away uneaten brussels sprouts at Christmas this year
- British families will bin nearly £300 million worth of festive food this year, a new study by electrical retailer AO.com reveals
- Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and turkey among the most discarded items
- In light of the findings, AO.com has partnered with food waste influencer Kate Hall from @TheFullFreezer to help Brits improve their festive food organisation
Christmas is a time for indulgence, but it’s also when food waste peaks, as many Brits struggle to manage leftovers and overcrowded fridge freezers. According to new research from electricals retailer AO.com a quarter of Brits admit to throwing away Brussels sprouts, while one in ten bin pigs in blankets—heartbreaking for two much-loved festive staples.
To help families tackle this growing issue, AO.com has teamed up with food waste expert Kate Hall to provide practical advice on safely storing, freezing, and repurposing leftovers. With a little planning, households can save money, reduce waste, and make the most of their festive meals.
Kate recommends two simple steps to keep leftovers safe:
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“Cool Before Storing: Allow food to cool to room temperature and refrigerate within two hours of serving.
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“Use or Freeze Within 48 Hours: Enjoy your leftovers on Boxing Day and freeze anything you won’t eat to save it from the bin.”
For freezing leftovers, the key is organisation, Kate adds:
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“Reheating Rules: Avoid reheating leftovers more than once. For example, if making a turkey curry, prepare the sauce separately, cool it, and add cold, cooked turkey before freezing to ensure the meat is reheated just once.
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“Freeze Veggies and Stuffing: Chop stuffing into smaller pieces and freeze on a lined tray before transferring to a freezer bag. Open-freeze cooked vegetables like carrots and parsnips for easy storage and use.
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“Store Sauces Smartly: Portion out leftover sauces into ice cube trays or freeze them flat in freezer bags. (Note: gravy made from granules shouldn’t be frozen as they may not be freeze/thaw stable and could pose a safety risk.)
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“Cheese Cheat: Soft cheeses can be frozen in portions wrapped in baking parchment and foil, while hard cheeses can be grated and frozen for convenience.”
“Some festive favourites don’t freeze well but can still be transformed into something delicious. Leftover cooked vegetables, for example, can be blended into a soup concentrate and frozen in cubes or flat in bags, ready to be reheated with stock and additional ingredients like turkey or stuffing for a hearty post-Christmas meal.”
The research also revealed the varying food waste habits across the UK. With Belfast residents the most likely to discard Brussels sprouts (35%), Plymouth topping the list for binning pigs in blankets (26%), and Sheffield leading in Yorkshire pudding waste (16%). Southampton emerged as the capital of parsnip waste, with 19% of residents binning the root vegetable.
The findings show that with better food storage and repurposing habits, UK households can significantly reduce festive waste. Not only does this help the environment, but it also keeps budgets in check—especially as 78% of Brits say they’d prefer to enjoy their meals at home than eating out at Christmas.
In light of the findings, electricals retailer AO.com has released a Christmas hub to help get Brits ready for Christmas this year. The hub features appliance tips, easy recipes and food storage hacks ahead of the big day.
Ends.
Notes to editors –
- The survey was conducted with 2000 people across the UK by Censuswide
- British family wastes an average 11% of their Christmas food shopping
- British family spends an average of £136 of their Christmas shopping
- 11% of £136 is £15 multiplied by OFS 19.5 million families in the UK
- This equates to £292,822,360 in Christmas food waste this year