Love Food Hate Waste - New Zealand

08/10/2026

Cauliflower leaves are edible??

Transform those big crunchy leaves into a tasty Cauliflower Leaf Pesto. It’s the perfect way to make your veg go further.

Find the full recipe here 👇
https://lovefoodhatewaste.co.nz/recipes/cauliflower-sunflower-seed-pesto/

06/10/2026

You can eat that?!

Some of the bits we usually throw away are actually completely edible, and surprisingly tasty too!

🍌 Banana peel can be turned into vegan bacon or baked into muffins and cakes
🥦 Broccoli leaves can be cooked just like spinach or kale
🥝 Kiwi skin is packed with fibre and vitamin C
🥔 Kūmara peels make delicious crispy snacks in the oven or air fryer

Using more of what you already have is a simple way to save money and reduce food waste at home.

Have you tried any of these?

04/10/2026

You can eat that?! 🧅

Got a lonely onion hanging around at the back of the pantry? Transform it into these Oven-Baked Onion Crisps created by our friend Misfit Garden.

As part of our 'You Can Eat That' series this month, we're showing how even the most basic pantry staples can become a delicious meal.

Full recipe
INGREDIENTS
1–2 large onions (Red for sweetness, brown for a sharp bite!)
Olive oil
Grated cheese (Mature cheddar is a winner, but use whatever is in the fridge)
Seasoning: Get creative! Garlic powder, paprika, or chilli flakes.
Salt to taste.

METHOD
Prep: Preheat oven to 150°C (no fan). Line a tray.
The Base: Scatter your grated cheese directly onto the tray in little piles or a thin layer.
The Onion: Slice onions into 5mm disks. Place them right on top of the cheese.
Season: Brush with oil and go wild with your spices.
Bake: Pop them in for 20–25 minutes. Watch them closely at the end, as they can go from golden to burnt fast!
Cool: Let them sit for a minute before serving.

Dip it: Serve with leftover sour cream or hummus.
Top it: Crumble them over a salad or soup for a salty crunch.

29/09/2026

Today is International Day of Food Loss and Waste 🌏🍎

Every year around 1.2 million tonnes of food is lost or wasted in Aotearoa New Zealand, with around 30% of that coming directly from our homes.

For the average Kiwi household, that's about $1,200 worth of food wasted a year.

One easy thing you can do today: test your date label knowledge. Can you actually tell a use-by from a best-before?

Take the Great Date Debate quiz before 30 October for your chance to win a $50 grocery voucher: https://tinyurl.com/GDD2026

WasteMINZ

27/09/2026

Recipe of the Week: Spring Donburi Chicken 🥣🥢

Looking for a weeknight dinner that's faster (and cheaper!) than takeaways? This Donburi Chicken from our Spring Easy Choice Family Kai cookbook is a great one to try.

It’s designed to be zero-waste, using those frozen mixed veggies we all have in the freezer and pantry staples like honey and soy sauce.

Check the link below for the full recipe and to download the FREE Spring Easy Choice cookbook!

This chicken donburi uses simple, seasonal ingredients for a nourishing and low-cost meal, making it an easy weeknight upgrade from takeaways with flavour, colour, and comfort in every bowl.

23/09/2026

Store your eggs in the fridge - it keeps the temperature constant, so they stay fresher for longer.

When you're ready to use them, take them out overnight to come up to room temperature - this can affect cooking times depending on what you're making.

20/09/2026

Use what you've already got for pizza night 🍕

Our Recipe of the Week is a Moroccan Mince Pizza from the FREE downloadable spring edition of our Easy Choice Family Kai cookbook.

It’s a great way to stretch mince further and use up bits from the fridge.

Find the full recipe here:
https://lovefoodhatewaste.co.nz/recipes/moroccan-mince-pizzas/

Get your copy of Easy Choice Family Kai here:
https://lovefoodhatewaste.co.nz/easy-choice-meal-planner/

18/09/2026

Parāoa (bread) is one of the foods we waste the most here in Aotearoa 🍞
So much goes into it before it even reaches your bench, from the field all the way to your kitchen.

Save the crusts, the ends, the slices going stale, and turn them into French toast or a loaf cake instead of the bin.

When we value our kai, we reduce waste and show manaaki (care) for our resources.

What's your favourite way to use up every bit of bread? We'd love to read them in the comments!

16/09/2026

Ever picked up a carrot and it's completely lost its crunch? ⁠
⁠
Don't chuck it in the bin... pop it in a bowl of cold water in the fridge and it should crisp back up in a few hours 🥕

15/09/2026

It's an issue that divides households...

Should ketchup and tomato sauce be stored in the fridge or the cupboard?⁠
⁠
Unopened, they are shelf-stable and can be kept in the cupboard, but once opened it should be kept in the fridge!⁠