Irish families could save hundreds of euro per year by storing food properly, the EPA says.
They say an average family could save up to €700 by taking steps to reduce waste of vegetables, fruits, salads and other foods.
The agency has launched a new campaign aimed at encouraging people to reduce food waste during the summer months.
Odile le Bulloch, an environmental scientist with the EPA, spoke to The Hard Shoulder to offer some simple tips.
She observed: “We find fruit, veg and salads are some of the food we waste the most - which is no big surprise.
“[No-one] wastes food on purpose - in fact, we all recognise when we do throw it away it’s a shame. You either buy too much or don’t use it on time.
"What we’re trying to show here is you can keep it that little bit fresher for that little bit longer.”
She said one key tip is to keep tomatoes in the open air rather than the fridge, as they’ll keep their flavour and texture for longer.
The opposite is true of strawberries - those should be kept in the fridge, with their green tops intact.
Potatoes, meanwhile, last longer if placed in a dark and dry place rather than out in the light or open air.
Ms le Bulloch explained: “We tend to just throw everything in the fridge - but not all fruit and veg need to be kept the same way.
“We’re really just trying to get people to think a little bit more about things you can do that might keep things fresher for longer.”
She also noted there can be confusion around ‘best before’ and ‘use by’ dates.
She said: “Don’t get yourself in the position where you’re wondering if something is safe to eat or not - make sure to use your food by the use by date.
“Check your dates before you buy it, that it will last until you intend to use it.
“The other thing is… you can actually freeze food right up until the use by date. Sometimes people think you need to freeze it on the day of purchase.”
She added that cooking the food and using it a few days later is another way to prevent the food going to waste.
