Love Your Leftovers: Feast Smart, Waste Less This Christmas in Ards and North Down

Released: Monday 22 December 2025

Ards and North Down Borough Council is supporting Love Food Hate Waste's festive campaign to help households save food, money, and time this Christmas. With the cost of Christmas dinner up by around 4% this year, the campaign urges families to plan meals, store food correctly, and make the most of leftovers.

Every year, UK homes waste millions of tonnes of edible food, costing households an average of £1,000 annually and contributing to 16 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions. Christmas favourites like potatoes, poultry, and carrots are among the most wasted items.

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The campaign introduces fun "Most Wasted" characters - Spud McRoast (potato), Gobbler McGee (turkey), and Sheriff Redroot (carrot) - to highlight simple tips:

Store smart: Keep uncut fruit and veg in the fridge at 5°C or below.
Know your labels: 'Best before' is about quality, 'Use by' is about safety.
Freeze wisely: Use your freezer as a pause button for Christmas staples.
Plan portions: Use the Food Portion Calculator to avoid overbuying.
Love leftovers: Turn surplus into tasty meals like turkey curry or roast veg soups.

Food waste recycling collections are available in many areas - check Recycle Now for local options. For more tips and recipes, visit lovefoodhatewaste.com.

Councillor Gillian McCollum, Mayor of Ards and North Down, said:

"This Christmas, joining the 'Love Your Leftovers' campaign is a great way to protect both our planet and our pockets - by reducing waste and making every last bit of our festive food count."