Households are to receive first-hand help and advice on how to make their food go further as part of Food Waste Action Week.
From 9 – 15 March 2026, the UK’s biggest annual food waste reduction campaign will return, aiming to provide advice on using food more effectively, saving money, time and stress.
To support the action week, North Yorkshire Rotters, alongside chef Nigel Brown, will be hosting a series of cookery demonstrations and engagement events across the county.
The Rotters play a key role in mitigating climate change within North Yorkshire by promoting Love Food Hate Waste, home composting and recycling and reuse.
The sessions will showcase how to make delicious meals from leftover food and offer practical advice to help residents reduce food waste at home.
The Love Food Hate Waste events take place on the following dates and times:
- Saturday, March 7, 10am to 2pm. Nigel Brown’s Love Food Hate Waste cookery demonstrations. Scarborough Indoor Market, St Helen’s Square, Scarborough, YO11 1EU.
- Monday, March 9, from 9am to 2pm. Nigel Brown’s Love Food Hate Waste cookery demonstrations. Selby Market Place, Selby, YO8 4NX.
- Monday, March 9, from 10am to noon. North Yorkshire Rotters. Filey Library, Station Avenue, Filey, YO14 9AE.
- Tuesday, March 10, from 10am to noon. North Yorkshire Rotters. Eastfield Community Hub Library, High Street, Scarborough, YO11 3LL.
- Saturday, March 14, from 10am to 1.30pm. North Yorkshire Rotters at Kirkby in Bloom Green Day. Mechanics Institute, Main Street, Kirkby Malzeard, Ripon, HG4 3RS.
North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for managing our environment, Cllr Richard Foster, said:
Food Waste Action Week is a great opportunity for residents to pick up simple, practical tips that can make a real difference.
Wasting less food not only helps households save money, but it also reduces the environmental impact of what we throw away.
The events taking place across the county show just how easy it can be to make tasty meals from leftovers and get more value from the food we buy.
Jeff Coates, volunteer coordinator with North Yorkshire Rotters, said:
It is very important to reduce food waste to help the environment and save money.
Research has shown that a family of four throws away on average about £100 worth of food every single month, so the Rotters will be at events during Food Waste Action Week to give top tips for reducing waste.
The council is reminding residents to continue putting food waste in their general waste despite changes being introduced to some local authorities.
In 2023, the Government announced its Simpler Recycling in England policy, which states that councils should, where possible, introduce four separate containers for non-recyclable waste, food waste, paper and card, and other dry recyclables such as plastic, metal and glass.
However, like 31 other councils across the country, these changes do not apply in the county. In North Yorkshire, the council uses Allerton Waste Recovery Park to process household waste and prevent it going to landfill.
The treatment plant separates the waste and removes any items that have not been recycled at the kerbside, as well as any food waste. Through an aerobic digestion process, food waste is removed to produce a biogas which generates renewable electricity.
Cllr Foster added:
We have to balance the environmental benefits with cost and practicality. Weekly food waste collections work well in urban areas, but across North Yorkshire’s rural communities they would significantly increase costs – estimated to be around £6 million – as well as vehicle emissions.
Therefore, it is not a decision that could be taken lightly. While some councils are introducing separate food waste collections, we are fortunate that as part of our agreement with Allerton Waste Recovery Park, food waste is separated and treated to produce renewable energy.
We continue to look at all waste and recycling, and food will be a major part of our new waste strategy in the future.
Residents are encouraged to compost food waste they might have. For more information and to find discounts for home composters, visit North Yorkshire Council’s website at www.northyorks.gov.uk/composting
To find out more about the North Yorkshire Rotters, visit www.northyorks.gov.uk/bins-recycling-and-waste/reduce-reuse-and-recycle/north-yorkshire-rotters
Details of Food Waste Action Week can be found out www.lovefoodhatewaste.com
