Research shows food waste doubles during Christmas period

RESEARCH SHOWS FOOD WASTE DOUBLES DURING THE CHRISTMAS PERIOD

KitchenAid unveils ways to help Kiwis reduce food waste this Christmas

National, New Zealand, 19 December 2016. The festive season is a great excuse to create new and delicious recipes but research shows Kiwis are throwing away 122,547 tonnes of food a year. In fact, the amount of food waste generated almost doubles the week after Christmas.

Leftover turkey and chicken are among the top 10 foods thrown away by Kiwis, with potatoes, carrots and pumpkin closely following.

With the cost of the nation’s food wastage totaling $872 million annually, KitchenAid is encouraging Kiwis to make their food go further this year by unveiling a seasonal recipe series that shows people how to make the most of Christmas leftovers.

Richard Babekuhl, Marketing Director at KitchenAid Australia and New Zealand, said: “We know leftovers are synonymous with the festive season - the proof is in the leftover Christmas pudding - but it’s shocking that so much food goes to waste.

He adds, “We conducted research that found 65% of people would be more likely to use leftover ingredients at Christmas if they had recipe inspiration. With this in mind, we’ve created a number of recipes to help people make the most of their Christmas leftovers, including delicious Boxing Day Fritters. We hope these will inspire people to get creative and show them just how simple it can be.

The recipes have been created to mark the launch of the KitchenAid Pro Line Series blender, the most powerful home blender in the market. The blender has a unique 3.5 Peak HP heavy-duty motor and advanced motor control system that delivers more peak sustained power at the blades than any other model, meaning it can pulverise even the toughest of Christmas leftovers.

This Boxing Day Fritters recipe incorporates some of the most-commonly thrown foods in New Zealand:

Makes: 30 fritters | Prep time: 10 minutes | Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

½ cup eschalots

2 cups leftover Christmas roasted meat such as ham or turkey

1 cup leftover roasted Christmas vegetables, including pumpkin and potatoes

1 cup baby spinach

2 cups milk

2 eggs

1 cup peas

200g feta cheese

1 ½ cups wholemeal flour

1 ½ self-raising flour

Salt and pepper, to season

1. Place egg and eschalots in the Thermal Control Jar of the KitchenAid Pro Line Series Blender. Blend for 10 seconds on low, speed 3-4.

2. Add spinach, milk and peas and blend for 10 seconds.

3. Add ham, crumbled cheese, roasted vegetables, salt and pepper and pulse 10 times.

4. Add mixture to a bowl and stir in flour.

5. Heat pan over medium high heat with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, add 1 heaped tablespoon of batter to pan and cook 2-3 minutes each side until golden.

Chef’s Tip: Use any cheese you have in the fridge such as halloumi, mozzarella or goat’s cheese.

Other delicious recipes from the KitchenAid Christmas leftover series are:

• Banana and coconut ice cream

• Green gazpacho

• Macadamia and coconut butter

• Nut free garden pesto

• Pumpkin hummus

In addition to the recipes, KitchenAid has created Top Five Christmas Tips to make your food go further:

1. Use leftovers in simple side dishes - warm leftover pasta or rice through the next day with herbs, dressing and roasted nuts for a beautiful side salad.

2. Save and freeze all the odds and ends when prepping vegetables – you’ll soon have enough to make a delicious broth, which you can make by simply adding to simmering salted water for an hour and then strain out the vegetables.

3. Make herb ice cubes - when herbs start to look sad, blend them with some olive oil and freeze in an ice cube tray, they’ll be ready and waiting next time you need to add herbs to a recipe.

4. Feed your compost – puree leftover food scraps to keep your worm farm or compost moist.

5. Create frozen smoothie packs – chop up yummy seasonal fruit and vegetables, portion into bags and freeze for the future. Perfect for the ultimate refreshing smoothie!

For more information about the KitchenAid Pro Line Series Blender, please visit https://kitchenaid.co.nz/ or check out Instagram: @kitchenaidausnz.

-ENDS-

About KitchenAid:

Since the introduction of its legendary stand mixer in 1919 and first dishwasher in 1949, KitchenAid has built on the legacy of these icons to create a complete line of products designed for cooks. Today, the KitchenAid® brand offers virtually every essential for the well-equipped kitchen with a collection that includes everything from countertop appliances to cookware, ranges to refrigerators, and whisks to wine cellars. To learn more, visit KitchenAid.com.au or join us at Facebook.com/KitchenAidAUSNZ.

© Scoop Media