Meal planning is one of the simplest ways to stretch your food budget while reducing waste. By planning meals that intentionally create leftovers, you can turn one meal into two or three, saving both time and money.
The team at BBC Good Food suggests transforming leftovers into soups, pies, pasta dishes, salads and quick lunches rather than throwing them away. Their collection of leftover recipes includes ideas for using leftover chicken, potatoes, vegetables, rice, beef and bread.
Plan once, eat twice
When preparing your weekly menu, think ahead about how leftovers can be reused. This roast chicken example is an ideal way to stretch your meals.
Roast Chicken
Day 1: Roast chicken dinner
Day 2: Chicken wraps or sandwiches for lunch
Day 3: Chicken fried rice, curry or soup
BBC Good Food highlights recipes such as chicken soup, chicken fried rice, risotto and easy leftover chicken curry as great ways to make the most of leftover roast chicken.
Air fryer tips to help reduce energy use
Using an air fryer for smaller meals can help reduce cooking costs by avoiding the need to heat a full-sized oven.
Batch cook – Cook larger portions of chicken, vegetables or potatoes and use them throughout the week for lunches and evening meals.
Reheat leftovers – An air fryer is ideal for reheating leftover roast potatoes, pizza, pastries and cooked meats while helping maintain texture.
Cook multiple items together – Where food safety allows, cook several ingredients at the same time to maximise energy efficiency.
Avoid opening the basket too often – Every time the basket is opened, heat escapes and cooking times may increase.
Use for small meals – If you’re cooking for one or two people, an air fryer can be a practical alternative to turning on a full oven.
Top tips for reducing food waste
✅ Check cupboards, fridge and freezer before shopping
✅ Plan meals around ingredients you already have
✅ Freeze leftovers before they spoil
✅ Label frozen food with dates
✅ Create a “use me first” section in your fridge
✅ Build at least one leftover meal into your weekly plan
✅ Turn surplus vegetables into soups, sauces or casseroles