SAVE MONEY, reduce waste

Tips to help shrink shopping bills, be greener, and use up leftovers

GET THE BEST FROM WHAT'S LEFT

Until a few years ago, the idea of not using leftovers to make another delicious meal would have been unheard of. In fact, many popular dishes like bubble & squeak, were invented to use them up.

■It's tempting to leave cooked food sitting on the kitchen worktop to deal with it later, but if you want to cook with leftovers, make sure you cover and chill food as soon as you can once it's cooled.

■Always make sure that reheated leftovers are cooked through properly, until piping hot.

■As a general rule, don't keep cooked leftovers in the fridge for any longer than three days, but it's best to follow your own judgement. If in doubt, throw it out!

■If faced with more leftovers than you need, freeze what you won't use straight away.

■Always be ready for a quick 'use-up' dinner by having base ingredients to hand. Rice, pasta, couscous and canned white beans ensure you'll always have a quick and inexpensive way of utilising leftover bits in the fridge.

MICROWAVE MARVELS

Why not give these speedy microwave puds a try? They use up to 80% less energy than a conventional oven, so you'll save on bills

Fastest-ever lemon pudding