Watch your waste during the season of overindulgence | Money | The Observer

  As a nation we throw out £12bn worth of food and drink every year – an average of £480 per household. This increases to £680 for families. We let £6.7bn worth go off, either completely untouched or opened but not finished, while the remaining £4.8bn of wastage comes from us cooking or preparing too much.

Christmas contributes a hefty whack to that sum. Families spend £182m on Christmas lunch or dinner, and increase their grocery spend by about 20% in the Christmas period, according to market researchers Nielson. Households (including families) spend £63m on turkey, £31m on stilton and cheddar, £15m on Christmas pudding, £14m on Christmas cake and £124m on bacon and sausages.

Watch your waste during the season of overindulgence | Money | The Observer