Eat Well Tasmania shares why you shouldn't bin your bread

That's about 35 million slices every day, making bread the nation's most wasted food.

Eat Well Tasmania campaign manager Libby McKay is urging Tasmanians not to throw away bread as part of an ongoing campaign against food waste called Too Good To Waste.

"We're wasting 220,000 tonnes of bread annually, which is the same weight as 220 cargo ships, or 660 Boeing 747 jets, or 36,000 elephants," she said.

"And consumers are the main culprit."

Ms McKay said people throw away bread because they think it's stale or mouldy, it's been stored incorrectly, or people have bought more bread than needed.

"It does not need to be like this because there are simple things we can all do to make our bread last longer and significantly cut bread waste," Ms McKay said.

READ MORE: 'Tainted brief' or 'fishing expedition': Document debate delays case

"Don't bin your bread.

"Instead, just follow these three simple steps: plan your meals better, store your bread correctly, and love your leftovers by getting creative in the kitchen."

Ms McKay said storing bread was easy - just remove plastic coverings and put it in a bread bin, wrap it in a dry cloth or tea towel, or place slices in the freezer.

"You can also use bread past its best-before date, providing it still looks and smells OK," she said.

"Old bread can also be revived by spraying it with a little water and placing it in the oven for 10 to 15 mins on a low heat."

READ MORE: Doctor who couldn't read shares story of overcoming adversity

Eat Well Tasmania has partnered with Pigeon Whole Bakers to create a series of recipes to help households create delicious dishes at home using their old bread.

Pigeon Whole Bakers director and baker Jay Patey said there are endless options to enjoying bread at home so it doesn't end up in the bin.

"You can get creative and cook with bread in things like soups, dips, and bakes. Bread is more than just toast or sandwiches," Mr Patey said.

READ MORE: 'Narrow' review in alleged paedophile cop case criticised

Ms McKay said while Tasmania produced some of the best food in the world, about 40 per cent ended up in landfill.

"Many of us think food waste is caused mainly by restaurants, agri-businesses, and the food service industry, but in fact, consumers waste the most food," she said

"And because we consumers are responsible for the most food waste, we also have the most power to make the biggest difference, which is exciting.

"As well as making sure we enjoy more of the amazing Tasmanian food we produce, cutting food waste also protects the environment by reducing waste ending up in landfill and saves you money."

Why not have your say? Write a letter to the editor here:

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: