On the 9th February 2021, I posted some stories on our instagram, about the “Waste Not” box I bought in Lidl. I received lots of questions about how this works and how to buy it, so I thought I’d put it all in a blog post so you can try and get your hands on a box if you live near a Lidl, if you want to save money and or save some food waste too.
We live within walking distance of a Lidl, and although we are getting the bulk of our shopping delivered at the moment, we top up through our local shops (including the amazing indie shops we have on our high street). In need of some fresh veg between deliveries I popped to Lidl and found my first Waste Not box. These are boxes of fruit and veg that Lidl are no long selling at full price- you get 5 kilos for only £1.50. They are mixed boxes according to the Lidl website, never the same- they will be a surprise but often oranges, apples, onions, peppers and sometimes real treats like avocados.
I found our box by the tills/ check out counter- i.e. far from the fresh full price items. I bought ours at 9.20am on a very snowy Tuesday. I'm not sure how this might impact when the boxes are available. It's worth asking your local Lidl employees if you can't find a box, when are the best times to pop in. Not everyone buys these boxes for the environmental win and I totally understand that sometimes buying at this price is essential- so don't be afraid to ask when you've got the best chance of bagging some bargain fresh fruit and vegetables.
Our box included peppers, aubergine onions, apples, satsumas and a pear. We don’t really buy peppers in winter (due to their climate footprint) and so this is a real treat!
You might be wondering about the quality of the food, is it a bit soggy/ squishy?
Well every single item in our waste not box, was perfect. The boxes were loose so you can have a look in (but try not to touch the contents- covid times!) and see for yourself the quality. The quality was honestly exactly the same as what I would pay full price for. Maybe we were lucky with this box, if you have a go, let me know how you find the quality.
If some items are a little past perfect, can you get creative with how you use the contents? Marmalade with the oranges, frozen bananas for smoothies, roasted peppers for pasta sauce?
I was super impressed with our 5 kilo box for only £1.50. Healthy nutritious food and reducing food waste is an absolute winner for me! I would definitely get another one and recommend you checking your local Lidl when you're doing your essential shopping.
This blog post is in no way affiliated with Lidl. I paid for this box. This blog post is designed to help those who would like to buy the waste not box whether that's for economic or environmental reasons. If you get a Waste Not box, tag us on social media and let us know how it goes.
I just want to take a little opportunity though to mention food poverty, and how £1.50 of vegetables isn't necessarily cheap for everyone. I am incredibly lucky to have access to an oven, to sink, running water etc. I was taught to cook by my Mum growing up so I have resources to tackle a box of vegetables. Not everyone has these resources, raw onions and peppers do not make a meal, and if you haven't got access to ways to prepare raw vegetables, £1.50 for a kilo isn't necessarily a cheap meal. I think it's really important to really discuss this with our discourse on food waste and poverty which is often tied together.
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