DORSET families are being urged to get smart with food as a new summer campaign is launched.

The Dorset Waste Partnership is encouraging residents to save money and help the environment by thinking about what to do with leftovers.

The partnership is promoting its message at a series of roadshows as the barbecue season gets under way.

People can pick up some ‘scorching BBQ’ tips to help make the most of their food with a launch event taking place at Kingston Maurward’s fun day on Saturday from 10am-5pm.

Roadshow visitors can also pick up four tasty barbecue recipe cards.

These can be added to the |popular Love Food Hate Waste cook books, which feature other pull-out recipe cards for meals made from leftovers.

Dorset Waste Partnership Director Steve Burdis said: “Enjoying a good barbecue with family and friends on a hot |summer’s day is great but |catering for large numbers can be expensive.

“By getting creative and |making use of what you’ve got in the cupboards you can turn leftover food into tasty dishes and save money at the same time.”

Mr Burdis added: “It’s not just about wasting good food, throwing it away costs the average family with children £680 a year.

“Food waste also has a huge environmental impact – if we stopped throwing food away, it would save the equivalent of at least 20million tonnes of |carbon dioxide. That’s like taking one in every four cars off our roads.”

Tips for a successful barbecue

Here Is a flavour of Love Food Hate Waste’s barbecue tips: Pre-barbecue prep

• Use up ginger, garlic and lemongrass by making a simple marinade for king prawns, lamb, beef or chicken skewers.

• If you are unsure of how much to cook, use Love Food Hate Waste’s perfect portion calculator – see lovefoodhatewaste.com/perfect_portions Making your food go further

• Store cupboard essentials, like dried noodles, make delicious cold oriental salads when combined with chopped spare veg like baby corn and sugar snap peas

• If raspberries, strawberries and blueberries look past their prime, cook gently in a saucepan until soft and then serve with crème fraiche or ice-cream for an easy post-barbecue pudding When the sun goes down Leftover cooked meat can be wrapped and kept it in the fridge – it will be good to use for up to two days

• Add a dollop of leftover dip to a cold burger for lunch the next day

• Add any leftover sausages to an omelette or Spanish tortilla. Cold sausages also make great lunch box treats or can be frozen to eat later.

For more information visit: lovefoodhatewaste.com/dorset Roadshows are taking place at:

• June 12 – Kingston Maurward’s fun day – 10am to 5pm

• June 13 – Co-operative, Dorchester – 10am – 2pm

• June 14 – Sainsbury’s, Christchurch – 10am – 2pm

• June 15 – Morrisons, Weymouth – 10am – 2pm • June 17 – Morrisons, Blandford Forum – 10am – 2pm

• June 18 – Dorchester Carnival – 10am – 5pm