63,000 tonnes. That's roughly 14,000 lorries, or 10,000 African elephants. As hard as it is to believe, this is how much food Norfolkians waste every single year. In fact, the average UK family flushes £700 down the drain per year due to food bought and thrown away without being used.

Such waste is being reduced throughout the county, one example being in Mile Cross Primary School in Norwich which has become one of the first schools to use designated 240 litre food bins, in an attempt to reduce the amount of food waste going to landfill sites. The initiative at the school has so far been a success, and Norwich City Council plans to provide it to other schools that request it.

But what can you personally do to get back that £700?

The website www.lovefoodhatewaste.com is a brilliant site to get started, as it gives numerous tips and tricks to reduce your waste and bills, such as how to effectively use your freezer to preserve food for as long as possible.

Not only that, but the site also offers a myriad of recipes that can be made with leftovers. Ranging from nachos to breakfast bars, it has 34 pages filled with amazing recipes.

With Halloween peeking its spooky head around the corner, keep in mind 'love food, hate waste' whilst you're carving out some jack-o-lanterns, as you're bound to have leftovers of the insides of the pumpkins. For example, the seeds can be roasted in various herbs and used as something to nibble; or, if you want to cook something a bit more complex, you can use leftover pumpkin to make a delightful pumpkin and coriander soup.

Really, there's no downside to looking into making leftovers last longer. You can save food, money, and the environment. Some of the recipes can even be made with ingredients that are past their prime, like banana and honey muffins that can be made with bruised bananas.

So why not start doing your part today?

Tom Daniels, 17, Upwell