As someone who eats, buys and loves food, you have the power to help stop waste.

It’s simply a matter of making your food choices count.

This is how it works:

1. Go Buy Ugly.

So much wonky or misshapen fruit and veg is wasted because we don’t (and can’t) buy it. Because we don’t buy it, retailers won’t stock it. Buying and supporting misshapen produce where you can is the most powerful way to change that.

2. Grow it yourself. No seriously.

Fruit and veggies come in all shapes and sizes and no-one knows that better than the person who grows it. Seeing how veggies grow in your own backyard can transform your idea of what is truly a ‘perfect’ veggie.

3. Tell your friends

Food retailers respond to consumers. By sending a loud message that you support eating the whole crop, we can help change the shape of produce in our shops and marketplaces. Write a letter, make a call or why not shoot a friendly post to their Facebook wall to make your voice heard.

Your choices are powerful. Join us in saying ‘yes’ to eating the whole crop.

Start by checking out our 3-step guide: 'How to Eat the Whole Crop'

Other cool stuff

There are lots of other actions you can take at home and when you're out to help stop food waste and save some precious dollars while you're at it. Keep an eye on the CropFest features section for great ideas on how you can make the most of your food. The following are some excellent ways to get started:

Dig your leftovers

| Because there's no greater gift to humankind. Take them for lunch the next day or pop them into the freezer for an easy weeknight dinner. Handy trick: store them at the top of the fridge, or wherever is most visible - keeping them in your eye-line means you're less likely to forget to eat them.

Actually write that shopping list

| Don't think - do! A good shopping list will keep you on track in store and prevent you from buying too much. It's also perfect if you're shopping on a budget.

Know your serving sizes

| This might not sound sexy but knowing the basics will set you up for life. Especially for pasta and rice, a quick check of the packet for the recommended serving size (or even a quick look online) will save you food and money. Totally worth it.

Store it

| Beat damp, dryness or weevils by storing your food right. Think airtight containers where you can (or airtight pegs if you're storing in original packaging) to make sure your food stays fresher longer.

Cook together

| And for each other too. As well as encouraging you to get creative in the kitchen, you can share tips and skillz (and leftovers) with friends and enjoy the glory of economies of scale (yep, it's cheaper too).

Looking for more info on food saving cool stuff? Head to the Love Food Hate Waste website