Local chefs encourage Cumbrians to love food, hate waste.

Cumbrians are getting tips on tasty ways to save money and the environment with a series of food themed events across the county.

The Love Food Hate Waste Cumbria campaign - which kicks off in Kendal Market Place between 10am and 3pm on Friday (November 28) - is aimed at encouraging people to cut down on the amount of food they throw away.

Research shows that around a third of the food we buy ends up in the bin, meaning the average family is wasting more than £400 every year and that the UK as a whole is sending 6.7 million tonnes of food to landfill sites annually.

Discarded food also contributes to climate change by releasing methane and carbon dioxide from the rotting process, while the production, transportation and storing of food creates a problem by using energy, water and packaging.

The Love Food Hate Waste Cumbria campaign - supported by Resource Cumbria, the waste partnership between the county and district councils - will see six roadshows taking place across the county in November and December.

In Kendal on Friday during the Made in Cumbria Farmers Market local chef John Crouch will be giving cookery demonstrations and passing on food tips, while a stand with leaflets and Love Food Hate Waste giveaways is also set to be on site.

Further events that will feature a host of tasty foods and recipes and information about how to avoid throwing food away include:

* Friday December 5 - Barrow town centre 10am - 2pm. John Crouch will be there again to do a cookery demonstration at around 12noon.

* Saturday December 6 - Cockermouth market place 10am - 6pm. This event is part of the grand re-opening of the Cockermouth market place. There will be a Made in Cumbria Farmers Market and music and entertainment throughout the day, leading up to the grand re-opening at 5pm. Local chef Annette Gibbons will be giving cookery demonstrations.

* Friday December 12 - Carlisle city centre 10am - 2pm. A local chef is set to offer cookery demonstrations.

* Saturday December 13 - Whitehaven town centre 10am - 2pm This event is part of the new Whitehaven Farmers Market. The Made in Cumbria mobile kitchen will be used for cookery demonstrations by local chef Grainne Jakobson at 11am and 1pm.

* Tuesday December 16 - Penrith town centre 10am - 2pm. Penrith Farmers Market will be taking place and Love Food Hate Waste information and competitions will be available.

Martin Allman, Cumbria County Council`s waste prevention manager, said: "The Love Food Hate Waste campaign will show that saving money and helping the environment is a lot easier than you might think.

"Far too much food gets thrown away, but with a bit of thought and preparation this can be massively reduced and some healthy, great tasting dishes can be created.

"Cumbria is a county well-known for delicious food and drink, and these roadshows are a great opportunity for people to get out there and taste what the county has to offer and learn how they can keep more money in their pockets and help in the battle against climate change."

For more information about the Love Food Hate Waste Cumbria campaign visit http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/cumbria (external link)