It’s said that here in Britain we throw away the equivalent of 2 million turkeys, 5 million Christmas puddings and 74 million mince pies every Christmas. Most people admit to throwing out twice as much food during the festive season than any other time of the year.
Every year our eyes have become bigger than our bellies, resulting in us throwing out far too many leftovers. Not only does this have a negative impact on the environment, it could also attract many unwanted guests to your front door.
Mice, rats and other pests are on full alert over the festive period – finding leftover food outside people’s houses is just too easy. It is also a common misconception that mice are attracted mostly to cheese. They are actually attracted to foods that are high in carbohydrates and sweet things like chocolate, which is commonly consumed en masse throughout the Christmas period. If you happen to have any of this left over and you are thinking of throwing it out (although most unlikely), think before you act! Also certain rats, such as roof rats, are very attracted to fruits and vegetables so make sure to keep those carrots and sprouts out of sight.
Here are a few tips for this winter:
- Only buy food you know you are going to be able to eat. Don’t go overboard.
- When throwing out leftovers such as turkey and other meats, make sure you wrap them in a plastic bag before popping it in the bin.
- Discard your waste at every opportunity. Don’t leave it lying around for a few days as this will encourage pests.
- Think before you throw it out. Could you keep it and have it for leftovers another day? Does it really need to be thrown away? You can use cooked food to create other tasty dishes such as stews and casseroles.
If you want to keep those mice and rats at bay, take note of the above and you will be sure to have a very Merry Christmas, with no unwanted little pesky presents.