Kate Hall, who calls herself the 'Home Food Waste Expert' and has written a book on the topic, has shared a simple freezer hack that she claims saves her £1,000 a year by preventing food waste. In a TikTok video, she demonstrates how organising a freezer into labelled categories can help people use what they buy instead of throwing it away.
The method behind the savings
In her video, Hall said: "This is how I save £1,000 a year on food – not by meal planning perfectly or spending long days batch cooking, but by using my freezer like this, saving food that would have gone in the bin and keeping it organised so that I can find things easily, so that I actually use it."
She added: "And if you're anything like I was, buying fresh food with good intentions, only for it to go off before you can use it, and struggling to stick to meal plans, this might be exactly what you need too."
How the system works
Hall explained that she used to rely on meal planning and being more organised, but found the real problem was not having the time and energy to use fresh food before it spoiled. "What changed everything for me was using my freezer differently," she said. "Not just to store food…but to actually use it."
In the video, she showed her freezer with drawers labelled into categories such as bakery, dairy, leftovers, fruit, veggies, pantry, fish, and raw meat. One drawer labelled 'veggies' contained sealed bags of garlic, parsley, spring onions, carrots, and tomatoes, each labelled with the date they were frozen. This approach saves space and makes items easier to find.
A priority on organisation
Hall said keeping her freezer stock organised has been her main priority, as it helps her find what she needs quickly. "That’s how I’ve ended up saving over £1,000 a year on food - without trying to be perfect," she said. "And if you’re anything like I was, this could make a huge difference for you too."
