We, the people, do have the power to stop the tragic waste of resources if we regard it as socially unacceptable to waste food.

A country like America has twice as much food on its shop shelves and in its restaurants than is actually required to feed the American people.

Cutting food waste is a delicious way of saving money, helping to feed the world and protect the planet.

According to the 'food waste pyramid', ensuring that food is eaten by people is the top priority. Failing that, the next best thing is to feed it to farm animals.

Heartless though it may seem to some, among the least harmful things to eat are sustainably culled wild animals. In the absence of natural predators, deer populations in parts of Britain have reached such dense numbers that the woodlands they browse fail to regenerate.

I simply believe food is too good to throw away - and Christmas leftovers can be a gastronomic opportunity for the well-skilled kitchen forager. With a little imagination, there are a million ways to use up leftovers rather than bin them.