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Media release
TAFE NSW Grafton | 10 April 2025
TAFE NSW teacher reveals eco-friendly Easter entertaining tips
“Easter is a time for food and family get-togethers – and chocolate – but it’s also one of the biggest weekends for food waste. Simple strategies like smart portioning, using leftovers creatively, and incorporating sustainable ingredients can make a big difference”
Bernadette Ryan
As Australians prepare to celebrate Easter, a TAFE NSW hospitality expert is sharing her top five tips for eco-conscious entertaining – helping households reduce food waste and make sustainable choices while preparing for family celebrations.
With Stop Food Waste Day being held on 30 April this year, research shows 7.6 million tonnes of food is wasted in Australia each year, costing the Australian economy $36.6 billion a year, while food wasted at home costs households up to $2,500 a year, or $50 a week.
TAFE NSW Teacher of Commercial Cookery, Bernadette Ryan said: “Easter is a time for food and family get-togethers – and chocolate – but it’s also one of the biggest weekends for food waste. Simple strategies like smart portioning, using leftovers creatively, and incorporating sustainable ingredients can make a big difference.”
Ms Ryan shares the top five ways to make Easter entertaining more sustainable:
- Choose sustainable Easter treats “Opt for locally made chocolates with compostable packaging or make your own treats like chocolate eggs or hot cross buns. You can even naturally dye Easter eggs using ingredients like beetroot, turmeric, and red cabbage.”
- Plan your portions wisely “Avoid overbuying by planning your menu carefully. It can be easy to get carried away, but if you know exactly how many people you’re catering for, you can reduce excess food and unnecessary waste.”
- Get creative with leftovers “Stale hot cross buns can be turned into bread pudding or French toast, and leftover roast lamb makes great tacos or shepherd’s pie. Repurposing leftovers is a key zero-waste strategy in professional kitchens and can also be adopted at home.”
- Use every part of your ingredients “Root-to-stem cooking is a fantastic way to cut waste. Whether it’s making carrot top pesto or vegetable stock from scraps, using all edible parts of a plant rather than discarding them also helps to maximise flavour.”
- Ditch single-use items “Swap plastic plates and cutlery for reusable alternatives, serve drinks in glass jugs instead of bottled drinks, and compost food scraps instead of sending them to landfill.”
Ms Ryan said sustainability is a vital part of what she teaches in the classroom and is increasingly becoming a key focus in the hospitality industry. “
Our students learn how to apply low-waste cooking techniques, and we support that through hands-on systems like recycling stations, compost bins and even chook bins for food scraps. It’s all about building everyday habits that benefit business, the environment, and the wider community.”
“Hospitality businesses are actively seeking chefs who are well-versed in food sustainability and waste reduction – and our courses are specifically designed to provide students with the expertise they need to excel in a fast-paced, dynamic, and rewarding industry.”
Media contact: Emma Hughes, TAFE NSW Communications Specialist, 02 7920 5000
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