Joanna Page Returns to Barry to Help Families Save Money and Reduce Food Waste
Beloved Welsh actress and presenter Joanna Page headed back to Barry yesterday, but this time, she’s not filming a new TV series—she’s on a mission to help families tackle food waste and cut down on household expenses. Teaming up with renowned Welsh chef Chris “Flamebaster” Roberts, Page was at Bay 5 Café on Barry Island yesterday, demonstrating how busy households can make quick, delicious meals using ingredients that are often wasted.
Families in Wales Among the Biggest Food Wasters
New research from Wales Recycles has revealed a concerning trend: families in Wales waste more food than any other group, primarily due to time constraints. The study found that nearly a quarter (24%) of people in Wales fall into the category of ‘high food wasters,’ with that number jumping to nearly a third (31%) among families with children at home.
Despite the rising cost of groceries, the average four-person household in Wales still throws away £84 worth of food every month—a staggering £800 million wasted annually across the country. Although 82% of families express concern over food prices, a significant portion of what they buy never makes it onto their plates.
Joanna Page and Chris Roberts Bring a Fresh Approach to Family Cooking
Recognizing that meal preparation can be a challenge for busy parents, Page and Roberts have developed a series of flexible, family-friendly recipes designed to save time, money, and reduce food waste. As working parents themselves, each with four children, they understand the pressures of juggling mealtimes and ensuring that nutritious, home-cooked meals remain a priority.
“I’m thrilled to be working with Wales Recycles and Chris to show families how easy it is to reduce food waste while still enjoying delicious meals,” said Joanna Page. “With four kids, our mealtimes are chaos, but we’ve come up with simple, tasty dishes that can be made with whatever you have left in the fridge. Not only does it save money, but it also helps the environment.”
One standout dish from their menu is the Cracking Fridge-Raid Omelette, a versatile twist on the classic omelette that makes use of leftover greens, cheese, and other fridge staples. For heartier appetites, the Cymru Chicken Curry ‘Half and Half’, created by Flamebaster himself, repurposes leftover chicken and incorporates commonly wasted ingredients like carrots and potatoes—two of the most discarded foods in Welsh homes.
For a sweet treat, the Barry Island Yogurt Sundae offers a simple, nutritious dessert that makes use of fruit that might otherwise go uneaten.
A Push to Make Wales Number One in Recycling
Wales is already one of the top-ranked recycling nations in the world, currently sitting in second place. However, there’s still work to be done. The Be Mighty. Recycle campaign aims to push Wales into the number one spot by encouraging more households to recycle food waste properly.
Deputy First Minister and Climate Change Minister Huw Irranca-Davies praised the initiative, stating, “Wales has made incredible progress in recycling, but there is always more we can do. Campaigns like Be Mighty. Recycle help families take simple, practical steps to cut down on waste, save money, and contribute to our circular economy.”
Chris Roberts, a long-time advocate for reducing food waste, emphasized the importance of making meals that are easy, affordable, and sustainable. “As a father of four, I know how important it is to have quick, healthy meals that kids will actually eat. These recipes tick all the boxes while making sure we’re wasting as little food as possible.”
Bringing the Message to Barry Island
Joanna Page and Chris Roberts hosted a live cooking demonstration at Bay 5 on Barry Island’s seafront, where the showed families first hand how to transform everyday ingredients into tasty, waste-free meals.
In addition to cooking up their signature dishes, the duo were keen to share the message that food waste recycling is really important. Families are encouraged to make use of their local food waste collections and recycle items like eggshells, vegetable peels, and chicken bones to generate renewable energy for Wales.
Angela Spiteri, Senior Campaign Manager at WRAP, highlighted the campaign’s goal: “From Barry Island to Bangor, we want families across Wales to get the most out of their food while also recycling the bits they can’t eat. If we all work together, we can reduce waste, save money, and help Wales secure the top spot as the best recycling nation in the world.”
Those who joined Joanna Page and Chris Roberts at Bay 5 yesterday said they’d enjoyed learning how small changes in the kitchen can make a big difference for families and the environment alike.