Stale bread, soggy cucumbers and sprouting potatoes may not sound like the ideal ingredients for a culinary masterpiece, but throw them away and you're missing a trick, and a treat, say food experts.

A third of the food we buy ends up in the bin, according to new research - harming the environment through the methane given off on rotting landfill sites, and our cash-strapped pockets.

A survey by 'delicious.' magazine found that more than 40 per cent of us throw out bread on a regular basis, closely followed by over-ripe bananas and cucumber ends.

Expired sell-by-dates, bad portion control and food on the turn are to blame, the poll found.

To stop you chucking out another bag of expensive brown salad leaves, the team at delicious. magazine have put together the ten ingredients most likely to end up in the bin, what to do with them and how to avoid throwing anything away to begin with.

For more information, recipes and tips visit www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk and www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

TOP TEN WASTERS

1. BREAD

Remember that you can always keep bread in the freezer and toast it from frozen (just remember to slice it before freezing). If the bread is already past its best, whizz it up into breadcrumbs and freeze those in small batches to prevent them forming an unwieldy clump. Alternatively, mix the breadcrumbs with herbs and onion and bind with oil to form a simple stuffing to freeze for the next time you're making a roast, or use stale bread to make desserts such as bread and butter pudding.

2. SALAD LEAVES

We've all got into the habit of buying bagged salad leaves, but whole lettuces will last longer and be better value in the long run. Also, never store salad leaves alongside fruit such as bananas, apples and melons as they emit a gas (ethylene) which causes them to deteriorate rapidly. However, any wilting leaves can be whizzed up into a soup, adding both colour and flavour.

3. BANANAS

Over-ripe bananas can be stuck in the freezer, then eaten as a dessert. The skins will go black, but just peel them and enjoy. Alternatively, whizz very ripe bananas into smoothies, or use them to make banana bread, banana cake or muffins.

4. CUCUMBERS

Place the stalk end in a small amount of water and store in a dark place to keep fresh. Don't waste ends of cucumber - grate them into yoghurt and mix with garlic to make a tzatziki dip, or whizz into a delicious cucumber and melon soup, and serve chilled.

5. POTATOES

Store in a cool dark place and don't chuck them out at the first sight of a sprout - you can still use them unless they are very far gone. If you've bought too many, make lots of mash and freeze it in bathes for future use, or use potatoes that are past their best for dauphinoise, rosti or, best of all, a big batch of freezeable potato soup.

6. COOKED SLICED MEATS

Always store in airtight containers. When they start to dry out, use in hot dishes as they will soften up again. Chop leftover slices and toss into pastas, baked potatoes and cauliflower cheeses, or use as a pizza topping.

7. YOGHURT

We always try to use the whole tub in our recipes at delicious., but sometimes you can find yourself with leftover yoghurt. But you can freeze it, and eat frozen as a dessert, or as an alternative to milk with cereals. Use it in baking and ice cream, or dribble some on top of goulash or soup.

8. LEFTOVER COOKED VEG

To avoid unnecessary leftovers, try to practise strict portion control. But if you do have any leftover cooked vegetables, toss them into stir-fries near the end of the cooking time, chop into frittatas or turn into a gratin - that'll help use up your breadcrumbs, too!

9. CARROTS

If you're not going to use your carrots all at once, store half in the fridge - they will keep far longer. Alternatively, make healthy carrot juice, grate into stir-fries or bolognese sauce or mash up with potato to make a delicious shepherd's pie topping. Carrots past their best are also fine roasted with honey and sesame seeds, or used up in carrot cake or muffin recipes.

10. APPLES

Store apples in a cold dark place well away from bananas, which make other fruit spoil much faster. Also remove bad apples from the bowl quickly. Apples kept in the salad drawer of the fridge will stay fresher for longer. You can also make up eating apples into apple sauce, which freezes well and tastes great with pork, duck and goose.

AVOIDING FOOD WASTE TO BEGIN WITH

STORE WISELY: There's not much that can't be frozen until it's needed. Even cheese can be grated and put in the freezer to use in a sauce or omelette. And a lot of time can be saved by cooking a big dish, then dividing into portions to freeze for another day.

Veg such as carrots and cucumbers can be put in water and chilled in the fridge to give them their bite back, and most ripe fruit can be kept in the fridge to prolong their lives. However, many fridges are too warm - make sure yours is between 1C and 5C.

Lots of airtight containers, clips and resealable bags are available to help keep food fresh.

PORTION CONTROL: Cooking too much is easily done - especially with rice and pasta. use a spaghetti measurer, and this guide, for uncooked rice: two-and-a-half level tablespoons for a child portion five level tablespoons for an adult portion; one mug will make four adult portions.

PLAN AHEAD: A lot of food is wasted because it has been left to pass its use-by date. Avoid this by planning meals for the week ahead and sticking to your list when shopping. If you do have any leftovers at the end of the week, storecupboard essentials such as jars of pasta sauce, canned tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce can help turn most odds and ends into a tasty meal.