We have given away 50 slow cookers to customers as part of our Slow Cook, Low Waste competition.
We worked in partnership with Jewson Partnership Solutions, who helped fund the competition, so that lots of our customers could benefit from an alternative, cheap-to-run appliance going into winter.
A slow cooker heats food over a long time but uses less electricity than an oven - they can even use less energy than a lightbulb - saving you money on your electricity bills.
Reducing your food waste is another great way to save money, whilst helping the environment.
We asked our customers to share their top tips to reduce food waste for a chance to win a slow cooker.
We received so many great tips, from freezing leftovers to making your own stock.
We have shared a selection of tips from our winners in our new Slow Cook, Low Waste recipe booklet, which you can view here. The booklet also includes information about slow cookers, plus a selection of recipes that are designed to use up commonly wasted ingredients.
One of our winners, Anna Lisenoka, from Somerset, said: “When you called me to tell me, I was so happy, and you made my day because I never win anything. My sister was actually the first one to enter, I don’t have a slow cooker but I was thinking of buying one so I thought I would give it a go as well, so we were surprised to both win.
“Everything is increasing now with payments so I think this was a good option because everyone wants to save as much as they can. So, when I got it, I thought it’s going to be a big benefit for myself.”
Another winner, Claire Ashwin, from Cornwall, said: “When we’ve been at work, it’s sometimes quite difficult to make something quite nice. We come home from work, and you need a bit of time to cook and everyone’s hungry so it’s nice to be able to get things in it in the morning and it’s ready for when you come home.
“I was looking at getting an air fryer but they’re quite expensive so it’s actually quite a good chance to try something different. Quite a few people are struggling at the moment so something like this is quite a nice surprise. We would like to make soups and things as well which will be using lots more vegetables and is healthier so you can put it in the freezer so it’s good in that way.”
Heather Pearson, from Devon, said: “I was thinking about getting an air fryer because they seem big at the moment, but slow cookers are well established and well known. I hate food waste, and everything is going up, so we need to make the most of what we have as much as possible. By chucking something in a slow cooker, it means you get a lovely hot meal at the end of the day or porridge overnight on these cold winter mornings.
“I’m at home with my daughter lots of the time so when you’re busy you can easily think 'I know, I will do that mince today, but I haven’t got the energy' but if you can think ahead of time and stick it in the slow cooker and then cook it overnight, it will be better for tomorrow so it’s going to cut down food waste.
“As my daughter is very disabled, it means we don’t always have a lot of time to be cooking meals every day so if I can cook up several different ones or batch cook and freeze individual portions with vegetables then all I have to do is put them in the microwave. Then I know she’s got a good home-cooked meal with all fresh ingredients and it’s convenient.”
Jane Dixon, from Devon, said: “I’ve been looking at slow cookers because it was on my shopping list to get after Christmas so when I saw this, I thought I would enter to see if I could get one. At the moment I'm trying to save as much electricity as possible and this will save a few pennies so I can afford to put the heating on.
“I’ve never used a slow cooker so this will be experimental but I’m hoping to get involved in cooking evening meals and get started with it. If I’ve got any leftovers, I generally take them over to my neighbour who lost his wife last year, so this will be great for that.”
John Tootell, from Devon, said: “Because it’s a family size one I will be cooking in bulk and then freezing the leftovers, so I only need to cook once or twice a week and also save on energy and then just reheat it in the microwave. This is very helpful, and I think anyone living in a small size property would find it useful because it’s not always good to put the oven on all the time.
“I should go to the butchers or the supermarket more and get frozen meat and things as normally I buy lots of ready meals but now I’ve got this, I can do hot pots and buy diced meat which is something I don’t really buy at the moment. Now I’ve got the slow cooker I will be able to branch out and buy more versatile things.”
Scott Cooper, Business Director for Jewson Partnership Solutions, said: “It’s fantastic to be able to support an initiative like this.
"The cost of living crisis is something many residents will be feeling and hearing about a lot at the moment, therefore we are delighted to support LiveWest’s Slow Cook, Low Waste competition, to help local residents reduce their energy bills and food waste. Sustainability is high on our own agenda, so this felt like a really nice alignment.”
You can find out more about food waste, and read a selection of tips from our customers, in our new Slow Cook, Low Waste recipe booklet. The booklet also includes information about slow cookers plus a selection of recipes that are designed to use up commonly wasted ingredients.