A study by the Australia Institute estimates that for every five bags of food Australians buy, one is thrown out. And we feel bad about it too.

But what do you do with that one sad carrot, two black bananas and a bunch of limp coriander? Making a Meal of It is a guide to making the most of the food we feel guilty about throwing away.

Bursting with tips, ideas and recipes, this book tells you how to buy the best, keep it fresh, and make use of every bit - and, when you forget, how to restore and revive. The ideas are simple and flexible, from easy recipes for a bulk buy or garden harvest to tasty solutions for last night's leftovers - some of which will even tempt you to cook to much, just to try the leftover recipes!

Find out:
- which everyday vegetable is healthier cooked than raw
- what staple causes food poisoning in the home
- why you shouldn't put a vase of flowers near the fruit bowl
- how to store cheese so it lasts, use the bits that don't, and how scared you should be of the mouldy bits
- how to make a strudel cake from leftover mashed potato
- why apes peel their bananas from the other end

If you cook, you can use this book. It's for ordinary, busy people, who'll save time and money, and a bit of the planet... and have fun reading it too.

So tuck in and make a meal of it.