Former GB Athlete and TV Gladiator, Kate Staples, has created a new recipe using leftovers for the Love Food Surrey campaign which aims to encourage residents to reduce the amount of food they throw away.

The new and healthy recipe, Gold Medal Salad, is perfect for boosting the performances of aspiring athletes.

Mum of three, Kate, 48, said: "As a busy mum and personal trainer, it can be hard to feed my family on a budget whilst also maintaining a sense of nutritional balance in their meals.

"This campaign is great because it not only shows you how to plan your shopping and make your food last longer, it also offers delicious healthy recipes you can make out of leftovers, which means you save money too."

Each year, households in the UK throw away 7.2 million tonnes of food and drink. In Surrey alone, about 80,000 tonnes of food is thrown away each year which costs taxpayers £6.7 million to deal with.

John Furey, Surrey County Council's Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment, said: "Wasting less food benefits the environment and reduces the burden on the taxpayer. We are really grateful to Kate for creating her own Olympic inspired leftover recipe, which is great for kids too."

Love Food Surrey is currently running a series of roadshows at supermarkets, shopping centres and family fairs dishing out tips and advice on reducing food waste and making the most of leftovers. For latest dates and locations, go to the website www.lovefoodsurrey.com.

For food waste that can't be avoided, residents are urged to use their kerbside food waste collection service. By collecting food separately from general waste it can be processed in a more environmentally friendly way and turned into fertiliser.

Check out Kate's recipe at www.lovefoodsurrey.com.