The perfect recipe for a green Christmas

Christmas might be one of the busiest times of the year but the good news is it seems our green habits don't melt away as the festivities start. According to new research by Marks & Spencer, we have already started planning the little things to ensure this Christmas is a green one. Seven out of ten of us plan to recycle Christmas cards and the vast majority - about 9 in 10 - take time out to recycle used wrapping paper.

We are also particularly adept at using our leftover food. 7 in 10 plan to make the most of post-Christmas scraps and we have diverse leftover strategies in place already - not just Turkey sandwiches! Top leftover recipes this Christmas include: Bubble & squeak (42% plan to make it), Soup (39%) and Turkey curry (38%).

However, no matter how well we plan, it seems there ' s always something left over. Cranberry sauce is the most likely culprit (almost half have it left in the cupboard), followed by Christmas cake (1 in 3), pickles and nuts (1/4).

With this in mind, a third of Brits want to try out new leftover recipes this year in a bid to cut down waste.

Mike Barry, Marks & Spencer Plan A expert says, "It's really encouraging to see that so many people are doing the little things which add up to a green Christmas. It's noticeable that many of these small changes are not only planet saving - but money saving too, which is more important than ever to shoppers."

Matthew Drennan, Editor of Delicious Magazine, agrees that having a greener Christmas can bring out the festive cook in all of us. He says, "Thinking about the environment at Christmas doesn't have to mean extra time or money - in fact it can make your money stretch further. It is also a natural time to try out new recipes and make the most of those leftovers."

For more information visit marksandspencer.com/planA.