Eggs, yoghurt, milk, bread and several types of fruit and vegetables often end up in the bin.
Salad leaves, bread and milk are the top 20 food items most likely to be binned before eating, according to our waste research project.
Adults estimate one fifth of what they buy ends up in the bin despite three quarters making attempts to get more use out of the products that end up in their fridges and cupboards.
Other foodstuffs likely to make their way into the trash include bananas, cucumbers, strawberries and potatoes.
Our poll of 2,000 adults, commissioned by Waitrose, found one in seven forget to check use-by dates, while nearly one in 10 buy more than they need in the first place.
And despite 67 per cent taking care to plan their food shop for the week ahead in a bid to eliminate leftovers – more than one fifth forget about items they’ve bought until it’s too late.
The research also found eggs, yoghurt and cheese are commonly thrown away, along with fruit and vegetables such as tomatoes, mushrooms and oranges.