A LUCKY West Devon resident has won a hamper worth £250 packed with kitchen storage and preservation goodies after entering a free competition about keeping food fresher for longer.  Pauline Noblet from Tavistock visited West Devon Borough Council's roadshow in February to find out more about a campaign to help everyone get the most out of the food they buy and reduce the amount of useable food thrown away.  Road show visitors were given the chance to do a short quiz on the subject and enter a competition.  Pauline was delighted to be picked out at random as the winner: 'I'm amazed as I never usually win anything. I'm really looking forward to using my prize.'  The council's Recycling Team spoke to more than 800 people on their tour of the borough, highlighting how packaging can play a key role in prolonging the life of food.  From ziplocks on cheese packs to breathable fruit bags, packaging has come a long way in recent years.  Andy Barron from the borough council's Recycling Team said: 'Storing food correctly can often be confusing because some produce is best left in its packaging and some is not.  'The best thing to do is read the packaging before you open it.  It should tell you the best storage option.  'Don't automatically assume that plastic wrappers will make food sweat.  Some are now breathable and often food is best kept in the original packaging.'  Twenty three percent of black bag waste in West Devon is food waste, and the average family with children throws away food worth around £60 per month.  Andy said: 'Storing food properly is a win-win situation for our residents who can not only save money but cut down waste going into landfill. 'From talking to people, we discovered there are still a lot of myths about food storage but the key message is always read the instructions on the packaging.'  For more information about keeping food fresh for longer visit http://www.westdevon.gov.uk">www.westdevon.gov.uk or http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com">www.lovefoodhatewaste.com