Food waste is becoming a growing concern in our society. But it doesn’t have to be! By making small changes in everyday cooking habits we can minimize the waste we produce and our impact on the environment. We’ve put together a list of ideas for you to implement in your daily life.
Make a habit of thoroughly checking your pantry and fridge before heading to the supermarket. Get inspiration from ingredients you have on hand, using older ingredients first. Search Cookidoo® recipes by ingredients, to help with your planning. Now create your menu and print your shopping list. Specify the quantities of the ingredients needed, to avoid waste.
Follow your list faithfully to avoid unnecessary ingredients and impulse buys. While walking the aisles of the supermarket, choose ingredients with less packaging. Consider buying spices, dried herbs, dried beans, pasta and rice in bulk, which makes a big impact on reducing waste and saving the environment. If available, purchase imperfect produce. It is often more budget friendly!
If you live near a farm shop or weekly farmer’s market, buying the bulk of your meat and seasonal fresh produce will help support local industries and reduce your carbon footprint.
Now that you’re back in your kitchen, let’s talk about how you can reduce food waste in your own home. The stems, peels and leaves of vegetables are filled with vitamins. Not all vegetables need peeling, some simply need scrubbing before cooking. Or if you do peel them, use the scraps for stocks, garnish, or to make some carrot top pesto. Meat trimmings and bones are also perfect for making broth, and day-old bread is great for croutons and bread pudding! Batch cooking is a great way to prevent leftovers, for instance use that large cabbage or entire package of legumes in a single dish. Use extra servings for your weekly lunches or freeze them. Batch cooking saves time, and uses less energy than producing meals from scratch everyday!
If you have an excess of fruit or veggies, make some juice or try preserving. Preserving is a great way to extend the life of produce. From jam to sauerkraut, you can easily fill your pantry with enough food to get through the winter and supplement your table!
Search on Cookidoo® for more inspiration to use on hand ingredients and leftovers to minimize waste in your own kitchen.
