Is anyone else watching Our Planet on Netflix? Each episode is equally inspiring and sobering. It is so important to be informed about the impact that our daily habits have on the environment.
We have all heard the statistic 'more fish in the ocean by 2050'... Bonkers, right? If you are anything like us, we get fed up of seeing the bad news and we just want to know what we can do to change the course...
Give it to me short, easy and in a way that doesn’t mean I have to break the bank.
So here goes...
From energy-saving ideas to zero waste tips, here’s what I’m specifically doing in the Simple Bites kitchen. There are hundreds of other directions we could take this topic, but I’m choosing to only list what I put into practice every single day.
So if you’re wondering how to move towards a zero-waste kitchen, begin with the small steps listed below and work up to the big ones.
How to Move Towards a Zero-Waste Kitchen
Each day, we eat three meals - that is three opportunities to make food choices that are better for the planet.
Zero-Waste Shopping
For me, this is where mindfulness starts.
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It’s about ditching the single serve packages and buying in bulk, refillable packaging... Wipe out the major supermarkets. This may be controversial, but we wouldn’t be here if we played it safe and stopped ourselves speaking the truth!
- Making a weekly meal plan is a great way to ensure you are shopping only for what you need and avoiding unnecessary food waste.
Make a list, stick to it.
Buy in bulk. This only applies for pantry staples that you know you use in large quantities (for us, it's oatmeal, rice, flour, pulses, etc). You’ll save money and avoid packaging.
Use reusable bags. Find stores that allow this, or order from stores that use a refill system... Remember they need to be true refill! Avoid single use sachets, which a lot of refill system now offer... THIS IS STILL SINGLE USE & OFTEN WORSE!
Shop in season and eat local. We love banging the drum for seasonal eating! It’s simple - the shorter the distance that your food has to travel, the less of an impact it has on the environment and it even tastes better!
Eat organic! Did you know over 75% of our food is grown with pesticide sprays?What we eat and how we produce it is damaging our planet. Eating lesser-known, highly nutritious foods such as purple yams or adzuki beans helps to protect biodiversity and climate resistance in our food systems.
Zero-Waste Cooking
Store foods in the fridge properly. Our rectangle lifetime jars are great for this...Use old food first and don’t overstock!
Use glass jars for pantry staples. It doesn’t just look pretty, but this keeps food airtight and preserves it for longer.
Save food scraps. Save them for smoothies, soups & broths and if all else fails -the dogs will love them! A great book is Scraps, Wilt & Weeds.
Eat as many vegan options as possible. We know it's become all the rage but seriously, large scale animal production is one of the largest contributors to green house gases.
Buy whole vegetables, instead of pre-cut ones and use every bit. Pre cut is a big NO NO from us... it also tastes like dry flip flop.
Home preservation. Yes - grow some herbs yourself! We are talking ourselves out of business here, but we are in it for the planet and this is really great for everyone. Start with some easy, space saving herbs like basil, coriander, mint.
Zero-Waste Kitchen
Repurpose when possible. Marketplace, marketplace, marketplace! Need new cupboards, pots or pans? You'll be surprised how many items people use once or twice then put up on marketplace for an absolute bargain!
Compost. For those food scraps that you are unable to repurpose... The guys over at Subpod are legends and home gurus of home composting. We recommend Banish for compost bin and Urban Composter Bokashi Bin (made from recycled plastic - big win).
Reuse glass jars: We are all for looking the part, but do not throw away jars - mismatched and all! They hold everything from dried pantry staples to homemade stock in the freezer.
Use washable cloths, instead of paper towel. Paper towel is expensive and seriously unnecessary! Sorry kitchen roll suppliers... but come on, get with the times - we need reusables.
Regrow vegetable scraps. Sprout a windowsill mini-garden and use the greens for salads.
Repurpose cans. You can recycle tin cans into little herb planters! They look very cute and kind of retro...
Replace plastic wrap with bees wax wrap. We have a collection of bees wax wraps in various sizes and I use these for covering bowls of food and wrapping sandwiches, etc.
We are still on pre order, so there is still time to join us at the cheapest rate possible! As the saying goes, there is no time like the present...