October Kitchen Corner

Carbon Footprint: total amount of greenhouse gas emissions that come from products. This includes the production, use and end of use.

Recently there has been a great amount of attention on environmentally friendly eating. Reducing food waste and saving money tend to go hand in hand. Most individuals think that switching to a plant-based diet is the best way to reduce their carbon footprint however there are so many other easier things we can do everyday.

Reducing Food Waste at Home:

• Only prepare as much food as you need. Although leftovers are great, a lot of the time they get wasted. If food is left over and is freezable consider freezing for later meals.

• If perishables in fridge are starting to go bad use them for recipes like stir fries, soups, casseroles or freeze them.

• Freeze vegetable scraps and bones from meat to use for broth later.

• Try growing your own produce from scraps such as garlic, celery, potatoes and green onion by plac- ing the roots in water just enough to cover, then planting in soil once they have rooted enough.

• Carry a reusable water bottle with you or invest in a water filter instead of buying plastic bottles.

• Remember to store perishables properly and that root vegetables (potatoes and carrots) last a lot longer than items like lettuce and berries. Items that may go bad quicker should be left at the front of your fridge as a reminder.

Reducing Food Waste When Shopping:

• Have an idea of meals and foods you will need each week so you don’t buy unnecessary items that may be wasted later.

• Make use of marked down items at grocery stores like fruits and vegetables. Roast the vegetables as soon as possible and freeze the fruits for smoothies.

• Use reusable bags and produce bags as much as possible to reduce plastic waste.

• Shop locally or at farmer’s markets where you can buy bulk products to reduce waste from plastic packaging.

• Always check the expiration dates of products before buying to ensure you can use it within that amount of time.

• Eat less takeout and dine in more often to minimize plastics.