Living sustainably goes hand in hand with saving money, because when you use less energy, water… you also save on those costs. Thus, making your kitchen more environmentally friendly comes with several pros.
Are you not quite sure on where to start? Continue reading, because today we are sharing our 10 favourite tips.
- Use your scraps
- Make sure your fridge is as sustainable as possible
- Upcycle where possible
- Store your food items in the correct manner
- Save energy while cooking
- Avoid unnecessary packaging
- Grow your own herbs
- Eat seasonal produce
- Use environmentally friendly cleaning products
- Buy ugly veggies
1. Use your scraps
And we’re not only talking about leftovers from yesterday’s dinner which you can eat for lunch, but also about the ingredients you still have from cooking that meal.
You could use leftover fruit in smoothies and vegetables in soup, for example. Even the cutting waste from those vegetables can be used and even leftover bones from meat products. Store all of those leftovers in your freezer and you can make a delicious broth from all of it later on!
2. Make sure your fridge is as sustainable as possible
Start by closing the fridge door as soon as you’re not using the fridge anymore. Besides that, it is also important that your fridge is full, but now overfull. And when you’re cleaning it out, it is important to also wipe down the fans to make sure there is no build-up of dust. That way it can ventilate properly and get rid of its own heat. Just like the fans, the condenser should also be cleaned a few times a year to avoid obstructing the heat release.
Besides all of these cleaning tips, it is also important to find a good place for your fridge. It is beneficial to place it in a cool spot. The heat from either the sun or a heater causes energy use to rise.
3. Upcycle where possible
A quick search on Pinterest for upcycle ideas already leads to a lot of pictures with glass jars. And a lot of food items get stored in those jars. For example, you can make a terrarium with them or use them to store lots of different items. By doing this, you’re already well on your way to a life without waste.
Do you need more inspiration to upcycle your old items? Become a member of our very own Facebook group!
4. Store your food items in the correct manner
By storing your food items in the correct manner you make sure they stay fresh and usable for as long as possible. Does your produce come in plastic packaging? Then it is better to take them out of that so they don’t sweat and spoil. It is better to store them in an airtight container.
After a visit to the grocery store, it is also smart to put everything FiFo in your pantry or fridge. Move the items with the closest expiration date to the front and place the rest behind them. Exactly like you had to do during your grocery shop job back in the day!
5. Save energy while cooking
For example, occasionally look at recipes for one-pot meals. This also helps with getting inspired for dinner! You can also give “meal prepping” a try. Many people are already big fans of this method, as it saves a lot of time in addition to energy.
A little tip for while cooking is to adjust your burner to the pan size. This prevents a lot of energy from being wasted.
6. Avoid unnecessary packaging
Do you eat a lot of rice at home? Then opt for large packaging if possible. This way you avoid a lot of smaller packaging. Don’t have space to keep such a large amount? Opt for paper packaging rather than the plastic version.
Want to go one step further? Then get your groceries from a packaging-free store, a phenomenon that is increasingly popular in the Netherlands.
7. Grow your own herbs
It is such a waste of money to keep buying small containers of basil to go with your pasta. Rather buy a plant or seeds in the store once. Did you know that it is best to re-pot the plants from the supermarket? They are placed too close together in the pot, which means that they have a fairly small chance of survival.
8. Eat seasonal fruits and vegetables
Good for the environment and forces you to cook something new!
Because the fruit and vegetables are in season, they don’t have to travel as far to end up on your plate. Saves a lot of unnecessary emissions and pollution! In addition, they are also extra tasty in season.
9. Use environmentally friendly cleaning products
Not only do cleaning products come packaged in plastic, they also contain water as a main ingredient, something you have readily available at home. There are more and more alternatives on the market, for example the small pods that you have to mix with water to get a detergent.
This way you avoid a lot of unnecessary transport space and you can use your plastic spray bottle several times!
10. Buy ugly vegetables
Don’t judge a book by its cover. The same goes for vegetables! Supermarkets often only buy the “good-looking” pieces, but sometimes you can buy misfits for a lower price. You can also buy them from the farmer himself, on the market, and at organic stores.
Do you have any sustainable tips for the kitchen? Let us know!
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