Over 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted per year, which equates to roughly 160kg PER PERSON. Not only does this waste of food show a clear social imbalance but it is contributing to the very serious climate crisis that is taking place. We have put together a list of easy ways that you can make the most out of the food you have and ensure less waste!
1. Make use of your discarded veg!
Tempted to throw away your roots, peelings or stems? Try and find creative ways to use them up as not only is it better for the environment, but you are missing out on lots of nutrients! Why not add your roots to a nice mash or purée? It adds exciting new flavours and textures and is a perfect side to accompany a main dish. If you have leftover peel from your vegetables then why not make some delicious vegetable crisps?
2. Plan your meals around your leftover ingredients.
Often we find that we encounter the most food waste when we have planned recipes for each week that all contain different ingredients. Make the effort to plan your weekly meals according to what you have leftover. If you fancy making a delicious beetroot hummus then why not save the aquafaba (the liquid left in the can of chickpeas) and make a light and elegant vegan chocolate mousse. Try and be as resourceful as you can. The recipes in this cookbook will give you a good starting place and hopefully inspire you to create delicious food with what you have readily available!
3. Compost!
Using your leftover scraps of veggies, egg shells etc. is a great way to create an amazing compost to improve the quality of soil in your garden - and might just be the thing to encourage you to create a veggie patch of your own! Here is how to make your own compost:
- Choose a site to create your compost heap (you can also just use a compost bin).
- Tear up larger items that you wish to compost so that they decompose at a similar rate to the smaller items. Ensure that you have a carbon-rich, dry material at the bottom of the compost bin before adding anything else.
- Add to your compost in intervals until your bin is full. After a couple of weeks turn your compost and continue to do so every 3 months. Your compost will produce heat until it is done fully decomposing, and then it is ready to use!
#zerowaste#zerowasteeating#climatechange#climatecrisis#veganism#ecofriendly