Zero-waste Cooking - Practising Sustainability with Our Food

Going green can save the planet and by buying misshapen or not-yet-spoiled fruits and vegetables, planning for meals ahead of time, buying and substituting local produce for imported ingredients, consumers can decrease the environmental impact of their consumption. In this article, Anjali Prasad talks about ways in which consumers can reduce the environmental impact of their eating habits, while simultaneously moving towards more healthy dietary practices.

- Anjali Prasad

As an eco-minded consumer, it is not too difficult to focus on items that cost a lot. But zero-waste cooking or green cooking is a little more than that. It goes beyond wanting to indulge in buying green appliances or building a green kitchen. It is those little things that we do each day – like eating – that have the most impact on the environment. That is why zero-waste cooking is such an important decision.

We know it isn’t easy to cook meals without creating waste, especially when we don’t even have an inkling of what exactly is available which can make this a possibility. Buying fruits and vegetables without any packaging can be one option. Another great step towards a zero-waste goal will be to get unpackaged bakery products from places that have in-house bakeries. You could also cut down on packaging waste by buying things you regularly use in bulk quantities and use your own bags toshop in stores which offer package-free loose cereals and dals. Here are some ways you can avoid plastic packaging and do it your way, at least some bit of it!

Cut Down on Your Meal Selections

Less is definitely more. We have read enough literature to know about the perils of clutter and how our lives can improve drastically if we cut down the consumption levels. Lesser stuff leads to a more peaceful life. The same approach can be applied to meal planning as well. It makes much more sense to have a manageable list of choices and grocery shopping also becomes a lot easier! Not just that, it has a few more advantages as well.

Simple meals mean fewer ingredients, which may mean spending a lot less money. If you and your family agree to it, then rotating the same kinds of meals will cut down food waste tremendously as it would not require you to indulge in exclusive ingredients for a recipe that may not work at all! Straight forward menus mean a lot less stress throughout the work week.