How To Be More Sustainable When Cooking

Buy Local

The kitchen is a key area to make eco-friendly choices. From buying local food and using zero waste refilleries to meal planning and a root-to-stem approach, there are many ways to cook sustainably in your own home.

Buying local means your ingredients are harvested when they are ripe. This reduces fuel emissions and enables you to enjoy the full flavour of your food.

East Seasonally

Eating seasonally is a great way to reduce your environmental footprint. When you eat in-season produce, you eliminate the need to ship food across long distances. Also, in-season fruits and vegetables are usually more flavorful than those that have been stored for weeks or months.

Try eating seasonally by shopping at your local farmer’s market or by growing your own vegetables and herbs. Also, learn to preserve in-season veggies by freezing, dehydrating or canning them.

Reduce Food Waste

Food waste is a huge contributor to the planet’s environmental impact. Getting creative with your ingredients and leftovers is an easy way to reduce food waste in the kitchen.

Meal plan ahead to avoid purchasing too much food and wasting it, and use all parts of an ingredient where possible (think root-to-stem vegetables, skins, stale bread and more). Reusing tubs, bottles, jars, and reusable freezer bags is also great!

Reuse Leftovers

Cooking sustainably can help you reduce your carbon footprint. From using reusable kitchen towels to buying a dishwasher that uses less water, there are many ways to make small changes that have a big impact.

Avoid food waste by checking your fridge and pantry before shopping to plan meals that use up any ingredients you already have. You can also donate unused food to a local food bank.