Sustainable cooking tips
It is impossible to imagine our society without sustainability. But preparing food puts a strain on the environment. This is due, among other things, to the use of fossil fuels, greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption and food waste. Sustainable cooking does not have to be difficult and it can also save you money. In this blog, we will give you some tips on how to be energy efficient and environmentally aware when cooking.
Sustainable cooking starts with buying the right ingredients. When shopping, choose seasonal products. In the month of December you can think of seasonal products such as beetroot, mushrooms and chicory. In addition to buying the right seasonal products, you can pay attention to organic, local and products without (unnecessary) packaging. By buying products with a short sales chain, you are closer to the producer of the product. This means that the fruit or vegetables have travelled a short distance before ending up in your kitchen. An example of this is to buy directly from the farmer or at the (weekly) market. Never buy more than you need and if you do have leftovers, store them in tightly sealed containers. This way you can eat the leftovers for lunch the next day. Do you want to heat up your leftovers? The microwave is more energy efficient, so use it instead of the oven. For example, you can also eat a pasta cold and garnish it extra with products from the PlantHome.
When cooking, it is important not to heat the food any longer than necessary and to use little water. Using less water preserves more of the vitamins. Putting a lid on the pan reduces energy use by two to three times. Another tip when using the cooker is to use a matching burner. This means a burner where the pan completely covers the burner. Dishes do not have to be on a high heat for the entire cooking time. For some dishes, you can switch off the hob or oven before the cooking time is up. For example, eggs, pasta or rice can be left to cook in hot water. Cooking on low or medium heat reduces energy use by 60%. Another tip to reduce energy use is to only run the dishwasher when it is fully loaded. Washing pots and pans by hand is often easier, saves space in the dishwasher and is better for your pots and pans.
The stumps and stalks left over from cutting the vegetables can be used to make stock, for example. If you really have to throw it in the bin, make sure you throw your biodegradable waste in the green container. Separating waste is something you can teach yourself. A small effort with a big difference!
