Sustainability both in the kitchen, environment
Earth Day is just around the corner (April 22), and these days, many of us are thinking about how we can do our part to reduce our environmental impact.
This may seem daunting but what if I told you that you could make a positive impact by simply changing a few things about how you shop for, prepare and store your food?
It all starts with choices at the grocery store:
Plastic-less produce - We rely on plastic for a lot but one area where we can reduce plastic use is how we shop the produce section. First, cut down on plastic produce bags by bringing cloth ones from home, using paper, or omitting bags altogether.
Second, choose individual produce items rather than pre-packaged or reducedplastic packaging like the three-pack of cucumbers that is now only wrapped in a single plastic covering.
Sustainable seafood: Fish and seafood are an important part of a healthy diet and a staple here in the Atlantic region.
To ensure you’re making the most sustainable seafood choices, look for the green and blue certified sustainable labels on products you are buying including MSC (Marine Stewardship Council),
ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council), and BAP (Best Aquaculture Practices).
Drink wisely: This one is for the coffee lovers out there. Coffee is an essential part of many people’s morning and choosing sustainable coffee is important economically and environmentally. When shopping for coffee, look for the Fair Trade label on the package. You can now also reduce plastic by purchasing coffee packaged in recyclable containers.
For example, by the end of 2022, all President’s Choice and No Name whole bean and ground coffee will be available in new award-winning sustainable packaging (lots of the new packaging is already in store).
This is part of a larger mandate by Loblaw to make all its plastic product packaging fully recyclable or reusable by 2025.
Moving from the grocery store to the kitchen, we can also make an impact simply by changing our cooking habits to create less plastic and food waste. Here are my tips:
Creative cooking - Find ways to use all your food scraps and ingredients. For example, save scraps when meal prepping such as onion, garlic, carrots, and celery, and keep chicken pieces/ bones to boil all together and make your own chicken broth (throw these items into the freezer until you have time to make up a batch of broth). Use your citrus rinds to flavour water or tea.
Use all edible parts of your ingredients. Did you know that a broccoli stem is edible? Simply peel the outside and enjoy the stem as you would the florets.
Proper food storage - To help prevent food waste, ensure you are storing your foods at the proper temperate and within their expiry date. Remember, your freezer is your best friend. If a product will not be used up in the proper time, store it in the freezer until you can make a plan to use it.
Reduce plastic use - Plastic wrap and baggies are certainly convenient in the kitchen, but aren’t necessary. Consider using airtight containers that can be reused and they also keep food fresh longer.
Hayley Ewing is a registered dietitian with Atlantic Superstore in Bridgewater and Liverpool. Do you have a nutrition health goal in mind? Contact Hayley by phone at 902-521-4261, or by email at hayley.ewing@loblaw.ca, or book an in-person or virtual consult at bookadietitian. ca. Group programming and community events will resume as per provincial guidelines and safety measures.