Think of reducing food waste as—sometimes literally—the low-hanging fruit of combating climate change.
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Your Guide to Zero-Waste Cooking, by Eco Expert Anne-Marie Bonneau
While putting this together, I thought about what I wished I’d known when I set out to cut my waste and live more sustainably. I’ve focused on three areas with big potential. Reducing wasted food is an easy way to lower emissions — and we can start with our next meal. Eating more plants and avoiding single-use plastic will not only benefit the planet but also our health. And remember, perfection is not possible. Zero waste is above all an intention, not a hard-and-fast rule.
Photo: substack.com
Cut Wasted Food
There is zero downside to reducing wasted food.
Drastically reduce your food waste by following this fun and simple 14-day challenge.
I never tire of reading meal planning articles. Whenever one pops up in my news reader, I open it in a neighboring tab for immediate perusal.
Freezing food extends its shelf life and helps prevent it from going to waste.
Soup is the ultimate zero-waste dish. Use random vegetables, leftover protein, cooked grains and this and that. No two pots are the same!
Eat More Plants
One of the best things you can do for the planet and your health is to eat your vegetables.
Reduce Single-Use Plastic and Other Throwaways
The convenience of plastic comes at a huge environmental cost. Fortunately, some single-use items are very easy to replace.
Convenience has, at the very least, exacerbated—if not created—our waste crisis. These 9 items have easy replacements.
You'll use jars for everything! Storing food (you can see what's on hand and waste less of it), freezing food, fermenting food... Upcycle the free ones to save money.
If you don’t know where to even begin when embarking on a month without plastic, start by cutting what the Plastic Free July website refers to as the Top 4 plastics.
How to sew produce bags on a standard machineI love my serger. It sews two rows of straight stitches, trims the fabric edge and finishes that raw …
If you don't have access to bulk stores or year-round farmers' markets, you can still reduce packaging waste at the grocery store.
Cook Like Grandma
Grandma knew how to do stuff and she used everything.
A continuous menu repurposes some elements of one meal into the next to reduce wasted food, save time and money and produce tasty dishes.
Find instructions for starting a starter—and keeping it alive—sourdough starter FAQs, recipes for discard, the bread recipe and more.
The most common questions about fermented foods answered.
Think like Grandma, use every last bit of our food and elevate food "scraps" to their rightful designation in our kitchens: ingredients.
Remouillage is a super-thrifty stock made from the already boiled-down elements of a first stock, added to fresh vegetables and simmered again to make a flavourful soup base.
Conserve MORE Resources
In addition to food, energy and water are also vital resources in need of conserving.
Grow Some Food
Growing even a small amount of food eliminates plastic packaging and food miles—and tastes amazing.
When food goes to waste, that food—and inedible food scraps—belong in a compost pile. Use the finished black gold to add nutrients to the garden and retain water in the soil.
Which vegetables are easiest to grow from seed? Growing from seed is less expensive and offers much more variety.
To keep a bunch of fresh basil growing, store a few sprigs in water until roots sprout, replant in soil—indoors or out—and as it grows, snip as needed.
The self-proclaimed “gangsta gardener” wanted fresh food in his neighborhood, so he got down in the dirt and grew it himself.
Find Out More
Find more low-waste strategies and recipes in my award-winning cookbook and in my newsletter.
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