Preparing food consumes energy and thus burdens the environment.
In these times we are all looking for a suitable way to be sustainable, some changes are made easier than others. But did you know that if you boil a pan of water and place a lid on it, so that no heat is lost, you are already working sustainably? Or when you eat and make leftovers, you are also sustainable?
So you can be sustainable in the kitchen faster than you might expect or realize.
Small adjustments
With a few small adjustments you can already cook sustainably. You can use ingredients from another dish. For example, which toppings or ingredients often remain with other meals or dishes and which can still be used on our pizzas for a round.
Also take a good look at what, for example, regularly returns from the restaurant. If you notice that a certain product keeps coming back, you can choose to use less of it.
We are often inclined to fill the pan well with water to ensure that all our products are submerged in the water well and are therefore well cooked. With vegetables it is not necessary that they are completely submerged in water, so when you cook your vegetables you can use less water.
Although most cooks work best with real fire, cooking on an electric hob is better for the environment. Heating food in the microwave is also more energy efficient compared to heating in the oven.
Good purchasing policy
In addition, you can take a good look at your purchasing policy, make sure it is targeted and try to estimate it properly. Working with a first in, first out method may sound logical, but still (especially when it is busy) this is often not followed. Buying your products locally is also a win for the environment, and this also makes your local entrepreneurs happy again.
Recycling waste is also important in the kitchen, make sure you don’t make this too difficult for everyone. Easily make different waste bins for plastic and paper so that waste separation is easier.
This way you can see that you are already working sustainably with a few small adjustments!
Written by Rosanne – Donna Italia