Five Tips for a Greener Kitchen

Kitchens - and food, for that matter - play an important role in our lives. When choosing to live a sustainable lifestyle, it makes sense that how we grocery shop, what we eat and what we do with leftovers might change too. That’s why we’ve pulled together our top tips for a green kitchen.

Flexitarian Feasts

There’s vegan, vegetarian and pescatarian, but the up and coming diet to know is flexitarian. Flexitarian, as the name suggests, means being flexible about what you eat but choosing to eat vegetarian where and when possible. If a diet of mostly veggies seems daunting, start by making Meatless Mondays a habit in your household. If you live with family, friends or your partner, you can even make this a weekly activity where you search for recipes and cook up a storm together. For your first Meatless Monday, why not try this Potato, Green Vegs and White Bean salad recipe from The First Mess. It’s perfect for sunny weather and easy to pack for work!

Say No to Plastic

When grocery shopping, be mindful and choose products with minimal or no packaging. Bring Tupperware with you to the butcher and ask him or her to place your choice of meats in the container instead of using plastic and paper. Just be sure to have separate Tupperware for cooked and raw food to avoid cross contamination. If you’re lucky enough to have a local farmer’s market, visit one this weekend and pick up seasonal produce, freshly baked goods and cuts of organic meat and wild fish. It’s a great way to cut down on plastic while also supporting your local community.

Eco-Friendly Shopping Bag

Don’t forget to take an eco-friendly shopping bag with you! If you find that you often forget yours, keep a few bags in your car. That way, you’ll always have a few with you. If you have an iPhone, you can even set up a reminder with Siri to alert you when you arrive at your local grocer. And if you’re always on the go, make sure your go-to bag is one that’s stylish yet roomy and strong enough to hold all your daily essentials along with a couple of extra grocery items. We love the Angelica.

Compost & Recycle

We’re sure you’ve made recycling a habit, but why not try your hand at composting? If you have a garden, composting is simply a matter of knowing what you can compost and how to do it. However, if you live in an apartment, composting can be tricky because of the smell. We recommend using worms to help assist the process. Just keep in mind that this works best for raw fruit and vegetable scraps. If the idea of worms makes you squeamish, you can also use a Bokashi. Simply toss in any type of food scrap, wait a few weeks and poof you now have compost for your plants.

Grow Your Own Herbs

Instead of buying herbs wrapped in plastic at your usual supermarket, why not grow your own? You’ll be able to reduce your plastic use and have freshly picked herbs for your meal. You can even grow herbs in an apartment. Some of the most indoor-friendly herbs include basil, mint, thyme and oregano. If you have a spare hour or two, try this step-by-step guide from Apartment Therapy on how to make a one-pot indoor herb garden.