5 Ways to Reduce Your Kitchen Waste
Now more than ever, we’re conscious about waste reduction. The rise of zero-waste movements has encouraged many to go green for the environment. With so many fresh ideas and new options now available to us, there aren’t any excuses to stick to the old, unsustainable ways! Here are 5 simple tips you can practice daily to reduce your food and kitchen waste.
1. Be a Great Plant Parent
You've just finished your favourite cup of tea or coffee. So, what can you do with your used tea leaves and coffee grounds? Put them on your plants, of course! Tea leaves and coffee grounds are great for acid-loving plants like roses and tomatoes; they can add nutrients to the soil which help your plants grow, as well as deter bugs and pests. They can work simply by sprinkling them around the soil, or by mixing them up with water.
2. Keep Your Veggies Fresh for Longer
It’s a sad sight to see herbs wilting away in the fridge. But most vegetables can be kept fresher for longer with a couple of basic tools: tea towels and airtight containers. Wrapping your favourite fresh produce in damp tea towels before placing them in airtight containers can help maintain their lushness for an extra week or two. You could also stick your herbs in a little jar filled halfway with water, which can last for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
3. Hot and Cold
We’ve all been there, seeing a great batch of bananas or berries slip away because we just haven’t had the time to eat them, or we forgot about them. During times like these, you have two options: the freezer or the oven. Simply freezing your fruits would not only enable them to keep longer, but they also make for great smoothies by simply blending them together with your favourite plant-based milk. If you prefer baked goods, you could turn your overripe bananas into moist banana bread, or bake your berries into some muffins.
4. Bring Your Own
With the charges on plastic bags that have been implemented in recent years, we like to think we’re moving in the right direction. However, bringing your own bags and containers when shopping or buying food is something we can all do together to help. Whether you’re headed to the supermarket, local pasar pagi, or neighbourhood hawker stall, your bags and containers can be an aesthetic, sustainable statement. Not to mention that you’d be helping smaller businesses buy less single-use packs, which could ultimately help them save on their overheads.
5. Got You Covered!
There are plenty of alternatives to plastic cling film. With options ranging from flexible silicone ones to breathable cotton ones, you’re covered! Not only are they affordable, they’re washable, reusable, and have more integrity than traditional plastic cling wrap. This way, you get to keep your food fresh while not contributing to any landfills.
Now that you’ve got 5 more no-waste ideas, we hope you’re excited to start (or continue) your zero-waste journey!