Creative zero waste ideas for the kitchen
Bought or prepared too much food again? Does your heart bleed at the thought of throwing away valuable food? We have a few ideas on how you can turn supposed waste into something delicious or make great helpers for the home and garden.
Did you know that 2 May is "Food Waste Day"? Since 2016, this day has been an annual reminder that around 18 million tonnes of food are wasted every year in Germany alone! According to a calculation by the WWF, around 10 million of this could be avoided. The misery often starts with shopping:
Shop and store consciously
Make detailed meal and shopping plans and then stick to them. Don't worry, the odd item will still end up in your shopping basket spontaneously, and that's allowed! Smart shopping will save you waste and money:
- Buy ripe fruit from the special offer (e.g. Bananas with initial stains) and preserve or process it in advance, for example to make delicious nice creams and smoothies later on.
- Food just before the best-before date (BBD) expires is often greatly reduced, but usually lasts much longer than stated.
- fruit and vegetables keep for several days to weeks in the cellar or fridge. When shopping, pay attention to quality and regionality - and perhaps an energy-saving fridge with a freshness compartment would also be a good idea?
On the plate instead of the compost
It's the same for plants and humans alike: just because the surface is no longer as firm doesn't mean that the contents are inedible! We often use far too little of the whole plant anyway. Try out these tips:
- Turn limp but still edible fruit and vegetables into delicious soups, juices or smoothies.
- Leafy greens from carrots, kohlrabi or radishes are nutrient-rich seasonings for soups, salads, smoothies or pesto.
- The stalks and leaves of cauliflower, kohlrabi and other vegetables can be used to make vegetable stock.
- You can make your own apple cider vinegar from the core and skin of apples.
- A little unsprayed (!) organic banana peel gives fruity smoothies with a high water content more body and a mild, exotic flavour.
- Ground papaya seeds are a mild pepper alternative.
- Vegetable and fruit pomace or pomace from milk substitute drinks still have so much flavour and nutrients that you can make them shine almost anywhere in the kitchen: For example, in crackers, as a moist ingredient in homemade bread, as a soup garnish, roast patties, in seasoned salts or even as a thickening agent for sauces.
- With a little courage and creativity, you can turn leftover food into delicious 'Awaruli' - recipes with 'everything that's lying around'!
Preserving leftover food with dehydrating
If you have a dehydrator at home, you can significantly extend the life of many foods:
- Turn gooey smoothie leftovers or wrinkly fruit into delicious fruit leathers for snacking or as travelling provisions.
- If you grow your own fruit and vegetables, you can store abundant harvests in the dehydrator for a long time without chemicals or harmful heat.
- Water-rich vegetables such as tomatoes become more flavourful through dehydration.
Amazing all-rounders - even outside the kitchen
Even if they are not given a second chance in the kitchen, some foods are still useful in the home and garden:
- Shredded banana peels on garden plants help against aphids
- .The insides of potato and banana peels are suitable for maintaining smooth leather, silver and stainless steel surfaces.
- Banana peels are also said to help as a mask against skin blemishes and warts.
- Spread coffee grounds in the garden as fertiliser and slug protection. Or use it as a natural drain cleaner for the sink.
Avoid packaging waste in the kitchen
Do you really need cling film or aluminium foil to store your food? It's better to use reusable containers for the fridge and pantry. Often an upturned plate on top will do! And if you do have to use a freezer bag: After emptying, rinse out, allow to dry and then recycle.
Kitchen utensils can also help to reduce waste: buy plates, bowls, chopping boards, colanders and cutlery that are a little more expensive but more durable. And a sponge cloth is at least as good as a disposable kitchen roll for wiping up!
As you can see: Avoiding waste in the kitchen is not that difficult - often you can discover completely new flavours!
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Sources:
https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/themen/ein-drittel-der-lebensmittel-wird-verschwendet
https://www.wwf.de/2020/april/lebensmittel-retten-lebensraum-bewahren
https://www.smarticular.net/tricks-bananenschalen-sinnvoll-weiterverwenden/
Photo: Laura Mitulla on Unsplash
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