Top Tips for a Sustainable Kitchen

The kitchen is a sacred place in every house, whether we enjoy cooking or not. In this article, we will walk you through 10 sustainable kitchen practices.

With nationwide restaurant closures during the pandemic, kitchens have become a place where personal lifestyle has transformed, and experiments have gone either triumphantly right or wrong.

We are what we eat, as they say, and this is as important as how we eat. Cooking and eating can be a holistic way to connect ourselves to the rhythms of nature. Starting with simple and sustainable changes made in our kitchens, we can be in sync with our surrounding environments and changing global climates.

Taking steps to a more sustainable way of living has never been so easy.

1. Reusable food storage

Decades ago, when Tupperware became all the rage, reusable food storage containers became a staple in every household. Today, the best new invention takes food storage a sustainable step further. Portable food containers are still a great way to store, transfer, and heat food, but kitchen staples like aluminium foil and plastic zip bags are still only single-use. However, unique new kitchen products such as beeswax food wrap and silicon zip bags are worth investing in.

2. Planted herbs and produce

It is never too late to develop a green thumb. For those who often cook with fresh herbs and pay, switching from store-bought to sowing your garden is necessary for a sustainable kitchen. The more you grow at home, the more you feel connected to your food. This poses more of a challenge for those in apartments, but there are many ways to grow from home. Whether it sprouts in a jar, basil on the windowsill, tomatoes on the balcony, or a whole garden of root veggies, planting produces that you will use in the kitchen saves a trip to the supermarket and cuts down on transport emissions.

3. Seasonal eating

Seasonal eating takes a conscious effort, regional research, and daily planning. Being well-versed in the positive environmental impacts of seasonal eating and its methods is a surefire way towards a more sustainable lifestyle. Seasonal eating requires discipline and patience in a world where fruits and vegetables are available during all seasons.

4. Being conscious of food waste

Food waste is a massive issue for our landfills. Landfills are a hazard for surrounding ecosystems and greenhouse gases as waste decaying produces harmful methane gas found in our atmosphere. We can solve this by eliminating this waste or redirecting where it ends. So keeping track while preparing meals is important—keeping a list of expiration dates of perishable food items on the fridge after shopping will ensure that nothing becomes forgotten on the bottom shelf. Additionally, many cooking blogs and accounts on social media focus on zero-food waste recipes, so they are worth a follow.

5. Composting

Composting is an incredible way to turn inevitable food waste into nutrient-rich soil after acknowledging how much food waste can be salvaged, used, or avoided. Composting requires research about technique and investment in the exemplary apparatus. However, composting is an enriching, environmentally-friendly practice for a sustainable kitchen once set up. Vegetable peels, eggshells, coffee grounds, and even some natural fabrics can be recycled in the composting process, directly reducing household waste that would otherwise find itself in a landfill.

6. Reusable grocery bags

Single-use grocery bags are convenient but entirely unsustainable and were only introduced in 1965. Recently, governments globally realised the danger of plastic bags and have allowed supermarkets to start charging for them to deter distribution. Alas, this does not erase convenience and availability, and the conscious effort to reduce using plastic bags lies in the consumer’s responsibility. As this may seem like a given in the sustainable kitchen, store your reusable shopping bags in a spot where they are impossible to miss when you are on your way out the door.

7. Zero-waste shops

Being informed about organic standards, the origin of foods and pesticides is essential. But, taking it a step further and deciding to shop frequently or even exclusively at a zero-waste food and kitchen supply store takes the sustainable kitchen to a new eco-conscious standard. Zero waste shops in bigger cities are excellent spots for dry goods like legumes, spices, kitchen soaps and laundry detergent.

8. Use water filters

Store-bought beverages, water, and soda come in single-use plastic cartons and cans, all of which are enemies of the sustainable kitchen. Using a BPA-free water filter can replace water bottles and a fruit juicer. Juicing and blending are also great ways to use excess fruit, eliminating the risk of food waste.

9. Green cleaning products

Abrasive cleaners end up on surfaces that can transfer to skin, food, and dishware but will eventually wind up in the water supply, which is never good. Before industrial ammonia formulas, vinegar and baking soda solutions were common disinfectants. Today, diluted vinegar with essential oil is a lovely and more environmentally-friendly substitute for any harsh kitchen cleaner.

10. Reduce Consumption of Animal Proteins

Recently there has been much consideration about how farming and production of animal protein, whether meat, fish or dairy, has a critical impact on the planet’s health. From overfishing to clearing rainforests for factory farms, we have seen the repercussions of the global demand for animal protein on vulnerable ecosystems. Furthermore, emissions from sheer volume count, production, and transportation, along with controversies around universal humane ethics, cutting down on or being more conscious about animal protein consumption is imperative for a sustainable kitchen. Eliminating animal protein of all varieties may not be for everyone, but being informed about local, organic, and free-range meat, fish, and dairy is a great starting point. Additionally, introducing plant-based substitutes, experimenting with recipes, and gradually creating a daily schedule to reduce animal proteins are other approaches to establishing more sustainable kitchen practices.

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For more information on how sustainability can positively impact your business. Get in touch with a member of the team at growfish.co