04-15-23 BTS Episode #11

How to run a sustainable kitchen. We hear the term sustainable all the time, but how do we and can we actually make our kitchen sustainable? We'll talk about that and much, much more. Today. I'm bending the spoon, but before we do, I want to remind you that if you like recipes, go to bonicelli cooking club.com and sign up for my email list and. All of the options for participating in the club. And if you like what you hear today, hop over to pod chaser.com and leave bending the spoon, a positive review. Also, for the video version of this podcast, subscribe to Bonelli Cooking Club on YouTube. Now let's talk about sustainability. Sustainability in the kitchen is becoming increasingly important as we strive to reduce our impact on the environment. It's a difficult thing to do, but it's not impossible to make a lot of progress towards running a mostly sustainable kitchen. Here are four key points to ponder and we'll cover each of these more deeply later in the podcast. Reduce food waste. One of the most important ways to be sustainable in the kitchen is to reduce food waste. This can be achieved by planning meals in advance, by only what you need and storing food properly and using up leftovers creatively. When food is wasted, it not only wastes the resources that went into producing it, but are also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions as it decomposes in land. Choose sustainable ingredients. Another way to be sustainable in the kitchen is to choose ingredients that are produced in a sustainable manner. This includes selecting foods that are grown using organic or regenerative agriculture practices, choosing locally sourced ingredients of cos and selecting plant-based. Use energy efficient appliances. Kitchen appliances can be a significant source of energy use in the home. By choosing energy efficient appliances, you can reduce your energy consumption and save money on your utility bills. This includes selecting appliances with an energy star rating, which is designed to use less energy than conventional models. Reduce plastic use. Finally, and this is a big one, reducing plastic use in the kitchen is an important way to be sustainable. You can do this by using reusable containers in bags, avoiding single use plastics, like plastic wrap, and that's pretty difficult. And disposable utensils and choosing products with minimal packaging. There's some great resources on my Beal site for all of this. So the link is in the show notes. Now let's dive deeper into the first. Reducing food waste. Food waste is a major contributor to green gas emissions as the food that is thrown away decomposes and releases methane gas, which is a potent greenhouse gas according to the food and agricultural organization of the United Nations around one. Third of all food produced globally is wasted each year in the United States, it's 40%. So this not only wastes the resources that went into producing the food like water and energy and land, but it also contributes to climate change. So now to reduce food waste in the kitchen, I've got a few strategies for you. First, plan your meals in advance and. Only what you need. This can help reduce impulse buys and ensure that you use up all the food that you purchase. Planning meals is also a really good practice if you're trying to eat more healthfully. If you don't have potato chips, you won't eat them second store food properly to extend its shelf life. This includes keeping fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator, storing grains and nuts in airtight containers, and freezing meats and other perishable items. Finally use up leftovers creatively, and this is my favorite one. This could mean turning leftover vegetables into a soup or stew, or using leftover rice to make fried rice. Now for me, I throw almost everything into my morning egg white omelets. And don't forget to compost for your garden. Use those scraps as fertilizer. By reducing food waste in the kitchen, you can not only help reduce your impact on the environment, but also save money on your grocery bill. It's a win-win situation. And now it is time for our featured ingredient. It's time to get rid of these pesky clamshells with our featured ingredient. Fresh potted basil. Fresh potted Basil is available in most grocery stores and it is super easy to grow. You can just snip off what you. And the plant just keeps grow. I use basil almost every day, so I love having it on hand. Our featured ingredient is fresh potted basil. Choosing sustainable ingredients goes a long way towards having a sustainable kitchen, but what makes an ingredient sustainable? Well, here are a few tips. The ingredients have to be produced using environmentally friendly practices that minimize the impact on natural resources, making them better for the environment. They generate less waste, which reduces the carbon footprint associated with food production. Also, sustainable ingredients are often healthier for people to eat. They're free from harmful chemicals and antibiotics and hormones that can affect your health and sustainable ingredients often. Local communities by promoting small scale agriculture and local food systems. Okay, so you're going to the grocery store and you wanna buy sustainable food. What do you look for? Well, here are a few things. Choose organic produce. Organic produce is grown without synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, which reduces the amount of chemicals that end up in our food. And. Organic farming practices also prioritize soil health and biodiversity, which helps to maintain the long-term productivity of the land, which is very important. Select local and seasonal ingredients. Choosing locally grown and seasonal ingredients can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of your food. Food that is ship long distances requires more energy and resources to t. Which contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. In contrast, locally grown food often requires less energy to transport and supports local farmers and communities look for sustainably raised meat and dairy products. Meat and dairy products that are raised sustainably are produced using farming practices that prioritize animal welfare and minimize environmental. This includes avoiding the use of antibiotics and hormones and providing animals with access to pasture and fresh. For plant-based proteins, plant-based proteins like lentils, beans, tofu, sustainable alternative to meat and dairy products. Plant-based proteins require less land, water and energy to produce than animal bill based protein, which it reduces their environmental impact. To recap, You're looking for organic produce, local and seasonal ingredients, sustainably raised meat and dairy products and plant-based proteins to help you towards your goal of running a sustainable kitchen. So now here is our tip of the week. The tip of the week is to learn to conserve water. Conserving water in the kitchen not only helps the environment, but also saves you money on your water bill. Here's some ideas about how to conserve water in your kitchen. Don't let the tap run unnecessarily. Turn off the water while you're washing dishes. Rinse your dishes deliberately. Fix leaks promptly. Fix leaks promptly. Check for leaks in your kitchen, sink, dishwasher, and refrigerator Waterline leaks can waste water more quickly than you would think. So get them fixed. Use your dishwasher efficiently only run your dishwasher when it's full. And use eco mode or water saving mode if available. Scrape your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher instead of rinsing. Hand wash dishes in a basin instead of washing dishes under a running tap, which I see a lot, don't do that. Use a basin filled with soapy water to wash them and a basin with clean water to rinse, reuse water. Use leftover water from boiling pasta or steaming vegetables to water plants. So that's the tip of the week. Learn to conserve water. You are listening to Bending the Spoon, the podcast dedicated to making you a better cook. I'm Chef Laura Bonelli, and I want to remind you that if you like recipes, go to bonicelli cooking club.com and sign up for my email list and check out. All of the options of participating in the club. And if you like what you hear today, hop over to pod chaser.com and leave bending the spoon of positive review. Also, for the video version of this podcast, subscribe to Bonelli Cooking Club on YouTube. Now back to our episode. Another important contribution to a sustainable kitchen is to use sustainable products. For example, you can use reusable cloth towels or napkins instead of disposable paper towels and napkins. There are companies that make beautiful kitchen towels and napkins from recycled materials. Check the show notes for those resources. You can also switch to reusable food storage containers instead of single use plastic bags or containers. We're featuring one of my favorite types of food storage containers in the top tool that's coming up shortly. You can drastically cut down on plastic wrap use by storing your food in containers. Parchment paper can usually be re reused several times. And don't forget about reusable water bottles. They earn absolute must. Now when it comes to clean. Consider using eco-friendly cleaning products. Look for products that are biodegradable, non-toxic, and made from natural ingredients, and if possible, have them come in a reusable container. You can also make your own cleaning products using things like vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice. Now when you're purchasing kitchen appliances, choose energy efficient options that will save the planet some energy and use some money by lowering your utility bills. By choosing sustainable products, you can reduce waste and save money while also supporting the environment. Okay, now it's top tool time. Our top tool is reusable food storage. These bags are eco-friendly. They're made of food grade storage, plastic. You can use them again and again, and you'll help reduce the impact on our landfills and oceans. They're cost effective, more money up front, less money in the long run. They're convenient. They're BPA free, and they come in all kinds of sizes. Our top tool is reusable food storage. So I touched on this earlier, but I don't think I can stress it enough by as much as you can locally supporting locally produced sustainable food is a great way to support your sustainable kitchen. There are so many benefits beyond lower environmental impact and supporting your neighbors, but you do wanna support your food producing neighbors so they can keep producing. Remember that even though you're one person, it all counts and small moves really add. Reducing food waste using sustainable products and supporting local and sustainable food can make a big impact on the environment and your wallet. So this is one of my favorite subjects, so please let me know how it's going for you in the comment section. Don't forget to look for my Benable links in the show notes. You guys are the best. I am Chef Laura Bonelli, and I will see you next. Thank you so very much for listening to this episode of Bending the Spoon. If you like this episode or if you think someone else would find it useful, please leave a review on pod chaser.com, and if you have any questions for me, find me on Instagram or YouTube or go to bonelli cooking club.com and leave me a message. Thank you, and go and make some magic in your kitchen.