With sustainability on everybody’s mind these days, we often look for ways to reduce the amount of waste in our lives. While we live in somewhat of a disposable society, with people choosing cheap, easily replaceable items above quality, there is still plenty we can do to reduce waste.
One of the areas you can really reduce your waste is in the kitchen. Whether you’re a large restaurant or a small household, you can limit the amount of food waste you produce. Not only will you save money, but it’s good for the environment.
What is Zero Waste Cooking?
As the name suggests, zero-waste cooking is all about limiting the amount of food you waste when cooking meals. It can also refer to the practice of reducing the amount of plastic used in the storage of food products.
It isn’t always possible to completely eliminate waste from your cooking, but the idea is to get as close to zero waste as possible. There are so many ways that you can reduce your waste, such as:
- Using bones or vegetable skins/stems for soup broth
- Serve smaller portions
- Buy smaller quantities of food more regularly
- Store food at the right temperatures to reduce spoiling
- Freeze food that you can’t use immediately
- Plan meals so you can make use of all ingredients
This list isn’t exhaustive, but it’s a great way to start thinking about reducing waste. The best idea is to research clever uses for the parts of food that often get thrown away.
How to Reduce Waste When Buying Meat
It’s pretty easy to find some creative uses for vegetable off-cuts, but what about when you’re buying meat? Well, there are definitely a few ways you can reduce meat wastage.
Firstly, always look to buy from producers who use the whole animal. Here at Maleny Black Angus Beef, we take an ethical approach to meat production using the whole beast every time.
Secondly, buying in bulk directly from farmers who do use the whole animal, and freezing your meat can help to reduce waste. If you want to buy in bulk but don’t quite have the freezer space for large orders, why not share an order with friends? We package our meat in a variety of portions, ensuring you can buy what you need and nothing goes to waste.
Finally, only defrost what you need. If you cook more than you eat, save it for later by keeping it in sealed containers and you’ll have cooked meat ready for another meal. To completely eliminate waste, take the bones and use them for soup broth because the soup can also be a perfect use for any leftover meat.
To find out more about Maleny Black Angus Beef, and to place your order with zero waste, we’d love to hear from you.
