Laura Bedwell and Nikki Crerar from menu planning and meal prep service, Assortment. Photograph / Provided
Meals waste is greater than only a dent in our wallets – it additionally has environmental impacts past what we expertise first-hand. When meals leads to landfills it decomposes with out oxygen, producing methane fuel – one of many greatest contributors to local weather change. New Zealanders alone throw away 157,389 tonnes of meals a 12 months and, as the typical individual eats just below one tonne of meals a 12 months, that’s a whole lot of wasted meals, and fairly actually meals for thought!
The excellent news is that we are able to all have a constructive impression on decreasing meals waste by making small modifications to the way in which we store, plan, prep, retailer and get rid of our meals.
Tricks to cut back meals waste
● Meal planning
Planning your weekly meals means you’ll know precisely what you’ll want to purchase for the recipes you make that week. This fashion you will purchase what you want and eat what you purchase. Store your fridge and pantry first – all the time begin by determining what you have already bought and what must be used, you will be stunned at how typically you possibly can adapt recipes, and substitute elements for what you might have readily available.
● Leftovers
Leftovers, if saved accurately, are completely edible and most of the time, much more scrumptious. Reinvent leftover meats right into a scrumptious salad the subsequent day by including recent greens, lentils, toasted nuts, tahini and herbs. Frittatas are a good way to make use of up leftover cooked greens like roast pumpkin and kūmara or saute some leftover greens sitting at the back of your fridge on the finish of the week. Leftover rice makes the very best selfmade fried rice and coincidentally it is also nice for utilizing up the percentages and ends in your fridge or freezer.
● First in, first out
We all know the fridge is infamous for hiding your meals on the again (similar to the dryer eats your socks), so we recommend you might have a notepad on or close to your fridge with reminders of what must be eaten.
● Correct storage
Storing fruit and greens correctly helps to maintain them brisker for longer, and retains them tasting scrumptious too. Plenty of produce retains properly within the fridge, whereas some gadgets like potatoes, pumpkins, onions, and garlic are finest saved in cool, darkish locations.
Retailer herbs with stems (reminiscent of coriander and parsley) in a jar with water within the fridge.
● Freeze it, pickle it, ferment it
If you understand one thing is near spoiling, there are a lot of methods you possibly can resuscitate it and provides it new life. We like to ferment and pickle leftover veges or make shares, soups or bolognese and freeze them for a fast and straightforward dinner that the longer term you’ll thanks for.
Recipe: Hen cacciatore with cauliflower mash
Serves 4
The right autumn consolation meals! Rustic, Italian-style hen cacciatore with a creamy cauliflower mash. Unsure what to do with the leftover celery? See under for Assortment’s fast and straightforward Celery salad with dates, parmesan, and crunchy roasted almonds.
Substances
Hen cacciatore
500-600g hen thighs, skinless, boneless
1 brown onion, finely diced
1 massive carrot, finely diced
3 celery sticks, finely diced
2 Tbsp of recent combined herbs, we used rosemary, oregano and thyme
4 cloves garlic, crushed
⅓ cup black or inexperienced pitted olives
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
1 cup hen inventory or bone broth
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Cauliflower mash
1 cauliflower, reduce into florets
2 Tbsp butter
Salt and pepper
Garnish
½ cup parsley, roughly chopped
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 180C, fan bake.
2. Warmth 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a saute pan or an ovenproof pan over excessive warmth. Season the hen thighs with salt and pepper and add to the pan.
3. Cook dinner for 3 minutes on both facet or till golden brown. Take away from the warmth and put aside.
4. Add one other 2 Tbsp of olive oil to the pan and switch all the way down to medium warmth. Add the onion, carrot, celery, herbs and garlic; cook dinner for 10 or so minutes, the greens ought to be properly softened.
5. Add the hen thighs again into the pan, together with the olives, chopped tomatoes and hen inventory. Deliver to the boil then take away from the warmth and canopy with a lid or tinfoil.
6. Pop within the oven to cook dinner for 40 minutes till the hen has cooked via and the sauce has decreased. Sprinkle over chopped parsley to serve.
7. Whereas the hen is cooking, you possibly can put together the cauliflower mash. Merely steam the cauliflower till tender. Add to a meals processor or blender with butter, salt and pepper. Mix till easy and creamy.
Recipe: Celery salad with dates, parmesan and crunchy roasted almonds
Serves 4 as a facet dish
Substances
6 celery stalks, finely sliced
1 small crimson onion, finely sliced
5 dried dates, finely chopped
¼ cup crimson wine vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup parsley, roughly torn
⅓ cup parmesan, shaved
⅓ cup roasted almonds, roughly chopped
Salt and pepper
Instructions
1. In a big salad bowl mix the celery, crimson onion and dates.
2. Add the crimson wine vinegar and olive oil and toss properly.
3. Add the parsley, parmesan and almonds and toss to mix. Season with salt and pepper and revel in.
Laura Bedwell and Nikki Crerar run Assortment, a weekly menu planning service. Catch them on Instagram @assortment___ or head to assortmentfoods.com for extra.