Handy Hints Thursday by Holly Royce.
We love the chalkboard idea, such an easy way to plan weekly meals!
This week we have been concentrating on the World Environment Day theme Think, Eat, Save.
One of the best ways to prevent food waste is to plan your meals in advance, and nothing helps more than having a full stock of pantry essentials.
The 1 Million Women Website is a great place to check for tips.
MENU PLANNING: A bit of organization can go a long way. Menu planning means fewer trips to the supermarket and less impulse spending. You can use leftovers more efficiently and it is easier to stockpile the freezer with your bulk buys.
Did you know?
You need to start reducing what you buy and always ask: Do I really need this?
Estimated CO2 Saving: 17kg per month (200kg per year)
You can reduce your overall consumption by questioning all significant purchases and resisting impulse buying. Before purchasing, give yourself at least a day or two to cool off.
Essential pantry staples.
Beans: Beans are an amazing flexible food staple – great for side dishes, salads or in pasta. Side note-they contains high amounts of fibre and protein.
Rice and pasta: Easy and versatile side dish or a quick main dish with simple stir-ins such as chopped cooked chicken and pasta sauce.
Flour and baking powder: Make biscuits, or crusts for casseroles.
Potatoes, garlic and onions: Versatile veggies that add flavour and substance.
Dried herbs: Can be used add pizzazz to any dish.
Vinegar and Oil: Use together or separately to make dressings and/or enhance flavour of a dish.
Pasta sauce: Stir into hot cooked pasta or boiled veggies for a super-quick meal.
Canned tomatoes: Use in everything from casseroles to pasta.
Stock: Make quick sauces and soups. You can even make your own stock by boiling leftover or overripe veggies, and then store them in recycled jars.
Canned tuna: Stir into pasta and salads, or make a creamy spread for a sandwich.
Once you have all you pantry essentials in order it’s time to start planning your weekly meals.
One website I have always found extremely helpful is SuperCook. It’s a super helpful website where you can type in whatever ingredients you have on hand and recipes that can be made using them are filtered out and presented to you.
Just to show you the sheer power of SuperCook, I am going to present a recipe to you using only our listed pantry staples.
I typed in:
I was shown 186 recipes, these are just a small example of what I was provided with.
Why is it important?
Everything we buy and consume has its own carbon footprint story embedded in producing it and getting it to you. As shoppers and consumers, we have the power to drive change in:
- What we buy, and therefore what gets produced and offered for sale
- How we use and maintain things, and
- What we do with them when we don’t want them anymore, or they’ve reached end-of-life.
We are daughters, mothers, sisters and grandmothers getting on with practical climate action to live better for us and the planet. Join the movement at www.1millionwomen.com.au
Handy Hints Thursday is a weekly post featuring eco tips for beauty, home and garden.
1 Million Women 