Slachi Jain
In India, almost 40 per cent of the food is wasted. Surprisingly, this waste is not just the fault of restaurants and vegetable markets, but is also created in our kitchens. This leads to more garbage in the landfills and less money in your pocket. This is where the current trend of zero-waste cooking comes in.
Zero waste is all about using and re-using everything till nothing is left. This practice has helped a lot of households stretch their budgets, given them a healthier lifestyle and lessened the amount of waste. This style of cooking can be challenging. However, a little planning makes it a manageable practice. Start this by integrating small changes at home.
Shop realistically
This involves measuring and knowing what to buy. Simply put, avoid overbuying. To reduce impulsive purchases, go for a shopping trip only when you actually need of it.
Freeze the surplus
When you want to store excess food, freeze it. You could also leave a sticky note on the freezer for reference for what went in first.
Best of ‘waste’
Take a long look into your cupboards and fridge to make sure that there is no leftover before you start cooking a fresh meal. You can transform leftovers into peculiar dishes. For example, you can turn stale bread into bread crumbs that could be eaten with salad or soup.
Eat seasonal produce
Seasonal food is not only tasty as compared to packaged products, but also extremely affordable with a longer shelf life. This benefits everybody, including the local farmers and communities.
Make smoothies to combat soggy waste
Fruits and vegetables do not have to be trashed just because they get soggy. Soft and soggy produce can be transformed into delicious smoothies and soups.
Implementing these small changes can make a difference is the amount of food wasted by each household every year which also keeps the population healthy.
Bread Chilla
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
Method:
Serve it hot with tomato ketchup or coriander chutney.
Poha Pakodas
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4
Method:
Gourd Peel Delight
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4
Method:
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