Waste not, Want not

Getting the most out of the products and food I purchase is important to me. The whole “reduce, reuse, recycle (respect the earth)” is a mantra around our house – especially in the kitchen. But one of the concerns I hear often is "buying organic is so much more expensive." So when our family decided to commit to eating healthy, organic and local, I really began to look for ways to lessen the impact on our food bill too. Shopping at the farmers market for fresher food was the beginning of the "reduce" part. Then I did a 5 month eye-opening "shopping cleanse" which also helped us "reduce" and really made me rethink the ways I shop for everything. Here are some ways to address the "reuse and recycle (respect the earth)" aspects as well.

During the summer months, fruit just doesn’t seem to last as long, so here are some ideas for using all the beautiful fruit you bring home.

Citrus:

I use a lot of lemons, limes and oranges. Citrus skins cannot be composted, so I zest these fruits before I juice them. Zests can be used in dressings, sauces and salads and make beautiful garnishes. Thanks to Ani Phyo, I know now that I can also use lemon rinds like a sponge to scrub away my tough-to-clean grill pan.

Bananas:

If I ever buy too many bananas, I’ll peel and cut the ones I know we’re not going to eat in time & freeze them to add to smoothies later on.

Strawberries, Apples, Pears, Peaches, Nectarines, Pineapples, Plums, Mangoes, etc.:

You don’t need to buy frozen fruit for smoothies if you have these around & know you’re not going to be able to eat them all in their fresh form. (Added bonus: you won’t be buying the plastic packaging from the store-bought frozen fruit.)

All these fruits can be pureed into sauces and refrigerated, or frozen to be added to smoothies. Applesauce is a big favorite in our house. Just add one pitted date to each apple and puree in food processor. Adding strawberries, peaches or mangos to the applesauce is delicious too.

Young Thai Coconuts

I love to drink the water from these coconuts, especially after working out. The water can also be used in smoothies, salad dressing, dipping sauces and cashew creams. The meat of the coconut is great added to smoothies and fresh fruit cobblers. I’ll be stocking up on these refreshing and useful coconuts this weekend in preparation for the THAI NOODLE SALAD that I’ll be delivering for Monday’s lunch. You'll see & taste how the meat can be spooned from the shell and cut into “noodles” – it's delicious! I'm also building a table out of the unused shells and husks. Oh I'm just kidding! I haven't found a use for that part yet.

Vegetables in abundance are great, but sometimes you know you’re not going to eat all of them in a raw salad. Don’t throw them away. You can make your own vegetable broth, stew or puree and refrigerate or freeze it for later use. (Again, making broth at home eliminates the waste of store-bought packaging.)

Buying in bulk also reduces the purchasing of packaging especially if you bring your own reusable plastic bags. Just put them in your reusable grocery bags and head off to the bulk section for more planet-friendly and definitely more economically-friendly purchases. Buying in bulk is generally cheaper than buying pre-packaged items.

As you can see from my photo, I've saved the net bags from buying bagged lemons and limes and use them when I shop at the farmers markets. These bags also help to keep the more durable produce from squishing the delicate items.

If you have to buy pre-packaged items, you can almost always find a way to reuse plastic containers, bottles, jars, paper and boxes. Many schools, camps and children’s art classes happily welcome these donations to be re-made into art. I love to re-use glass jars as bud vases, candle holders, salad dressing containers, and pantry organizers. Instead of loose plastic bags, clear jars of seeds, nuts, grated coconut, dried fruit, etc. are actually pretty in our pantry.

Beyond buying local and organic, there are other ways be kinder to our planet and get even more life out of things you might ordinarily throw away or recycle after just one use. There are plenty of helpfulbooks, blogs, and websites. Just stop to think for a moment before you toss something in the recycle bin or the trash. I'd love to hear your ideas and as well. You can leave a comment here or begin a discussion -- just click the "thoughts" button at the top of the page.

Being conscious consumer is better for our environment, healthier for your home and helps you save money too. Have a happy, healthy weekend!