Sustainable Cooking and Baking

Sustainable Cooking and Baking

Sustainable Ingredients Selection

• Seasonal produce: Utilising locally-grown, seasonal food helps reduce carbon emissions caused by long-distance transportation. Seasonality also connects us more closely to the food cycle.

• Local sourcing: Shopping from local farms, green markets, or subscribing to a local box scheme, not only supports community’s economy, but also ensures fresher and more sustainable produce.

• Organic foods: Elect to use organic produce to avoid pesticides and promote healthier soils. Note that the precise definition and certification standards of “organic” can vary based on region.

• Fair Trade products: Incorporate Fair Trade products to support better prices, working conditions, sustainability, and fair terms for farmers and workers in the developing world. Fair Trade chocolate, sugar, bananas, coffee, and tea are commonly available options.

• Meat and dairy alternatives: Plant-based options can result in less energy consumptions and lower carbon emissions than animal based equivalent. Use of soy, oat and nut milks or vegan cheese and meat substitutes are examples.

Preparation and Cooking Techniques

• Reduction of food waste: Use of the whole ingredient, root-to-stem or snout-to-tail cooking practices are essential in minimising waste.

• Batch cooking: Cooking in large quantities can reduce energy use in cooking. Only select recipes that can be safely stored and reheated.

• Energy-efficient cooking methods: Boiling, steaming or using a pressure cooker can often be more energy use efficient than baking or roasting.

• Preserving techniques: Fermenting, pickling, canning, and drying are effective ways to preserve excess produce and decrease dependency on off-season and imported goods.

Waste Management

• Composting: Compost organic waste such as vegetable peels, tea bags and coffee grounds, to provide natural fertilizer for plant growth. Understand compostable materials and composting process.

• Recycling: Proper sorting and disposal of non-compostable waste, such as plastic, metal, glass, and paper, is vital in reducing landfill. Each council may have different recycling collection facilities and procedures.

• Use of recyclable, compostable or reusable packaging: Reduction of plastic or non-recyclable packaging is significant in decreasing plastic pollution. Opt for bulk purchasing, reusable containers and bags where possible.

Energy and Water Conservation

• Using energy-efficient appliances: From mixers to ovens, choose appliances with high energy-efficiency ratings to reduce energy consumption.

• Conserving water: Being mindful of water usage, for example, by not running the water continuously while rinsing dishes.

• Proper maintenance of appliances: Keeping appliances clean and well-maintained ensures they operate at peak efficiency.

Note: Sustainability is a growing and evolving topic in the area of food. Likewise, it has become more integrated into food and hospitality industry practices and government standards. It’s essential to keep up with the latest research and trends in this area.