The Ultimate Guide To Understanding Sustainable Cooking

When you hear the word sustainability, the first thing that comes to mind is energy consumption. While the energy sector might be the loudest, it is not the only industry responsible for maintaining sustainability on the planet. Sustainable cooking is another key concept you can adopt as part of your agenda to make the earth cleaner. In this piece, you will learn about sustainable cooking practices and how to implement them on a residential or commercial scale. 

What Is Sustainable Cooking?

Sustainable cooking is a method of food preparation that minimizes environmental damage as much as possible. With dwindling natural resources, air pollution, and global warming on the rise, opting for sustainable food choices is one of many ways you can contribute to saving the planet. If you want to cook sustainably, you should be ready to make smarter choices in the kitchen. Everything from where you buy your food items to how you prepare your dishes must change. 

For sustainable cooking practices to be effective, it must cover the entire lifecycle of your food. You also need to take into account how much food waste you produce and the carbon footprint you leave because of cooking. 

Importance of Sustainable Cooking

Why are your food choices vital for saving the earth? You must look at the whole picture to understand why sustainable cooking is essential. In the battle against climate change, food production, and transportation contribute significantly. It isn't limited to large-scale production of food items alone, as individual residents still contribute to this problem. When you practice sustainable cooking, you will source your food items locally, cutting travel time and reducing transportation-related carbon emissions. 

Since the earth is running out of natural resources, opting for a cooking process that saves water and energy will promote global sustainability. You reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions by choosing energy-efficient cooking methods. Also, cooking sustainably reduces food wastage, which is essential considering how millions of people go hungry daily.

10 Essential Tips for Sustainable Cooking

Now you know what sustainable cooking is and why it is crucial, it's time to learn how to practice it. Here are the top ten sustainable cooking tips:

Choose Local and Seasonal Ingredients

If your pantry and freezers are full of imported items from different parts of the world, you can switch to using more seasonal produce and local ingredients. Besides supporting local farmers and promoting economic sustainability in your area, this is also an excellent way to reduce food transportation-related carbon footprint. Of course, there are some food choices you cannot find locally, and you may have no choice but to buy foreign options. However, stick to home-grown foods and seasonal produce as much as possible. 

Reduce Meat Consumption

If you are a meat lover, you may be reluctant to reduce your livestock consumption. However, gaining some perspective into how this affects the environment might help. A study published by the Breakthrough Institute in 2021 showed that rearing Livestock makes up for 14.0% to 17.3% of the total carbon emissions in the world. The number varies depending on whether or not greenhouse gas emissions from land grazing are added to the statistics. You can slowly add more vegetables and fruits to your diet as you limit meat intake.

Minimize Food Waste

Apart from the ethical questions surrounding food waste, there is also an environmental degradation issue. Statistics show that food waste makes up a significant portion of greenhouse emissions. If individuals are more mindful about how they eat and work on reducing food waste, they can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 8% globally. You can reduce food waste by freezing and eating leftovers later. Rather than letting it turn and throwing it away, think of creative ways to make new dishes from leftovers.

Opt for Sustainable Seafood

Marine life is paying the price for the climate crisis humans started. Water bodies are becoming uninhabited, and sea creatures are going extinct. One way you can help improve the marine ecosystem is by opting for seafood sourced sustainably. These seafoods are harvested in ways that don't harm their ecosystem or the environment, ensuring population viability.

Use Energy Efficient Cooking Methods

How you prepare your meals is just as important as the type of food you eat when focusing on sustainability. Instead of using fossil fuel-powered stoves or ovens, use energy-efficient alternatives. These include pressure cookers, induction stoves, and similar cookers that use limited power and produce zero carbon emissions.

Invest in Quality Cookware

You can also promote sustainability in cooking by using high-quality cookware. Go for products that cook food quickly and evenly to reduce cooking time and minimize energy consumption. Ideally, you want high-quality cast iron or carbon steel cookware. They may be more expensive than the standard options, but they are worth it if your goal is sustainability in cooking. 

Conserve Water

Earth is the only planet with usable water, and we all know the importance of water to human life. Unfortunately, water is a limited resource, and sustainable practices will help minimize clean water waste. Ensure there are no leaks in your kitchen, reuse water whenever possible, and wash your food items carefully and quickly.

Grow Herbs and Vegetables

Another excellent way to practice sustainable cooking is to grow your food. While you can't grow everything, you can create a backyard garden for fruits and vegetables in your house. Apart from offering steady access to fresh produce, a garden reduces packing waste and helps you save money in the long run. 

Reduce Single-Use Plastics

It's no news that curbing plastic waste is a big challenge in the war against climate change. Avoid using single-use plastic plates and spoons in your kitchen as much as possible. If you must use plastic, opt for sturdy, reusable options.

Support Sustainable Brands

Before purchasing food or kitchen items, ensure the brands behind them are sustainable. You can't say you are practicing sustainable cooking if you patronize unethical brands that harm the environment. The good news is that brand information is usually readily available on the labels. 

Conclusion

Your decision to adhere to sustainable cooking practices is a wise one that will make a difference and help you reduce your carbon footprint. Practicing the sustainable cooking tips above will allow you to adopt this new lifestyle quickly. Start by minimizing food waste, eating leftovers, and sourcing food locally, then add other practices gradually.