Planning Sustainable Meals - How to Adopt a Zero-Waste Kitchen in India

The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.

Robert Swan

Some environmentalists believe that we are on the brink of another mass extinction, and this time, it will be because of humans' excessive gorging and consumption habits.

Wekk, it may sound extreme, but in today's world, sustainability is no longer a choice; it is the need of our generation; otherwise, we are hastily treading the path to ecological Armageddon.

Are we ready for it? No, none of us are.

It's high time we start taking action, and to tell you all the truth, sustainability begins at home.

So, with that raging thought, we are here with another insightful blog for you all.

Growing up in India, we were always taught that wasting food was wrong. Finishing everything on our plates and not letting leftovers go to waste was ingrained in us from a young age. However, as our kitchen habits modernized over the years, food waste inevitably crept in. Peels, offcuts, and leftovers began piling up in the trash. But there is a better way - embracing a zero-waste cooking approach. With some planning and minor changes, we can all minimize kitchen trash while enjoying wholesome, nutritious meals. 

Let's look at some tips and recipes to start your zero-waste cooking journey.

The Problem of Food Waste

Did you know India wastes around 68.7 million tonnes of food annually according to the UNEP?

Shocking right?

That's a staggering amount considering many face hunger and malnutrition. As our lifestyles become busier and we opt for more processed foods, leftovers often get dumped rather than reused creatively in other dishes. Even seemingly small items like carrot peels, banana skins and potato offcuts add up quickly in landfills. This needs to be revised from both an ethical and environmental standpoint. With rising living costs and plastic pollution issues affecting India, reducing food waste makes sustainable sense.

Planning Meals Effectively

Proper meal planning is key to minimizing waste. Look through your fridge and pantry contents before shopping to use up ingredients nearing expiry. Make a weekly menu with meals that use similar ingredients to avoid duplication. For example, make a carrot soup one night and use leftover carrots in a salad the next day. Buy only what is required and check quantities against the menu to curb overbuying. Factor in seasonal, local produce, which has lower carbon footprints. Consult farmer's markets for soon-to-expire items at discounts, too.

Zero-waste storage and Preparation

Some simple storage swaps prevent waste. Use reusable containers, wraps and bags instead of single-use plastic. Store fruits and veggies in perforated containers for airflow. Plan to use peels, stalks, and rinds within a day or two of purchase to avoid trimming later. For example, grate carrots peels into salads or cut pumpkin seeds from stringy flesh. Finely chop onion tops, garlic husks and carrot/beet greens for cooking. Freeze banana peels to make banana ice cream! Even potato water left after boiling can be used in soups.

Creative Recipes to Utilise Scraps

Here are some delicious recipe ideas to use up kitchen scraps:

Vegetable peels and stalks stock: Simmer peels, ends, and sliced roots in water for a richly flavored stock base. Great for soups, curries and sauces.

●     Kale, carrot, and beet greens pesto: Blend greens with nuts, garlic, and olive oil to top pasta, rice, or toast.

●     Fruit skins chutney: Grate apple, mango, or banana skins and simmer with spices for relish with meals.

●     Vegetable trimmings frittata: Sauté chopped scraps and pour over beaten eggs in muffin pans for portable breakfasts.

●     Banana peel ice cream: Soak the peels in milk overnight, then puree with condensed milk, nuts, and cardamom for a naturally sweet treat

These are just starting ideas - get creative with your own innovations. Even in Indian cuisine, very little is wasted from foods we consume daily. Apply the same thinking to reduce kitchen waste.

Sustainable Cooking Post-Covid

The pandemic shifted many homecooks focus to zero-waste as demand for certain ingredients fluctuated. Many restaurants switched to selling excess scraps and produce to home chefs for soups, salads, pickles, and more. As we transition back to everyday life, these sustainable habits must continue.

Composting food scraps, ideally through local biodigester programs, diverts biodegradable material from landfills to generate nutrient-rich soil fertilizers. Community-supported agriculture provides access to seasonal crops directly from farmers, reducing packaging. Slowly eliminating single-use plastics by investing in stainless steel tiffins and containers also lessens our carbon footprint.

Conclusion

We can all cook sustainably with some forethought in meal planning and getting creative with scraps. Zero-waste need not mean deprivation - chances are that peel or stalk can enrich another recipe. By wasting less and supporting local producers, we nourish both people and the planet. Let's continue embracing these ethical kitchen habits for a greener India. Happy zero-waste cooking!