Retro Kitchen Covers (via Flora & Fauna)
When I am busy, it is so very tempting to reach for the quick convenient option. Takeaway for dinner, buying lunch or a snack from work, when something breaks – just buy a new one. The list goes on and on…
While this seems to be a great idea in the moment, inevitably those small acts of convenience ends up costing me in the long run. More money, generating more waste or even being less healthy.
So I am always on the lookout for easy ways to save money, time and even the planet.
Here are my top five tips for making the most out of your meals – saving money and the planet while you are at it!
Ditch the single use plastic. Get yourself a keep cup, a metal straw, a good lunch box or bento box, and a cutlery set. Bingo! You are now prepared for anytime food-wise. Try Flora and Fauna and Biome for some fab options that look good and help you to ditch single use plastic for good! Now that you have fab lunch gear, that brings us to the next one.
Pack your lunch. Ok, so this may not be the most glamorous thing to do each day, but bear with me. Packing your lunch each day can save you between $5-$15! Over an average working week, that works out to be a saving of between $25-$75!! Plus you won’t be generating any additional rubbish from you lunch. Most modern offices provide kitchen facilities, so you can reheat meals and wash up afterwards. Don’t despair if you don’t have a fancy kitchen. When I am out in the field (as a lot of environmental scientists are) I use an esky (cooler) bag with a frozen drink to keep everything cool and fresh.
Plan your meals. Food waste is a huge problem in Australia and around the world – especially in developed countries. A super easy way to avoid food waste and save your precious cash is plan your meals. Write out a weekly menu and then only buy the groceries you need. If you want to be more sustainable, get to know your local fruit and veg shop and learn what is in season. Seasonal produce is usually cheaper, fresher and can have less ‘food miles‘ (produced closer to where you live). Don’t forget about leftovers! Pack your leftovers and use in your lunches or freeze for ‘make your own convenience meals’. Take a look here for family friendly tips (Planning with Kids) or here for lots of great recipes (Delicious).
Go meat free/eat a plant based diet more often. Eating a plant-based diet is better for the environment and meals are often cheaper. If you’re a little skeptical, start with one day a week. Build that day into your meal plan and off you go!
Use all of your food. Now that you have your groceries and your meal plan, make sure that any leftover food is used each week. Roast any leftover veges, make vege fritters, make a delicious homemade soup, whatever you can think of to use up everything at the end of the week. You can stock up your ‘convenience meals’ and give the fridge a clean out before starting your new week.
What are your top tips?
Enjoy xx
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