Kitchen Efficiency

By Nicola Galloway

Being energy efficient and reducing waste in the kitchen is easy. My energy supplier Meridian Energy sends out regular postcards on how to be energy efficient in the home. I recently received one about the kitchen which got me thinking about other ways we can be efficient in the kitchen. When I was growing up my Father was particular about waste and rubbish, everything was washed and reused and we shopped at bulk food stores. Not much went to waste in our kitchen and hence our weekly rubbish was a half a supermarket bag. Some might think this is overly pedantic but I see it as being conscious of the impact we make on the environment and taking small individual steps to make this a positive impact. As Gandhi said 'be the change you want to see in the world'. You don't have to be political or run around doing rally's (though there is nothing wrong with this if you enjoy it) to make a difference. Simply by choosing to live consciously in your household is a fantastic step towards achieving this.

10 hot tips for being energy and time efficient in the kitchen

1. Buy food in bulk to reduce packaging, invest in a set of jars or plastic containers for storing dry goods.
2. Use a tub in the sink for washing dishes. Once finished washing, tip the grey water into a watering can and use to water the vegetable garden. *always choose biodegradable detergents, they are better for the environment.
3. When boiling or steaming vegetables retain the cooking water for using as stock for soups or sauces. Pour into a container and chill using within 3-4 days or freeze, removing and thawing as needed.
4. Reuse plastic packaging for covering food in the fridge or as freezer bags.
5. Compost all fruit and vegetable scrapes to be used on the garden.
6. Make large batches of soup and stews in the winter and freeze into portions for a quick meal when arriving home late.
7. When washing a small amount of dishes it is more energy efficient to boil the jug for hot water rather than run a sink from the tap.
8. Use a cloth bag when shopping at the supermarket to carry food home.
9. Turning off appliances at the wall i.e. oven, toaster, microwave; when not in use can reduce energy consumption by 5%.
10. Completely cool cooked food before putting in the fridge. Placing hot food directly into a cold fridge will raise the temperature requiring extra energy to cool it down again.

About the author

Nicola Galloway is a trained chef with a diploma in natural nutrition (Canada) who is passionate about the benefits of healthy and flavoursome food. Raised by two doctors, her focus on health was never far behind her love for creating good food. She is the author of two recipe books; Alive - Food for Health and Vitality, and Cooking for your Child - healthy recipes from first foods to school lunches.

Nicola's mission in life is to inspire others to make healthy food choices and enjoy the art of cooking. She lives in Nelson, New Zealand with her family.

For more information go to www.nicolagalloway.com