Tips to Remember
• Eat local food and shop from farmers markets when possible. The food does not travel near as far from farm to market so it helps to reduce extra environmental impacts.
• Always remember to reduce, reuse, recycle, and compost when able to! Little changes such as using your own reusable water bottle instead of disposable plastic bottles can prevent 217 bottles from going to the landfill every year!
• Composting naturally improves the quality of your soil by adding nutrients to the ground without the need for chemical fertilizers which can also reduce your carbon footprint by not sending that waste to the landfill!
Are you guilty of food waste? You’re not alone! It is estimated that 25% of the food that we buy is wasted in our own kitchens. Food waste is a growing problem that can be avoided by being more mindful of the food that we buy and prepare. Some helpful tips are shopping on a full stomach, making a shopping list, and shopping more frequently. All three of these tips prevent impulse food buying. Impulse food buying can lead to food waste as that food item might appeal to you more in the store. This then can result in you not eating it at home, allowing time for the food to go bad, and ultimately being thrown out for then being spoiled.
This can also be the case with food leftovers that might occasionally get pushed to the back of your refrigerator. Leftovers that are forgotten about will spoil and can go unnoticed until its time to clean your refrigerator, which can result in an unpleasant experience. If you are not a person who likes to eat leftovers, cook smaller portions to avoid leftover meals. It will ultimately allow you to save money and prevent food waste which will decrease your carbon footprint. For more information on food waste and how you can help prevent it, please visit: https://ivaluefood.com/. For more information on how you can help the environment in other ways such as recycling and advocating for a greener future in your community, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/recycle
In the theme of Earth Day, try this quick, green snack! Kale is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals and can even be made into healthy chips. Are you feeling adventurous with making a new recipe but just want to make something simple? Then grab some of your favorite spices and whip up some kale chips!
Kale Chips
Recipe: From Junk Food to Joy Food: by Joy Bauer M.S., R.D.N., C.D.N.
Ingredients:
• 1 Large Bunch of Kale
• ½ teaspoon of kosher or coarse sea salt
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat two large baking sheets with nonstick oil spray.
2. Trim the stem ends off of the kale, and cut and tear the leaves into 2-inch pieces. Divide the kale pieces between the two baking sheets and spread them into a single, even layer. Liberally mist the kale with nonstick oil spray and lightly sprinkle them with salt. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the kale is crispy to the touch and the edges are beginning to brown.
(Add seasonings such as cayenne pepper, cumin, or garlic if you want to spice these chips up!)
Nutrition Information: (Makes 4 servings)
Calories: 35 Carbohydrates: 5.5g
Fiber: 2.5g Sugars: 0g
Total Fat: 0.5g Saturated Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg Protein: 2g
Sodium: 165mg
Contributed by Devin Miller, B.S., Be Well Solutions Dietetic Intern at WMHS
