As the supermarket shelves empty due to panic stockpiling, now is not a bad time to think about how you buy, use and dispose of food. In the current circumstances, buying what you don't need/more than you need may be depriving someone else who does actually need it. My mother, for example, could not find bread nor eggs, forcing her to repeatedly venture to the supermarkets in search of them, putting herself at risk (she is elderly and has a heart condition, so is in the top 1% of people at risk of dying from COVID-19).
The people who can help her with her shopping either do not have the transport to do so or, by the time they finish work and can go to the shops, the shelves are empty. Online delivery is not an option as all the slots here have been booked into next month by people stockpiling. She is not the worst off. She is still mobile. Some people are not. Some people have even more serious conditions that put them at even more risk. Many supermarkets here in the UK have started rationing certain products and/or introducing shopping slots for the elderly and disabled, but still the shelves are empty of certain necessities.
Please people, stop stockpiling and have a thought for others!
In addition, did you know that around one third of the food produced around the world goes to waste? Did you know that this waste accounts for something like 8-10% of the world's greenhouse gases, so is seriously damaging our environment and our future?
Apart from buying less, I have a few suggestions:
- Keep an eye on what you have in your fridge and kitchen and try to use it before it goes off. There are eco friendly devices that can help keep vegetables etc. fresher for longer and there are Apps that help you to plan recipes around what you already have.
- For those of you in areas where supermarkets, local convenience stores, restaurants, cafes, bakeries etc. etc. are still operating, there may be Apps that allow you to buy unsold food that is still fresh, but would otherwise be thrown away, at discounted prices. You save money, you help to save the environment, and you might just be helping to save businesses that are really struggling to survive right now. It is better for them to get something, rather than nothing, for unsold food. Apps in the UK (might be available elsewhere, I'm not sure), include Karma and Too Good to Go.
- Go through your freezer and larder. Is there stuff lurking in there that you could use for your next meal? Get creative with recipes so you don't automatically have to go and buy more food. Think about what you could donate to a food bank or similar charity. There are also Apps where you can give unwanted food to your neighbours.
- Talking of the freezer, it's very easy to freeze bread, fruit and all sorts of things before they go off so they can be consumed later. Do be mindful though of food safety and don't refreeze stuff that it's not safe to do.
- If you have time on your hands, which many of us do, or are looking for ways to keep young ones occupied, think about using some of your foodstuffs to make jams, chutneys etc. Over ripe bananas are perfect for making banana cake/bread and I recently made up a few jars of chutney from courgettes and tomatoes I knew I wouldn't get through. If you put them in nice jars and label them, these can make great homemade gifts.
- Is bread scarce at your supermarket? Think about baking your own, especially if you have that "unwanted gift" of a breadmaker sitting around. I bet if you baked it yourself, you would be more reluctant to throw it away!
- Inevitably, you will have some scraps to throw away, such as peelings, egg shells, used tea bags and coffee grounds. If your local council has a food waste collection scheme, please use it. If you have a garden, try composting (could save you money too, as well as reducing the environmentally damaging peat based compost you might be buying).
I am slowing working through my cupboards and freezer. I am actually astounded by how often I think, "I have nothing to eat.. better pop to the shops," when actually I have lots of food. Previous guests leave so much behind. Don't throw it away! Think of how you might use it, or give it to someone who will.
I wanted to share this recipe, which I tried out last night. I'm not even a big fan of fish, but this was super easy and really delicious! I would ignore the bit about 1 min prep. It's impossible to prep in one minute, but it is fairly fast.
If you happen to have some white fish (I used Basa, but Cod or similar will do) in the fridge or freezer, a lot of the other ingredients are standard things you maybe already have at home. I only had to buy fresh coriander (cilantro), but perhaps you are lucky to be growing this already. I would also add a side of greens/veggies next time.
https://realfood.tesco.com/recipes/pan-fried-basa-fillets-with-garlic-potatoes.html
So this is the recipe I tried tonight: Venison sausage & bean casserole: http://www.adashofginger.co.uk/2018/02/venison-sausage-bean-casserole.html
Because I randomly found venison sausages at £2 a pack in my local supermarket (Lidl) and had most of the other ingredients at home, but I reckon you could easily try this with other sausages that you might have in the fridge or freezer.
This was way quicker and easier than similar recipes I found online and didn't include any unusual ingredients such as juniper berries and fresh redcurrants! I did not have beef stock, so used chicken. I didn't have any carrots, but added chestnut mushrooms. I used fresh rosemary and bay from the garden. You might find it a bit wine heavy, so reduce the amount of red wine if you are not into that.
The other thing I didn't have was a can of haricot beans, but those are the same as baked beans, so I used a can of those instead (400g). This did add a bit of bulk to the recipe and that, together with sides of sweet potato and potato mash and cabbage (savoy and cavolo nero with caramelised onions and smoked pancetta), which I already had in the freezer, padded this two person recipe out into a family sized meal.
This is a very satisfying, comforting dinner if the nights are still chilly in your neck of the woods and doesn't take too much time or expertise. Maybe not one for vegans/vegetarians, but maybe try swapping in vegetarian sausages and vegetable stock as it doesn't contain any dairy/eggs.
