A Cork chef shares 5 easy planet-friendly resolutions you’ll actually keep
Turn your plate green.
As we step into the New Year, the opportunity for reflection and positive change beckons.
Cork’s culinary luminary and sustainability advocate, Ali Honour, who is a champion for the Beans Is How campaign, outlines her five top tips to reshape your relationship with food and contribute to a greener planet in 2024.
Connect with your food
Wave goodbye to the supermarket monotony and say hello to local! Ali urges us to establish a connection with our food by exploring local farmers and producers and even trying our hand at growing herbs and veggies.
Understanding the journey from production to plate is crucial for a mindset shift towards valuing every morsel.
Eat more plants
Ali’s secret weapon for a low-carbon emission, nutrient-dense diet? Beans, glorious beans. The Bean Queen herself encourages incorporating these powerhouses into your meals a few times a week.
With an array of beans (and of course veggies and legumes) to choose from, your plate is about to become a canvas of deliciousness. Lots of fibre too, which is never any harm and guaranteed to put some pep in your step.
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Eat less meat
Hands up if chicken is a weekly staple? “Most people would say it’s to get their protein — the “buzz” word of the last five years,” says Ali. She explains that reducing meat consumption to three meat-free days a week opens the door to new flavours and textures in plant proteins.
Tackle food waste
Want to make a difference to both the climate and your wallet? Ali’s got the answer: zero-waste kitchens.
Did you know the average household throws away a whopping 35% of their food weekly? It’s time to get creative, plan your meals, and cut down on waste while saving some serious cash.
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Ditch the packaging
How we buy our food is very important, says Ali.
“I don’t understand why 90% of fruit and vegetables in the supermarkets are over-prepped and wrapped in plastic,” Take a stand against over-packaged products by opting for loose produce.
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