Bringing down your culinary carbon footprint

15th July 2010, 2:32pm

Eco-restaurateur Jamie Grainger-Smith is introducing some simple tips and recipes to encourage the British public to get greener in the kitchen. He has gone one step further and produced 10 top tips to help people bring down their culinary carbon footprint.

1. Always try to use local, seasonal and ethically sourced food and drink.

2. Buying local produce doesn't have to be difficult and by avoiding air freighted products where you can, you could really cut your carbon footprint as well as helping the local community – get to know your local butcher, fishmonger and deli or find a local farm shop or market.

3. The farming and production of red meat can produce large amounts of greenhouse gases, so by reducing your red meat intake you could be reducing your carbon footprint too.

4. Try and compost all your vegetable waste -if you don't have a garden or any outdoor space, why not find a local allotment owner who's happy to take it and compost it for you.

5. Where possible, try not to use cling film and food bags which will create waste when they're thrown away. Instead, try using a saucer or plate to cover food in the fridge or store leftovers in Tupperware and use them as a packed lunch the next day.

6. If you're not sure where a fresh product comes from, then ask the retailer for more information.

7. Remember to always use the lids on pots and pans when cooking as this heats food up quicker, reducing the amount of energy needed to cook it, and the associated carbon emissions.

8. Bring your meat and vegetables out of the fridge and freezer to defrost for a short while before cooking. This can help reduce the cooking time and therefore reduce the energy used in preparing your meal.

9. If you have a steamer sitting around, use it! It can save energy by allowing you to cook one type of food using the steam generated by cooking another.

10. Last but not least, try to only purchase food you need and use it all up. Lots of the food we buy we don't eat in time and it ends up being thrown away. Buying less saves money too.

Related Articles:

• 15 Jul 2010 - Eco-restaurateur Jamie Grainger-Smith goes green in the kitchen

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