Breakfast is rightfully the most important meal of the day for a number of reasons, including the fact that it gets our body and brain active early on in the day. What if we were to go one step further and incorporate our zero waste values into our morning meal? Here's a few tips below on how to do just that.
1. Use up what you have
Fruit and vegetables that are close to their expiry date shouldn't be thrown out but rather used. For example, most fruits and vegetables you can freeze and throw into a smoothie at any time. You can add fruits into a porridge bowl and vegetables (courgettes, carrots) into a breakfast bread.
Let's not forget about the skin of all this produce too, if it's edible like kiwi skin, apple skin then don't peel it off. If it's something like banana peel or coffee grounds that can be used in a face mask then get creative! Try to find a purpose for everything, like using citrus peels to scent your detergents or for composting.
2. What do you put your breakfast in?
Do you always have breakfast at home or do you get an occasional take away coffee? I'm sure you've seen reusable water bottles and coffee mugs everywhere. Well it really is worth getting one because it saves you money and it reduces unnecessary water use for production.
If you're having breakfast at home why not make your morning a little more exciting and sustainable by buying an organic coconut bowl set? Coconut shells end up in landfill and do not decompose unless we find a use for them. Browse our selection here.
If you pack your breakfast with you to go and have either in school or the office then what containers are you using? Are they made from a sustainable material? Is that material supposed to be heated? Glass is always the best option for warm/hot meals. Opt for bamboo or coconut tupperware for cold foods. Besides the horrifying fact that plastic takes thousands of years to begin to breakdown, the chemicals from plastics also transfer to your food, especially when reheated. Do not compromise your health for convenience.
3. The foods you eat for breakfast
I mentioned earlier that breakfast was the most important of the day but that's only the case
if you are fuelling your body with the right foods. Are the foods you eating full of fibre and nutrients or refined sugars?
Once you have figured that out, think about where you purchase your food and what it's wrapped in. Is there a local shop you can buy your produce from rather than always going to huge chains like Sainsburys. Are there any refill shops near you where you can fill up on dried goods for cheaper? These amazing alternatives to your average supermarket are popping up everywhere so I am sure there is one near you!
The point is that baby steps is key. Do not get worked up if everything isn't perfect. Implementing a few of these changes or swaps means you are on your way to making a positive impact and "your bit" for the planet.