Switching to organic food is the best step your family can take toward a healthier lifestyle. It will not only benefit you but also the environment. Consuming eco-friendly food means eating food free of preservatives and pesticides that can seriously harm your body.
If you are wondering what type of sustainable food you can cook at home for your family, don’t worry because we have got you covered. Read along to discover some practical tips for eco-friendly eating and some easy-to-prepare recipes.
Benefits Of Eco-Friendly Family Meals
Here are some advantages of switching to organic eating for you, others, and the environment:
- Healthier food with no use of pesticides
- No harm to farmers and their families from pesticides
- No water, land, or air pollution due to pesticides
- Food richer in nutrients, such as iron and vitamins
- Animals raised organically aren’t fed hormones for growth or antibiotics
- No GMO
Tips For Eco-Friendly Family Eating
Before we begin exploring what to eat, here are some ideas for you regarding what food choices are healthier and how to source groceries in a sustainable manner.
Cut Down on Food Waste: Only buy as many groceries as required. Overstocking products may mean that you aren’t able to consume them all before their shelf life, especially perishable items like fruits and vegetables.
Growing Fruits and Vegetables at Home: It isn’t necessary to have access to a farm because you can grow vegetables and fruits on your lawn or backyard too. It might not cut down on costs, but you’ll also enjoy eating what you’ve grown yourself more.
Eat Greens: Try eating more plants as opposed to meat, as farming animals takes more space, energy, and time. You may be shocked to know that farming animals release 15% of greenhouse gas emissions produced by humans.
Plastic Free Shopping: Always use reusable bags when you go grocery shopping, as throwing away plastic bags every time harms the environment. Try to reuse and recycle as much as possible.
Buy Local: Purchasing local food will benefit society as a whole, and you will be able to get fresh and organic food.
For some more sustainable hacks, check out: Tips for Sustainable Eating
Organic Food Recipes For Your Family
Let’s get to the fun part. Here are some simple and sustainable recipes for you to try out with your family. Happy cooking!
Salad Made From White Beans
It’s up to you whether you want to make this white bean salad as the main course or a side dish. The recipe is quick and easy; we’re sure your family will enjoy it. Plus, you can refrigerate it, and it’ll last you a week. All you need to do is mix:
- A quarter cup of chopped onions
- Half a cup of Greek feta
- A quarter cup of dill
- One can of strained and dried white beans
- One cup of cherry tomatoes
For the dressing, you can mix:
- Two tablespoons of olive oil
- One squeezed lemon
- One teaspoon of oregano
- Two teaspoons of garlic powder
- One teaspoon salt
- A quarter teaspoon of black pepper
Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes
Instead of boxed pancakes, you can make pancakes from scratch and add a twist to them by adding a few ingredients. All you need to add is the following:
- One-third cup of pumpkin puree
- One tablespoon of maple syrup
- A quarter teaspoon of cinnamon powder
- One teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice
Always remember to mix the wet ingredients first and then slowly add in the dry ingredients.
Vegetable Spring Rolls
Instead of buying frozen packaged spring rolls from the supermarket, you can easily make your own at home according to your preference. To make the spring roll sheet, you would need the below ingredients:
- One cup of all-purpose flour
- Three tablespoons of corn flour or cornstarch
- A pinch of salt
Check out this step-by-step recipe to make your roll sheets.
For the filling, you can add any vegetables, like cabbage and carrots, or even corn and mushrooms, that you won’t usually find in packaged spring rolls at stores.
Green Quiche
You can even bake a quiche with the leftover ingredients in your home if you’re feeling too lazy or if you were not able to do groceries in time. It doesn’t take much time and can be frozen to enjoy later. Just make sure to use organic eggs, vegetables, or protein of your choice. You can also try out this green quiche which is super eco-friendly and made without a crust. The ingredients you would need are:
- Vegetables like onions, potatoes, and zucchini
- Six organic eggs
- Two ounces of organic cheese (optional)
- One clove garlic
- Two tablespoons of oil
- Salt, pepper, and spices like oregano for taste
Easy Tomato Soup
This is our personal favorite as it requires very few ingredients and tastes delicious. Moreover, it only takes a few minutes to prepare. To make the soup, all you require is the following:
- Four-five cups of chopped tomatoes
- One sliced onion
- A couple of garlic cloves
- Two cups of chicken broth
- Two tablespoons of all-purpose flour
- Two tablespoons of olive oil or butter
- Salt, pepper, and sugar for taste
In a pot, boil the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and chicken broth for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and blend the ingredients in a blender. Add the oil/butter into the emptied pot and add flour to make it medium brown. Pour in the blended tomato mixture gradually and whisk till smooth. Add salt, pepper, sugar, and any other seasoning you like.
For more organic and unique recipes be sure to check out: Organic Recipes