Christmas Eco Tips

If you find yourself with an oversupply of food this holiday season then you’ll love these fantastic tips from eco-warrior Hayley Crawford, Trash Talking Mama which will help you to extend the life of your fresh produce.

Find out the best way to store your strawberries, make your bananas and leafy greens last longer and learn how to revive your wilted salad greens to reduce the amount of food waste this Christmas.

‘Tis the season for gathering with loved ones over Christmas feasts and summer BBQs and we are all crossing our fingers that nothing will stop this going ahead these holidays. This month I am continuing to share tips on conserving produce to ensure you get the best out of your summer fruits and shared salads.

Storing fruit, such as strawberries, in a jar rather than in its original container will keep them fresh for around 3 weeks. If you put imperfect strawberries in ice water for 20 minutes they will come out firm and bright.

Separate bananas and wrap the individual stems with honey wraps, repurposed foil or plastic to delay ripening. They can then be transferred to the fridge when at the desired stage of ripeness or peel and freeze them for up to 6 months. The skins themselves can be soaked in water to create an excellent fertiliser for your garden.

How to make Banana Skin Fertiliser click here.

Wrap leafy greens loosely in a wet tea towel to make them last up to 10 days and revive salad greens in an ice bath for 30 minutes. Or blend wilted greens in a blender and freeze in ice cube trays for smoothies. As for kale, place their freshly recut stems in water and place in the fridge for a few hours.

Similarly, you can store cut herb stems in water like a bouquet to make them last for weeks on your counter. Basil, thyme, mint, sage and rosemary can all be regrown in water and you can regrow celery by placing its base in a dish with half an inch of water and putting on a window sill. Wrap your celery tightly in foil and it lasts for over a month and the foil can be reused.

How to grow vegetables from kitchen scraps click here

Christmas dinner and BBQs are notorious for over catering. Make the effort this year to avoid that, especially with perishables. Don’t leave leftovers out of the fridge for too long so that they can be used for another meal and note that almost anything can be frozen, including cheese, wine, cream and even egg yolks leftover from your home-made pavlova.