It can be tricky to cut down on plastic waste when supermarkets still use plastic packaging for our favourite foods. But there are some simple and quick ways to avoid plastic by making your own versions of popular items. Here are some that we’ve tried and tested at Little Green Ways HQ!
Hummus
This is our current favourite hummus recipe. But there are so many out there. Just do a quick search with Ecosia, the search engine that plants trees!
Add flavours and make it your own
Once you start making your own, we reckon you won’t want to go back to the plasticky tubs. Homemade hummus is tastier, healthier – and you can have so much fun with new flavours. Beetroot, coriander, avocado, chilli, peas, basil, broad beans, sweet potato – they’re all hummus-able!*
Freeze that chickpea!
Even better – hummus can be frozen, so you can double or treble this recipe and pop it in tubs for the weeks to come. Leave in the fridge overnight to defrost, or give it a quick warm in the microwave and add a drop more olive oil to get it grooving again.
*If this isn't a word, it should be.
Granola
Granola is a delicious way to start the day, but it usually comes in plastic bags and often contains refined sugar. Here’s a delicious granola recipe that uses agave syrup, which reduces the amount of sugar by 83%. We usually double this recipe as it goes so quickly! It keeps for up to four weeks in an airtight container.
Go with the grain
Just like the hummus recipe, you can make this your own. Use the recipe as a guide and add whichever nuts, seeds, dried fruits and grains you like.
Biscuits
Is there anything better than the aroma of freshly baked biscuits? Whether your favoured flavour is chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon or lemon, they’re usually easy and quick to make.
Although you can recycle some biscuit wrappers through Terracycle, wouldn’t it be great to avoid the plastic in the first place? Also, making your own biccies means avoiding the palm oil that’s contained in many brands. And it’s a fun thing to do with the family!
Here are 50 – yes, 50! – simple biscuit recipes for you to try from the BBC Good Food website.
And no need to miss out on sweet treats if you’re vegan or gluten-intolerant – check out these easy vegan biscuit recipes and easy gluten-free biscuit recipes.
Coleslaw
Coleslaw from supermarkets almost always comes in plastic packaging. But it’s easy to make your own. Try this recipe from the BBC Good Food website and you’ll have a guaranteed crowd-pleaser at your next barbecue! It’s great in wraps and sandwiches too.
As with all of these recipes, it’s always good to customise. Try red cabbage instead of white for a fantastically colourful dish, or add apple, chilli or mandarin for extra zing.
For a vegan coleslaw, just swap the mayo for an egg-free version!
Try making your own
These are just a few ideas for cutting down on plastic and treating yourself to tasty, homemade versions of supermarket-bought foods. You could also try making your own salsa, mayonnaise, guacamole, flatbreads or chocolate tiffin! Do let us know if you do…