Eat your way to a smaller carbon footprint

Team Green Britain ambassador and eco-restaurateur, Jamie Grainger-Smith, is helping inspire and encourage the British public to get greener in the kitchen with simple tips and delicious recipes for this year’s Big Lunch that won’t break the bank or eat into your time.

Jamie has been working with EDF Energy, Britain’s largest producer of low carbon electricity, to develop low carbon recipes which use delicious and locally-grown or seasonal produce to reduce food miles as well as helping to limit the amount of food we throw away. 

The health benefits of eating our greens when it comes to getting our five a day are well reported, but making simple changes to the way you shop, cook and eat will also have an impact on the environment – making you a ‘green’ as well as a ‘domestic’ goddess in the kitchen just in time for this year’s Big Lunch! The recipes are available to view at teamgreenbritain.org as part of Team Green Britain’s summer of inspiring eco-activities.

Jamie Grainger Smith comments: “It’s easy to think that you can’t make a difference on your own but by simply stopping to think before you eat and drink, you can! I’ve been working with Team Green Britain to show how simple changes such as looking at where your food comes from, eating what’s in season or visiting a local butcher or deli can make your cooking more fun, more sustainable and even more delicious. Why not try out some of these recipes with friends and neighbours by hosting a Big Lunch on the 18th July too?” 

Eva Eisenschimmel, Chief Operating Officer, EDF Energy adds: “EDF Energy kicked off Team Green Britain to help us pull together and discover our community spirit to tackle climate change.  Getting involved with a Big Lunch is a great way to meet the people in your area to start sharing resources. We’re hoping that groups across the country will give Jamie’s low carbon recipes a try with their friends and neighbours when they sit down together for a Big Lunch on July 18th”.

Jamie also has the following top 10 golden 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!

Team Green Britain was founded by EDF Energy, together with partners London 2012 and two leading environmental organisations, the Eden Project and Global Action Plan. Throughout the summer, Team Green Britain’s celebrity ambassadors and a number of Olympic and Paralympic athletes have been lending their support by getting involved in events up and down the country.

One such event is the Big Lunch, developed by the Eden Project. It’s a chance for different generations and backgrounds to share stories, skills and interests all over the UK, on the same day at the same time, over a good lunch. Last July, hundreds of thousands of people threw their heart and soul into Big Lunch events in 8,2631 streets, lanes, parks, car parks, schools, community centres and the like.

Those wanting to take part in a Big Lunch should visit thebiglunch.com where they’ll get some top tips on getting involved and can find a Big Lunch near them by entering their postcode into the online search box.