When I was commuting to the Lower Mainland from the Sunshine Coast, a friend recommended listening to Podcasts. Today, I’m still listening to a wide range of topics while gardening, driving to work, or running errands and I love it. Recently, I discovered The Mel Robbins Podcast and her interview with the #1 Longevity Doctor: 7 Toxic Products Destroying Your Health. What alarmingly stood out for me was learning about microplastics – we are surrounded by them especially in the kitchen where they can easily enter our food and water. After listening to this podcast and researching more about microplastics, it seems impossible to completely part with plastic but there are some things we can do to reduce the impact.
So I’m starting with a food storage reset! We have been storing food in the fridge and freezer in plastic ~ who hasn’t? We make and freeze chicken, beef and fish stock in yoghurt containers which are likely not designed for freezing food ~ yikes! A shipment of glass food storage with locking lids is on the way! It’s a good start but there will be more to do to part from our plastic habits.
Today, I was in the garden to harvest the rest of the tomatoes & peppers to roast and freeze for various recipes. We can’t eat them fast enough nor the vast amounts of kale we grow so we chop it up and freeze for smoothies, soups & stews. Yes, you can freeze kale just like spinach, a very healthy green to have on hand ~ I like to call it cancer fighting food that is packed with nutrients, including vitamins A, C, and K, as well as antioxidants and fiber.
To support meal planning, Fall is a good time to take inventory of what’s in your freezer, see if anything needs to be cleaned out, and even to do a defrost & clean if needed. If you’re pondering a kitchen reset before the holiday season, I’ve got some fresh ideas to share with you. Contact me to book a free consultation ~ email niki@tickoffthelist.ca.