KidsLife Magazine Summer 2023

SUMMER EDITION 2023

K I DS C H R I S TMAS CO O K I NG I D EAS TH E I MP O RTA NCE O F CO NN EC T ION I S YOUR C HILD O LD E NOUGH FOR S O CIA L ME DIA?

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WH Y LAUGH TER & LIGH TNE S S R E A LLY MATTE R R IGH T NOW

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here is no doubt that this is my family’s favourite time of year! We commence our decorating at the beginning of November and revel in Christmas Carols all the way through to the New Year! Well, the kids and I do anyway! LOL - Dad (aka The Grinch) pretends not to enjoy the process, but truth is, he secretly loves it once the home and office environments are all abuzz with Christmas cheer!

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We caught up with many business and community leaders to share their traditions and expectations for the festive season in this edition, so be sure to have a read. For The Jones Tribe, we keep it simple most years, that’s how we like it – for us it’s time to stop, sit back, relax and breathe.

We cook loads of traditional dishes regardless of how many people end up at our family breakfast or lunch.

The same foods get cooked every year and we have far too many leftovers, so we’re forced to invite more people over to help us finish it all off so it doesn’t go to waste!

For me personally, as long as I have family, friends and neighbours arriving on our doorstep in a constant wave of catchups, I’m content. Oh and there is that essential element of air conditioning and Christmas movie marathons!

taught us the importance of taking the time to spend with each other when we get the opportunity. So that is what I’ll be doing – spending time with those closest to me and being truly present.

In this Summer edition we get to hear from the office of the eSafety Commissioner about how young is too young for social media and how to be best prepared for that transition as a parent. The amazing Dr Justin Coulson discusses the importance of creating connection in our family lives, and the ever popular Maggie Dent talks about why laughter and lightness really matter right now.

There’s loads of quick and easy festive recipes to try out with the kids.

They are so simple, the kids could literally do these ones themselves!

Whatever you’re up to this festive season, let’s all take a moment to give thanks for living in one of the best places on earth and being free of war and hunger. With all humanity has had to endure and witness in 2023, I think just being alive is something worth celebrating!

Merry Christmas to you and yours everyone!

Cheers

If life’s ups and downs have taught us anything these past few years, it’s Photography credit: Blueclick Photography

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CONNECTION WITH DR JUSTIN COULSON

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WHY LAUGHTER & LIGHTNESS REALLY MATTER RIGHT NOW WITH MAGGIE DENT

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BY DR JUSTIN COULSON

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hink about the most recent positive experience you had with one of your children; one where you felt truly connected. Perhaps it was an instant of joy as she made a new discovery. Maybe it was a flash of laughter as his joke landed perfectly on your funny bone. Or it could have been a tearful or heartfelt embrace, a moment of deep reflection, or a twinkling of peace as you simply sat together and felt… safe.

Brené Brown says connection is “the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued.”

It feels good to belong. To know that you matter. To feel worthy.

But connection is an impermanent state. That beautiful energy between you and your child ebbs and flows. You’ll note that I described an “instant”, a “flash”, a “moment”, and a “twinkling” to describe how true connection occurs. That’s because connection requires intention. Each interaction requires us to re-connect with our child to maintain the experience of being connected. And this explains why parenting – and relationships generally – can be so hard. The obstacles to maintaining connection are endless.

And the data highlights what happens for our children when we offer them connection. Parental responsiveness to children’s attention and interests correlates with their cognitive performance. Lack of warmth and connection is related to poorer cognitive outcomes.

Researchers (from as far back as the 1970s) have known children are more curious, more competent, more resourceful, and more likely to initiate behaviour (rather than waiting to be told) when parents are responsive and empathic. Kids are better at regulating emotions, solving problems, and are more resilient when parents are connected with them. And they act out less.

“They’re only doing it for attention!”

A parenting trope, all-too-often promoted by behavioural scientists in the 1970s is that when our children are behaving in a challenging way, “they’re just doing it for attention.” The old-school thinking is that if you give a child attention after they’ve behaved poorly, you’ll reinforce their poor behaviour.

If you “reward” their poor behaviour with your attention it means that every time your child wants something, they’ll play up. Therefore, the best thing we can do – according to the behaviourist mindset – is to sever our connection with them when they behave in challenging ways.

Today’s best science comprehensively rejects this approach.

We now know that children are seeking attention because they need it to be healthy and happy. In fact, it may be less about “attention-seeking” and more about “connection-seeking”.

Sensitivity, empathy, and responsiveness are at the core of creating a nurturing environment that will support our children’s needs and allow them to flourish. And paradoxically, giving them attention when they are being challenging will reduce their difficult behaviour in the moment and over the longer term as well. (Ignoring and disconnecting only reinforces their feelings of unworthiness and incompetence, and creates a bigger relationship divide that exacerbates problematic behaviour.)

Connection is not a luxury item Scientists have studied connection in all kinds of different ways and with a number of tightly related meanings. Some call it relatedness, or responsiveness, or warmth, or nurture.

Regardless of how it is defined, research evidence points to this connection between parent and child as an irreducible necessity for our children. It’s not a luxury item. It’s a must-have.

This means: If your child is seeking attention, give it to them!

Seriously. The research shows it matters more than we can possibly know. It’s less that you’re dealing with a challenging child, and more that you’re helping your child deal with a challenge. This re-frame is important.

How ignoring your child affects connection Let’s switch up the context. Instead of your child’s attention-

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seeking behaviour, let’s make it you. Imagine you’re emotionally out of sorts. It’s been a rough day. You haven’t eaten enough (which is like many kids), you’re tired (which is like many kids), and someone has told you that your plans are not going to work (which happens to kids every day).

You feel disgruntled; agitated. Your emotions begin to spill over a little. The frustration starts seeping out of your eyes in the form of tears. Your partner walks over to you and says one of the following things: “Quit crying or I’ll give you something to cry about.”

“If you keep that up I’m not even going to talk to you.”

“Don’t worry about it. You’ll be fine. It’s not that big a deal.”

Or perhaps they lean over to a friend and say, “She gets like this all the time. I’m sure she only does it so I’ll give her attention or cave in and give her what she wants.”

Let’s pause and ask what “lessons” you’re learning in this situation. My guess? You are learning that your partner is lacking in kindness, perspective, and compassion; that your partner is untrustworthy when it comes to the tender feelings of your heart, which means that vulnerability is not an option in your relationship. You learn that your emotions get you into trouble so you should bury them in future. Your needs are secondary to those of everyone around you. The list goes on, although there is one more that needs special emphasis: You will learn that you don’t matter; you are not valuable as a person; you are not worthy.

Again, for emphasis, connection is feeling seen, heard, and valued. Where there is connection, there is life in a relationship.

A relationship with no connection has no life.

seen, heard, and valued. The relationship has life.)

What connection looks like Think about moments of genuine connection you’ve experienced with your child and pay attention to what you notice.

• Connection is that moment when your infant smiles at you and you mirror their delight as you smile back.

• Connection is when you hold out your hand in response to your child reaching for you.

• Connection is a mum and her daughter sitting quietly together on the bed, backs against the wall, as her daughter sobs because a friendship is failing at school and mum is the only one who can console and comfort.

• Connection is your face lighting up with the thrill of seeing your child serve an ace on the tennis court, slam a spike on the volleyball court, bowl out middle stump on the cricket pitch, kick a goal on the soccer field, or swim a personal best in the pool.

• Connection is your eyes meeting your child’s across a room after school, followed by a smile, a squat with arms extended, and a run-up hug for a child who misses their parent.

• Connection is what we feel when we truly accept our child for who she or he is.

Dr John Gottman calls our children’s choice to reach out to us a “bid for connection”. When we respond to those bids with warmth, acceptance, and engagement, we build life into our relationship with our child.

Science Says: Key Elements for True Connection If connection is so important, but also so transient, how might we best create connections and maintain connections?

Intention On a typical morning in a typical family home, our parenting responsibilities compete with our personal to-do list, our children’s missing sports uniform or library book, our social media timelines and news headlines (let’s be honest), and the relentless ticking of the clock as it counts down to that moment we scream, “we’re late… hurry up and get in the car!” We operate on auto-parent. If LOVE is spelled T-I-M-E, what does HURRY UP spell? And are we thinking about this as we interact with our kids?

Our reactions are, at best, a response to unexpected and unforeseen difficulties and at worst, the equivalent of an emotional bomb blast because we aren’t intentional and mindful of what needs to happen to make the morning function well.

(In contrast, how would you feel if your partner had said to you: “It seems like your day’s been pretty rough. Do you need a hug? Would you like some space right now? How can I help?”

Chances are that you’d melt into their arms because you feel

Mindfulness, according to Ellen Langer, a Harvard psychologist and researcher, is an active state of mind, characterised by being • situated in the present, rather than 20 minutes in the future • sensitive to context and perspective, rather than screaming that “I don’t care what your sister said to you! You should know better!”

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• rule and routine guided, rather than governed by how it “ought to be” • engaged in the moment-to-moment interactions of the family We miss those instants, flashes, moments, and twinklings unless we’re intentionally, mindfully watching for them.

Involvement When I’m researching for an article or typing out a book chapter, my attention is on my laptop, my books, and my thoughts. My seven-year-old’s best efforts to connect are ineffective when I fail to be involved in her bids for connection. Connection doesn’t exist – until I turn away from what I’m focused on and involve myself in her conversation, her play, her world.

continue to offer continued love, support, and connection to those girls. Of course, I take delight in their growth and selfreliance. I thrill at their new discoveries, willingness to take risks and follow passions. They don’t need me like they did when they were little.

But they do still need me. I’m their dad. And in some indescribable way, I still need them to need me. It’s not an unhealthy codependence. Instead, I welcome dependence and neediness in developmentally appropriate ways. Our connections strengthen us, even in adulthood. In the same way, I have a deep desire to depend on my wife. I need her. I crave her responsiveness, warmth, and connection.

Dependence is often disparaged – and connection is often considered a form of dependence. But depending on others is valuable at every age and every stage. For a healthy life our children need to learn to comfortably rely on others for emotional support, guidance… connection. And it is this connection (and dependence) that predicts wellness and adjustment.

Ideas for connection To build stronger connections, consider these ideas:

Autonomy Support Studies show that for us to help children live life fully, we must allow them to make choices. Some of the best connection occurs when we give up our desire for control of our children. For them to make those choices in healthy, safe, wise ways they need our connection, but not our control. In fact, control may be a reliable rupturer of relationships.

Relinquishing control in a connected way means we: • consider our child’s perspective (which usually requires connecting through curiosity and questions) • provide meaningful and helpful choices (where they are not developmentally capable of developing solutions on their own) • encouraging and supporting our child’s initiative and voice • minimising our controlling language, and • offering meaningful reasons for our behavioural requests.

But this level of connection sometimes feels too hard. There are many obstacles. And there are controversies around connection too.

An unexpected truth We live in a culture that frowns on connection sometimes, particularly when it appears that a child is dependent on the adults around them. Our society teaches that we ought to want our children to be tough enough to stand on their own two feet. Therefore, we unquestionably and uniformly value independence as an attribute of successful graduation from childhood to adulthood. And we see dependence as a failure.

This perspective resonates for most of us. And it is right and developmentally appropriate that our children learn to do things without us; to make us redundant so they can live their own lives.

But as I’ve watched three of my six daughters grow to adulthood, the dependence we have on one another for connection has become more important. I’ve cherished the opportunity to

1. Do what’s important but unspectacular over and over again.

We often get caught up in planning the perfect party, the heavenly holiday, or the exciting event so we can all connect and make memories. This can be a useful strategy, but a focus on consistent small episodes of responsiveness and connection will do more for happiness, wellbeing, and growth.

2. Review the way you use your time.

The time that people with lousy relationships spend on Netflix, social media, excessive work, or with other distracted pursuits, people with extraordinary relationships leverage into opportunities to be present, mindful, and connected. Build your catalogue of connection experiences, not your catalogue of movies to watch on your streaming service.

3. Allow your worlds to cross-over.

Our children are desperate to enter our world and connect with us. Even more, they crave the opportunity to bring us into their world and share their experience of life with us (yes, even when they grunt in response to our query about how their day was). Let your children know that you are interested in what they’re interested in, and pay attention to their lives.

The true meaning of connection Strangely, while we study this important connection by so many names, the one thing I’ve not seen it called in science is the one thing we most need to call it: love. It is love – or loving connection – that draws us to others because it is the truest way we can feel seen, heard, and valued. It is love that gives life.

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Journey Together Prep to Year 12 www.standrewscc.qld.edu.au KidsLife 9 Magazine

BY MAGGIE DENT

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he past five years have been incredibly stressful. Not only did we have a worldwide pandemic, there’s the war in Ukraine, we’re seeing more frequent natural disasters and now there is massive uncertainty in Gaza. On top of that we are living with food insecurity, a significant rental and housing crisis, and a higher cost of living all round.

That means that the grown-ups who are helping to raise our little ones and our tweens and teens, are all being impacted with an increased perception of threat. This means we will generally be less calm, less grounded and more likely to be reactive rather than responsive in our homes and our schools.

When our brain and body are in this state, we can feel less safe to the children we care for too, and we are more likely to speak and behave in ways we would prefer not to. No one really wants to be a shouty, angry parent, and yet we are carrying more worry, more fear and lots more cortisol – the stress hormone – in our brain and body.

Over the last couple of months when I have sought feedback from parents, early childhood educators and teachers in our primary and secondary schools about what they are taking away from my seminars, I am hearing – “I need to lighten up. I need more laughter in our home and more fun.”

Parenting is harder today than it was when I was being a parent of boys.

So much more pressure to get it right or to be perfect, an overload of information, a sense of competition, less time to be present thanks to our phones and then all the stressors I have listed above.

The parents I speak to are trying so hard to be the parent they want to be, and they beat themselves up in the moments of imperfection and often then drown themselves in guilt afterwards.

It is really hard to find lightness and laughter when the going is tough, however I’m going to argue that this needs to be your priority at every stage of development for our own selfpreservation.

I have often said to parents that, seriously, laughing can release the same tension from the body as crying, and you will look a lot better after a good laugh!

The ability to lighten up and to find laughter in everyday activities is a life skill that can be cultivated. Online behaviour, which is driven by our tech companies, is influenced by what we are marinated in. The tech companies have worked out that the more negative content you see online, the more you stay engaged. This simply adds to our stress levels and our negativity.

I would like to see some research done about using humour appropriately, and how we can change these algorithms to marinate us all with moments of lightness. I have a few very favourite reels or videos online that I have bookmarked for the days when I’m feeling weary in the world. Yes one of them involves a goat (language warning) and even though I have seen

them many times, they trigger spontaneous laughter which is followed by a profound sense of relief and joy.

Resilience studies have shown that having a healthy sense of humour can be a protective factor when things get tough. I was blessed with a dad who had a fabulous sense of humour, and I am sure it has helped me to develop my sense of humour which I have taken into my home, my classrooms, my writing and my seminars.

Just this morning I witnessed the power of lightness with one of my granddaughters. She was very upset that Mummy couldn’t find the right headband before heading off to school. Her face was full of angst and sadness as she got in the car. As we headed off with her sister in the back, I began telling some of my funniest Knock Knock jokes. By the time we got to the school gate, both little girls were shining with lots of positive neurochemicals for the school day. It’s such a shame that a sense of humour doesn’t land under the Christmas tree, and that it’s something that we need to encourage and nurture in our homes and our schools.

The following is an extract from my bestselling book Mothering our Boys.

(Feel free to substitute girl wherever I write boy because this applies to girls as much as boys).

The power of laughter An essential component of having fun is laughter because it releases wonderful feel-good endorphins and neurotransmitters instantly throughout your whole body. Boys are always looking for laughter and lightness in their lives and while some days it will drive us almost crazy, as mums of sons we need to recognise that this is incredibly important.

Laughter shared between two people brings those two people closer together in an incredibly joyful exchange of delight. It does more than that too.

Laughter: • transforms emotional states • stimulates endorphins and creates wellbeing • increases levels of serotonin • is a key coping skill, especially for boys • is an anti-bullying strategy • encourages lightening-up in serious moments • is a bonding experience when shared in groups • builds inclusivity and connectedness, and secures friendships • releases tension and stress • is a key element in effective communication, especially in close relationships • is an antidote to violence.

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There are times when young boys use inappropriate humour in certain circumstances. Risqué or ‘shed’ humour has a very important place in the Australian psychology as do our ‘larrikin’ depreciatory humour and language patterns. Culturally we tend to ‘put things down’ or deflate compliments. For example, “Wow, you have scrubbed up pretty good tonight darling!” can be an Australian compliment that is genuinely meant to be kind. An overt compliment like, “Wow, you look amazingly beautiful tonight!” could get you a quick kick in the knee! This cultural nuance needs humour and without it, people can easily take offence.

Apprentice tradespeople are sometimes the brunt of antics and pranks by older staff. Some young folk are asked to find the left-handed screwdriver or the black and white striped paint. If they don’t understand that this is a form of joke, they can feel really shamed when their workmates laugh. So, it is really important that we prioritise helping our little boys to learn the complexities that are a part of a sense of humour.

“Our two nieces were staying over. We sent the two girls and our two boys off to get ready for bed. The girls cleaned their teeth and put on their PJs. Our boys had a wrestle instead and I ended up changing ‘sharted-on’ sheets as a result! Boys!” — Mum with a Nervous Twitch When humour isn’t funny The sad reality is that part of the old male code is supported by sexist and racist humour, which is very common in some parts of the bloke world.

If we are to raise our boys to be respectful to girls and women and other cultures, we need to start when our boys are very young.

This means that we lovingly coach our sons when they repeat sexist jokes that are disrespectful to women and denigrate them in any way. Humour is an incredibly strong bonding pattern among men and male humour can often be a bit gross or inappropriate when shared in front of women.

Helping our boys realise that there is a time and a place for being a bit gross, however not offensive and for shed or paddock humour, is crucial for our boys. If we start helping them to realise this difference early in life, then we are giving our boys a better chance at knowing how to make appropriate choices using humour.

Sharing simple riddles and jokes with young children is an excellent way to nurture a sense of humour. There will be times when the children share a joke that is a little inappropriate and it’s important to avoid shaming or overtly sanctioning their attempts — especially publicly. One of my sons — who was in Year One at the time — came home busting to tell a joke at the dinner table. It went like this: “Mummy, what’s the difference between a light bulb and a pregnant lady?” The answer was: “Well, you can un-screw the light bulb!”

Needless to say, his older brothers loved the joke and he had no idea what the joke was about. He was just passing on something he had heard at school.

One way to encourage laughter and lightness in the home is to have fun fact books, joke books and riddle books especially beside the toilet.

This is a place that everyone has to visit and having some material that builds a sense of humour is making very valuable use of this little room.

These books often combine humour with interesting fun facts and can be educational as well as entertaining. A few of my favourite lines from our toilet joke books are: • “No man has ever been shot while doing the dishes.”

• “Five out of four people have trouble with fractions.”

• “If one synchronised swimmer drowns, does that mean all the others have to?”

• “What happens if you get scared half to death twice?”

• “Marriage is the chief cause of divorce.”

• “Be careful not to be too open-minded — your brains might fall out.”

By reading these books and sharing the funny bits with family, children can learn the nuances of joke telling and of being humorous. This is a very important part of communication among friends and family. Only practice can improve anyone’s ability to be humorous. I can still remember wondering what was wrong with me during my teenage years because I didn’t seem to be able to ‘get’ jokes; I just missed what was funny. I still remember feeling quite stupid as well.

The capacity to laugh deeply and in an uninhibited way is another life skill that takes developing. Children who feel safe and valued can even fall over when they get an attack of giggles or laughter. Lightness and laughter can calm our boys when they are struggling. A positive gauge of the wellbeing of a child can be how often they smile and laugh. It is something that is very difficult to fake as children — if they are unhappy or frightened, their face shows it. As adults we need to treasure these exquisite moments of joy.

On the first day of school, a first-grader handed his teacher a note from his mother. The note read, “The opinions expressed by this child are not necessarily those of his parents”. – Anonymous I recommend that parents use props and puppets to increase the levels of lightness in the house. Witch’s hats can warn children that Mum is feeling grumpy and her tiara will help children know she’s feeling happy. Puppets can cheer up any place; they become metaphors that can help with communication so powerfully. I know teachers who have the clean-up puppet, the quiet time mouse, a Tigger puppet for exercise time and the serious owl for proper chats about values. Be adventuresome and lighten up, and your children will come with you. In the process you, too, could make your spirit and heart happier, and help your stress levels dissolve.

One last message on the topic of humour that’s important to teach boys is that there is a difference between when we laugh with people and when we laugh at people. This is a difference many boys find really difficult to distinguish and, indeed, many adults also find this difficult. Be mindful to spend lots of time teaching how words can be helpful or hurtful, and that making fun of people is breaking the three main rules.

I have always been an enormous fan of the pun and, sadly, I think it’s disappearing from the English language because so much humour now is in a visual format. So, for any mums who are fans of the pun, here is a selection to bring a smile to your face.

1. He bought a donkey because he thought he might get a kick out of it.

2. A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion.

3. The Energizer Bunny’s been arrested, charged with battery.

4. A skunk fell in the river and stank to the bottom.

5. And… I was wondering why the baseball was getting bigger, then it hit me!

“Humour also assists in accepting life’s imperfections, inevitabilities, difficulties, frustrations and disappointments.

It helps us to realise what we cannot control, such as death, the behaviour of other people, incompetence, ageing, physical limitations and illness. Jokes and funny throw away lines can also communicate messages that help us understand what is normal and typical. In knowing that others share some of the same feelings, perceptions and troubles, we feel more empowered to deal with these troubles.”

— Helen McGrath and Toni Noble, Bounce Back! Teacher’s Handbook (2006) Laughter and lightness in homes and classrooms builds safety and connectedness. These are two of the most fundamental needs of every human, not just our children. Seriously, it’s time we all lightened up – even if it’s only for a few moments a day.

Image credit: © by t.scentrio@gmail.com / depositphotos.com

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here is a lot of conflicting advice and emerging research around screen time. But, the right amount of screen time can depend on a range of factors like your child’s age and maturity, the kind of content they are consuming, their learning needs and your family routine. It can be easy to focus only on the clock and how long your child is spending in front of the screen, but the quality and nature of what they are doing online, and your involvement are just as important.

so, being clear and consistent about the consequences for your child if they do not stick to these rules is paramount. The Raising Children Network provides some useful tools and advice.

Consider your child’s screen use in the context of their overall health and wellbeing – for example, is online time getting in the way of their sleep and exercise? Is it impacting on their face-to-face connections with family and friends? The answers to these questions will guide you and help strike the right balance of online and offline activities for your child.

• no devices in the bedroom for younger children • all screens off in bedrooms after a certain time for older children • all screens off at least one hour before planned bedtime • all family members switch off at dinner time • charge devices overnight in a place your child cannot access

1. Be involved Sharing screen time and online activities like gaming with your child helps you gauge the appropriateness of what they are doing and manage potential risks. It’s also a great way to start conversations with your child about their online experiences.

5. Ask your child to explain their screen use Get your child in the habit of explaining why they want to be in front of a screen or online. It’s a great way to get them thinking about their own digital habits and balancing screen time with other activities.

2. Work with your child to set boundaries for screen use If you decide that setting screen time limits is right for you and your child, discuss these new rules with your child. Older children are more likely to cooperate if they have been part of the decision making process. Colourful pictures or charts of daily limits and other important activities is a fun way to get younger children on board.

3. Be clear about the consequences of not switching off Part of our role as parents is to set clear limitations and boundaries. The same applies to technology limitations

4. Set device-free zones and times at home Device-free zones can help you manage your family’s digital use. Here are some ideas for setting digital boundaries within your home:

6. Use tech tools to help manage access There are robust products and device functions which allow you to see which apps are being used in your home and for how long. But try not to use these tools to secretly monitor your child. Instead, be open about the process and check the whole family’s usage, including your own.

Start with Google Family Link for Android devices or parental controls and Screen Time for iPhone/iPad. 7. Lead by example Your behaviour is one of the most effective ways to help your child develop a positive digital mindset. Show your child you can put down your device too.

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BY WHOLELIFE PHARMACY & HEALTHFOODS

W

hen you look around your kitchen and realise just how much waste we contribute to the planet, it can be daunting. It may even be overwhelming to imagine what a waste-free kitchen could look like in your home. All it takes are a handful of simple steps to get that waste-free ‘magazine-esque’ kitchen that everyone is talking about. Here are 4 simple steps to creating a wastefree culinary space.

Step 1. Keep Your Zero-Waste Kitchen Minimal.

Have you heard of minimalists? They are people who thrive in environments with minimal ‘things.’ Having a minimal low waste kitchen means you’re not OTT with products (such as that Tupperware drawer that won’t close because you haven’t had time to clear out all the unmatched lids).

Instead, a minimalist would keep a handful of good quality, long lasting glassware sets in replacement of the hundred plastic Tupperware containers. Need inspiration? For a heavy duty, sleek storing container that will last a lifetime, we suggest the Hungry Max Stainless Steel Lunchbox 1.2L by Cheeki.

Step 2. Buying In Bulk Where Possible.

Now we know that buying in bulk can sometimes be unfeasible when it costs triple the amount of your regular serving size. But there is beauty in buying bulk as there is less waste AND in the long run, it can be more cost effective to ‘buy bigger, buy once’. We have so many great bulk buys at WholeLife! When it comes to sustainable living, you cannot go past Simply Clean which has all your kitchen essentials, and at a great price too… buy more for less! You can grab the eco-friendly Lemon Myrtle Dishwash Liquid 1L (yes 1 litre!) which is made with minimal and clean ingredients (we love).

Step 3. Replace Single Use Products With Reusable Ones.

If you didn’t know that you can buy reusable products for almost everything in your kitchen, then let me introduce you to your trusty new kitchen BFF Ever Eco. Replace waxy baking paper with the Silicone Baking Mats 2 pack…

Which in our humble opinion, does a better job than baking paper (No more paper stuck to the bottom of biscuits in this zero-waste kitchen). Similarly, another product favourite, we have the Reusable Silicone Food Pouches 2 x 1L. These bad boys are set to replace your 100 pack of single use plastic Ziplock bags and they are great at it! Did we mention they are dishwasher safe too?

Step 4. Use What You Already Have.

When you open your fridge and see that the almost bad carrot, slightly wilted spinach, and a half empty bottle of milk are all that’s left for dinner, it can be tempting to duck to the grocery store or order takeaway. But what’s that?

Yep, more waste… Have a crack at using what you already have in the house. Take those potatoes at the bottom of the cupboard, throw some stock into the pot, and create a stew, curry or a buddha bowl with the remaining ingredients.

This reduces waste as you (shockingly) end up using the ingredients you purchased last week, instead of throwing them into the bin. Your wallet will also thank you for this tip – you’re welcome.

Remember, when working towards a waste free kitchen, it is not about being perfect. Try to reduce waste where you can and reuse whenever possible. Just do your best and the planet will reward you in return.

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Christmas

Cooking with Kids!

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Christmas

Cooking with Kids!

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Christmas

Cooking with Kids!

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