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Sarah York
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Hello all, Spring is right around the corner, and with it comes more opportunities to express ourselves. We can once again go outside and collect natural things for our crafts or meals (though it might be a little early for most gardens). We can also finally open the windows to let in the fresh air. With a new season I’m sure we all will start getting busier, with the kid’s sports picking back up and all. Or if perhaps you’re looking to suppose up your home. Ether way we have you covered with tips to save you time and energy with an efficiently green side effect.
Sincerely,
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Life Hacks
9 Easy Lifehacks for Going Green
Looking out for the environment is both easy and effortless when you’ve got these convenient lifehacks on hand.
pg. 15
Craft it forward
15 Random acts of kindness through THANK YOUS
Saying, “Thank you,” can be difficult to do. Some things just demand a little something extra because of the magnitude of the favor or the depth of appreciation involved. But what can you do to say thank you in a meaningful way? Sometimes you have to get a little more creative than just firing off an email. Here are 20 creative ways to say thank you that your friends and family will remember and cherish!
pg. 10 Chapstick Cards
Chapstick cards to help share your thanks.
pg. 12 A Crafty Community Spotlight
10 Quick and Easy Kitchen Hacks
Equipping a kitchen can get very expensive very quickly. But with a little creativity, you can turn ordinary household instruments into useful kitchen tools, saving yourself money and unnecessary hassle in the process.
pg. 17 15 Brilliant Life Hacks to Speed Up Your Spring Cleaning
Spring cleaning feels great—once it’s finished. But getting there isn’t always so fun. To help you get to the enjoyable side of spring cleaning, we’ve rounded up some tips and tricks to streamline the process and leave you with more time to enjoy your fresh and tidy home.
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Life’s a little easier, a little breezier when accompanied by the chime of recycled glass and a charming little bird. Dan Beaded Handicraft, based in Dumasi-Krobo, Ghana, specializes in metal and bead work. Most of the artisans are from the local community. The group produces metal and recycled glass bead home décor products.
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Going Green
D.I.Y.
DIY Projects for Junk Around Ethical Metalsmiths: Your Home Activist Artisans
Ethical Metalsmiths’ approach is to raise awareness and activate people who make jewelry to support real change that leads to responsible mining and supply chain transparency.
pg. 20
pg. 30
DIY Faux Malachite Knobs
Prettying up drawer knobs on the cheap with a sharpie and baking in the oven for the look of Malachite. DIY on the sly!
pg. 22 How to Make T-Shirt Yarn
Recycle your old t-shirts into yarn! You can use t-shirt yarn to make jewelry, rugs, bags, coasters and lots more!
Simple Tips to Reduce Food Waste in Your Home
It will not only mean that overall less food needs to be produced, reducing the carbon footprint of food manufacturing as well as reducing other negative environmental side-effects of food production, but it would also mean less is going in the bin at the other end, not only better for the environment but better for your bank balance!
pg. 34
pg. 26 Learn how to arm knit Step by step directions to arm knit a cozy blanket.
pg. 28
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We owe a big thanks to everyone for doing their part and pitching in.
Jane Scearce Writer
Brad Aronson Writer
Rob Cham Illustrator
Kalen Henderson Photographer
Shonquis Moreno Writer
Matt Welsh Writer
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Craft it Forward
{Use your talents to help others} Pass along acts of kindness and giving thanks with your creativity. The possibilites are endless. The most important thing, is to do something. It is easy to become overwhelmed by the choices of what to do or the worry of knowing if it will matter or not. But in the end it’s the thought that counts. We garentee that these easy to do acts will put a smile on a deserving face.
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Helen Dardik
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15 Random acts of kindness through THANK YOUS By Brad Aronson
1. Create a holiday to celebrate someone you love. I have “Mia Appreciation Day” for my wife. Your appreciation day can be as simple as declaring the date of the holiday and writing a note of thanks each year. You can also invent your own fun or crazy family holiday.
2. Put 50–100 paper hearts or smiley faces in a box. On each cutout write something that is special about your lover or a good friend. Give him or her the box and tell them to pull out a heart or smiley face anytime she gets lonely and wants a pick me up.
3. Find opportunities to give compliments. It costs nothing, takes no time, and could make someone’s entire day. Don’t just think it. Say it.
4. You can also send cards to the siblings of children with cancer. Smiles for Siblings was started by Chris West, a 14 year-old with cancer, who saw that his siblings sometimes felt left out, because of all the attention and get well cards he received. The Smiles for Siblings Facebook page lists kids who could benefit from the two minutes it takes to mail them a card.
5. On Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, remember any friends who have lost a parent the previous year, and check in with them. Those will be tough days.
6. Make little gift baskets for the kids in your neighborhood. One of our neighbors made our son an Easter basket (also a Halloween and Christmas basket). It made our son, my wife and me feel great.
7. If you’re a musician living in NYC, Washington DC, Nashville or Miami, you can volunteer through the nonprofit Musicians on Call to deliver a live, in-room perfor-
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mances to patients undergoing treatment or unable to leave
11. Write letters to strangers who need them. More Love
their beds. Add a dose of joy to life in a healthcare facility
Letters has a list of people who could benefit from letters
by bringing the healing power of music to
of encouragement. Each person has been added to the web
people who need it.
site by a friend or family member. Read the stories and take five minutes to make someone’s day.
8. Put a surprise note or sketch in with your spouse’s or kid’s lunch.
Check out their inpiring website: moreloveletters.squarespace.com
9. Cook an extra portion of dinner (or dessert) for someone who needs it. Aid for Friends is a Philadelphia
12. When you’re volunteering keep the little things in
area nonprofit that delivers about 500,000 meals yearly
mind. Some students from Spark the Wave were volunteer-
to people in need. It started with one woman’s small acts
ing at a coat drive. In addition to giving out the coats, they
of kindness. She made an extra meal each night to give to
added kind and encouraging notes inside the pockets.
someone who needed it.
There were also kids who decorated the lids on cans of food they donated to a food pantry. The creative touches
10. Say “thank you” to someone who made a difference.
make a difference.
Send a card to people who dedicate their lives to helping us – soldiers, police officers, fire fighters and teachers
13. In the middle of December, contribute to Operation
to name a few.
Santa Claus. Go to the Post Office, snag one of the letters to Santa, and fulfill a wish for someone who needs help buying gifts.
14. Post positive notes around school, work, or campus. 15. Photograph tourists. See a person or a couple trying to take a photo of themselves? Offer to take it for them.
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I recently had the opportunity to review two new limited edition Chap Stick flavors: Cake Batter and Velvet Cupcake. Chap Stick is a necessity in this dry, Utah weather, so it was fun to get some new flavors! I have to say, my daughter is a lot more adventurous when it comes to lip balm colors and flavors than I am, but I found I really liked these new flavors. I think both of these Chap Stick flavors would be darling little birthday gifts for a friend or neighbor. They do come with a basic Birthday message on the back of the packaging, but I saw an idea years ago for Chap Stick Birthday cards that I loved. I’m not a super crafty person, so I enlisted the help of my friend Julie. What a superb job she did – they turned out so cute! Julie was kind enough to provide me
Chapstick Cards
with a step-by-step tutorial, complete with pictures and product descriptions as well. Enjoy!
Supplies Needed: Paper Trimmer (optional) Scoring Blade Patterned Paper Cardstock Adhesive Scissors Ribbon or Twine Glue Dots or Double sided tape ChapStick Stamps Set and Accents (optional)
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INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Cut card stock to 5 ¾ x 3 ½ inches. This will be the base of your card. 2. Score card stock at 2 ½ inches and at 3 ¼ inches. 3. Fold on the score lines.
Freaturing Alison Andersen from utahdealdiva.com
4. Cut the patterned paper to 2 ¼ x 3 ¼ inches for the front of your card. Cut two pieces of card stock the same size for the inside of the card. Use a corner rounder for round corners if desired.
5. Using adhesive, glue the patterned paper to the front of the card and card stock to the inside. 6. Cut 20 inches of coordinating ribbon. Use glue dots to attach the ribbon to the front and back of the card. 7. Decorate the card with stamps, accents, or anything else you would like! The sky is the limit! 8. Using glue dots attach Chap Stick(s) to the inside of the card. 9. Tie the ribbon in a bow or a knot and you’re done! You now have a cute, fun, inexpensive, thoughtful handmade gift!
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Life Hacks
{Here to make life a litte easier} Life hacks are little tweaks we make in our lives in order to make our lives easier. These low-budget tips and tricks can help you organize and de-clutter your space; prolong and preserve your products; or teach you something new that you simply did not know before.
Antiquaria Design Studio
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9 Easy Lifehacks for
Going Green
1. DRY YOUR CLOTHES FASTER
2. LEARN TO LOVE THE COLD
For increased efficiency
Speaking of laundry hacks,
and faster drying of your
did you know that the
wet laundry, try this trick:
biggest energy suck from
throw a dry, fluffy towel
doing laundry comes from
into your dryer with the
heating up the water? It’s
load. The towel will absorb
true – nearly 90% of the
some of the extra moisture
energy associated with
in the machine. 15 minutes
doing the wash comes from
into the cycle, pull it from
having that dial cranked
the mix and hang it up to
up to hot. An easy solution
dry. By using the towel to
for reducing your bills is
pitch in, you can reduce
simply to clean on a cold
the drying time and make
cycle.
the process more energy efficient.
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3. SAVE YOUR SCISSORS
5. DON’T LET YOUR HERBS GO TO WASTE
Instead of throwing old
6. FORGET ABOUT SPEEDING If you’re looking to be
scissors out and replacing
Fresh herbs can transform
more fuel efficient, and
them with new ones, you
a mediocre meal into
save money on gas, driving
can sharpen a dull pair
something remarkable,
the speed limit is one of
with this handy tin foil
but it’s hard to store things
the simplest ways. Most
trick. Rip a sheet of alumi-
like rosemary, sage, and
cars operate at peak fuel
num foil and keep folding
thyme in the fridge for very
efficiency at or around
it over until the piece is
long. To expand the life of
the speed limit. And trips
thick and sturdy. To restore
your herbs, use this trick:
won’t take appreciably
the scissors, cut through
Before they show signs of
longer.
your folded foil a dozen or
wilting, take an empty ice
so times until the blades
cube tray and stuff some
are sharp.
chopped herbs into each
7. PUT SOMETHING IN THE TANK
Ink cartridges are expensive. Why not stretch out the life of your cartridge
compartment. Then fill in
4. REUSE THAT SILICA PACKET
8. OUTSMART YOUR PRINTER
the cubes with olive oil,
Making a habit of turning
and do the environment
and leave the tray in your
the faucet off when you’re
a favor by switching your
freezer to set. The oil will
brushing your teeth and
typeset to Century Gothic
The next time you get a
preserve the herbs better
shaving are easy ways to
or Ecofont. These savvy
new pair of kicks, take note
than if you were just to
reduce water consump-
fonts use thin lines and
of the silica packet that
stick them in your freezer.
tion. But there’s another
stylish lettering to make
comes with the shoebox.
Plus, the next time you
simple trick that can aid
the most of your ink.
The tiny packages are
want to start cooking, just
the process: put something
incredible at drawing mois-
pop one or two of the cubes
in your toilet tank. The
ture out of tight spaces.
into a frying pan, add some
common internet wisdom is
So, instead of tossing it
onion and garlic, and you’ll
to drop a brick in the back
out, try dropping it into
have a quick base to build
of your john. The problem
one of your clothes drawers
from.
9. MAKE A MILK JUG WATERING CAN
is, brick dissolves, so it
Just because you’ve mis-
or storing it with your
can make for a plumbing
placed your watering can,
silver jewelry. The tiny
mess. Instead, try using a
doesn’t mean your flowers
packet will act like a tiny
plastic bottle filled with
have to go thirsty. Take
dehumidifier, keeping any
rocks. The contraption will
a 2–gallon milk jug from
excess moisture out.
perform the same task as
your recycling bin, fill the
the brick-- displacing the
jug with water, and then,
water in your tank for sav-
before you screw the top
ings of 2.5 gallons of water
back on, use a nail to make
a day! Plus, it won’t cause
a few holes in it. The holes
any plumbing headaches.
work as a makeshift spout, dribbling out just enough water to make your flower beds happy.
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Emma Kelly
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D.I.Y.
{Do/Design it yourself} Spruce up your life by adding a little touch of color here or there, or simply by repurposing old common objects found around your house that you don’t use anymore. The possibliities are endless, and it doesn’t hurt to save the enviroment from something else just going to rot in a landfill.
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DIY Projects for Junk Around Your Home BY JANE SCEARCE
Line drawers with unwanted or used gift wrap
Create keychains with wine corks
Make ornaments with CDs you no longer use
Glue old cassette tapes together to make a pencil holder Use junk mail to make fun paper garlands
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Use photo negatives to make a memory-filled lamp shade
Make a moodlight lamp from rolled magazine pages Turn a tennis ball into a holder
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DIY Faux Malachite Knobs
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Freaturing Jackie Hernandez from tealandlime.com
While we were in Dallas last month, I hit up Anthropologie and Hobby Lobby looking for new knobs. Everything at Anthropolgie was just too big for the skinny top drawers. Hobby Lobby unfortunately was lacking in the color departmen, specifically the pretty blues and greens. As I scoured the Hobby Lobby bins for hidden gems, I kept getting drawn back to small round white porcelain knobs with brass bases. I admit they were a snooze-fest too, but I loved the shape and the tarnished brass. Bonus, there was matching larger oval knobs with brass base. The larger knobs would look great on the bigger bottom drawers. But, I did not want white!
Then, I saw the 50% off sign and decided to make it a project. I bought 8 knobs at $1 each (regularly $1.99) and 4 larger oval knobs for $3 each (regularly $5.99). The 12 knobs cost $20 total. That is only $10 per cabinet for all new hardware. I knew if I could figure out a way to color them, they were going to make a big impact. My initial plan was to use the Porcelaine pen I had leftover from this hot chocolate on a stick gift project. Unfortunately, I did not store it properly and it was dried up. Since I am in the throws of a month long home spending hiatus and banned myself from craft stores, I needed a plan B.
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I heard you can use Sharpies similar to the Porcelaine pens. You draw on your porcelain object, let it sit overnight, and then bake in the oven. I happen to have a cute little paint bucket on my craft shelves full of colorful Sharpies. I grabbed the teal one and went to work.
The overlapping marks left a variegated look that reminded me of beautiful green precious stones, like malachite or jadeite. The deep teal looked fabulous with the brass. These were much more to my liking than the plain white knobs.
Once I got them all colored, I poked them through the cardboard in the top of a shoe box to dry. The Sharpie smeared easily before they dried. I let them sit overnight.
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The next day I put them all into a mini muffin pan and heated the oven to 350 degrees. I popped them in and baked them for 30 minutes. I apologize for the dark picture‌I do all my knob baking late in the night.
Would you ever guess these were colored with a Sharpie marker? They are glossy and beautiful. The color has so much movement.
I could not wait to get these beauties onto my craft cabinets. What a difference they make. The teal green is better than I imagined. They just gleam. The small round knobs are just petite enough for the skinnier top drawers. Anything bigger would have looked too bulky.
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The larger oval ones anchor the larger bottom drawers. I thought the knobs that came with the cabinet were way too small for these large drawers.
So far the baked on Sharpie is holding up. I even tried scratching one with my fingernail and the finish did not come off. We’ll see how they do for the long haul. I plan to be in and out of these cabinets very frequently, so I will put these knobs to the test. If they do start to show wear, at least I have the teal Sharpie for touchups! For more DIY goodness, check out what I have done in this space since coloring the knobs. The Martha Stewart Craft Space cabinets are now a built-in unit across the back wall of my studio complete with an amazing DIY bamboo countertop.
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Bethan Janine
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Going Green
{Do/Design it yourself} “Going Green” means practicing an environmentally friendly and ecologically responsible lifestyle as well as making decisions to help protect the environment and sustain natural resources. There are lots of reasons to consider going green—too much trash, greenhouse gases, air and water pollution, damage to the ozone layer, and saving money.
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Ethical Metalsmiths: Activist Artisans Article provided by Plymouth College of Art
“We are metalsmiths who
the number one polluter in
skill, experience and talent
want to make ethical deci-
the world. Metals mining
in the craft of metalsmith-
sions about our materials.
is responsible for 96% of
ing. Ethical Metalsmiths’
We want the gold we use
arsenic emissions and 76%
answer to this is to cam-
to reflect our values.”
of lead emissions in the
paign for the mining indus-
Christina Miller and Susan
United States; each year
try to abandon practices
Kingsley began Ethical
in the same country mines
that endanger people and
Metalsmiths as a positive
produce an amount of
ecosystems. Their website
response to the horror they
waste equivalent to almost
acts as a central resource
felt at finding out the harm
nine times the rubbish
for education and as a
done socially and environ-
produced by all its cities
platform for a concerned
mentally in extracting the
and towns combined. The
audience to register their
materials they used in their
metals mining industry
anger and their desire for a
work. Rather than ignore
employs 0.9% of the global
better way of doing things.
the issue, or walk away
workforce but consumes
(There is a section on the
from precious metals, they
perhaps 10% of world en-
website called WHAT YOU
decided to tackle the prob-
ergy. Accidents involving
CAN DO, an excellent
lem by setting up a source
mine wastes including
counterpoint to the despair
– Ethical Metalsmiths –
cyanide have contributed
often felt when reading
that was simultaneously
to fish kills, water pollution
about mining practices.)
a campaign for “clean”
and soil contamination;
metals, an information
and with this pollution –
resource, and a centre from
considering that about half
which ideas and debate
the gold produced in the
could emanate and grow.
world either has come or will come from the lands of
A single gold ring creates
indigenous peoples – dev-
twenty tons (at least) of
astation to local economies,
mine waste. In fact the
health, and human rights
waste, hazardous pro-
have come also.
duction techniques, and energy-intensive processes
Such facts and statistics
associated with mining all
are hard to read – espe-
contribute to the mining
cially if one has trained for
industry’s reputation as
many years, and invested
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One of the problems is
of information regarding
that at present there is no
the mine operation. This
way of knowing where the
certification would not only
gold you buy comes from.
mean that metalsmiths
Ethical Metalsmiths have
could source their metals
looked to precedents for
responsibly; it would mean
socially and environmen-
they could educate their
tally responsible products
customers at the same
(for example the Fair Trade
time. In the same way as
and organic movements in
when we buy organic or fair
coffee and the Forest Stew-
trade items, we are as im-
ardship Council use marks
portantly NOT buying the
to identify ethically pro-
alternative, this certifica-
duced wood). “We all need
tion would send a message
a system that can guaran-
to mining operations about
tee that the gold we use has
the desires of consumers
been obtained in accor-
who at present have no
dance with the highest
say in how they want their
standards, without violating
metals to be sourced.
human rights or damaging the environment.” There
As the issue of the
is a joint effort by retailers,
damage done by mining
experts, investors, insurers
becomes more and more
and NGOs to develop a
well-known, a common
certification system for
response by students is to
“clean” metals – which
question whether or not
would examine such factors
they should even continue
as working conditions and
to make work in metals.
workers’ rights, dumping
Ethical Metalsmiths are
of pollutants, closing
unequivocal about this:
down and cleaning up
“Your knowledge of gold
operations, and disclosure
is precious, and the long
tradition of goldsmithing
ship in which information
social justice, and environ-
piece of jewelry. Not so
is in your hands… Buyers
can quickly be exchanged
mental campaigners.
much from the profit they
of handmade jewelry value
and acted upon; but also
your knowledge and skills
for a relationship in which
It would have been so easy
cause the work represents
and the personal connec-
the skill of the craftsperson
for Miller and Kingsley to
the most prestigious use
tion they have with an
is visible, foregrounded,
look at the mining industry
of their commodity, gold.”
actual craftperson.” This
valued. Ethical Met-
and decide that it was
This is a refreshing and
is about education – but
alsmiths are passionate in
too big and too powerful
timely reminder that a
it is tacitly about more
affirming that these skils,
to take on. But Ethical
craft skill is not something
than this. Mining is big
and that this relationship,
Metalsmiths are also well
that exists in isolation: it
business, and there are
not be allowed to die out.
aware of the part makers
affects and is affected by
many high street chains
This emphasis on the line
of jewellery have in the
a complex web of human,
selling jewellery in which
of provenance of skills and
perpetuation and success
economic, ecological and
the craftsmanship involved
the personal connection
of mining. Awareness of
cultural relationships.
can be evident to a greater
with their customers, links
the power inherent in the
Working in an ethical way
or lesser degree. Small
Ethical Metalsmiths with
deployment of skills is at
involves a close look at all
artisan businesses selling
the craft ideals of William
the heart of this campaign:
of these elements.
handmade items are poten-
Morris, and with the ethical
“The mining industry ben-
tially a platform for com-
concerns of Craftivism, as
efits every time you make
munication – for a relation-
well as with human rights,
a beautiful, handcrafted
make from the gold, but be-
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Simple Tips to Reduce Food Waste in Your Home Reducing food waste in your home is one of the best things you can do to minimize the effect you have on the environment.
back and use food that you would have once wasted. Luckily you don’t have to work this out for yourself as expert advice is available online.
It will not only mean that overall less food needs to be produced, reducing the carbon footprint of food manufac-
Plan Ahead
turing as well as reducing other negative environmental
One of the simplest ways to cut down on your food waste
side-effects of food production, but it would also mean less
is to sit down and plan exactly what you will need for the
is going in the bin at the other end, not only better for the
week or next few days. Despite this many people decide
environment but better for your bank balance!
against this approach; they don’t know what they will want to eat over the next few days or they don’t have the time to
Reducing food waste in your home is ridiculously easy yet
sit and plan. These reasons are understandable but they
even some fairly expert environmentalists don’t do all they
can be worked around. Firstly if you plan carefully you
can. All it actually takes is a bit of planning, organisation
don’t have to decide exactly what you will be eating all
and time to learn some new rules.
week, you can simply approximate meals by ensuring you plan for enough portions – so long as you have kitchen
Freeze it!
cupboard essentials such as oils, spices, pasta, rice and
There are a lot of myths around what can and can’t be
tinned goods you can still be flexible in the meals that you
frozen, some packaging simply omits information regarding
have throughout the week.
freezing. But if something is about to reach its ‘use by date’ and would otherwise go to waste, check if you can freeze
Fortunately doing your shopping online now makes it
it. Fruit and vegetables are one of the biggest food groups
incredibly easy to plan your meals – If you need help plan-
that go to waste in our homes, many of them are perfect for
ning your shopping then head to your local supermarkets
freezing, yet not many people do so. For example:
website, they have tools to help you meal plan.
Bananas – freeze and use later in baking or smoothies Mushrooms – freeze and toss straight into your next stew/ sauce or for pizza topping Onion – Bought too many? Chop and freeze to save time next time you need them For a more detailed explanation of freezing fruit and veg check out this video from BBC Good Food: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/technique/how-freeze-fruit-and-vegetables
Double Check the ‘Use by Date’ Big supermarkets err on the side of caution when it comes to best by dates and use by dates, understandably they don’t want to end up making millions of people ill and being held liable. That being said with a little bit of care and knowledge you can safely push some of these dates
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Freaturing Valerie S. from lifeadvancer.com
Shop Often and Buy Local If planning meals really isn’t for you then shopping often may work instead. Shopping often should ensure that you only buy for the next few meals and so ensure little or no waste. Buying locally also has multiple benefits, as well as supporting your local economy you will be buying fresher produce that is probably better for you. Produce from the supermarket aisle has generally been flown half way around the world before it gets to you, this obviously has a fairly significant environmental impact but also means it simply won’t last as long once you get it home. Buying locally and seasonally ensures your produce will last longer so less will go to waste, it will also give you the maximum nutritional benefit compared with mass produced supermarket produce.
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