, Author at ZestyKits

When is composting better than recycling?

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As a society, we are becoming more aware of our environmental foot print and are spending more energy on improving waste management. When thinking of waste management a few method come to mind including: reusing, composting, upcycling and recycling. Many items that use to find their way in landfill can now avoid it. Some of these items include: vegetable peels, batteries and bottles. This contributes to reducing garbage pollution.

Paper is a significant portion of waste and it can be composted or recycled. Paper is responsible for 16% of landfill waste. Recycling or composting are both an improvement on throwing paper away. It is better to compost or recycle paper?

First let’s define both processes.

Composting

Composting helps put organic waste to an alternative use. Items that are usually composted include grass cuttings, shredded leaves, fruit and coffee grounds. These products are combined in specific proportion with water and air to start the decomposition process. The compost that is formed is helpful in growing plants.

Recycling

Recycling is the manufacturing of products that could of been discarded in a landfill. Items are recycled by being converted into items that can be used again.

Recycling and compositing each have pros and cons. Let’s examine each method to identify which is better overall.

Recycling

Pros

bring paper material back in the production stream which reduces the need for new trees
recycling reduces the need to produce new paper. One piece of A4 paper requires on average 5 liters water to produce.
recycling 1 ton of paper saves around 682.5 gallons of oil, 26,500 liters of water and 17 trees
recycling uses resources but less than to produce new paper

Cons

the process of recycling paper produces a lot of waste.
harmful chemicals are used in the recycling process
the recycling process pollutes water
encourage consumption of paper. Recycled paper may wrongfully appear to have minimal impacts on the environment.

Composting

Pros

composting instead of recycling paper could completely eliminate the resources needed to break it down and manufacture it back into fresh paper.
no recycling bins, no trucks to carry it to the recycling plant, no machinery or sludge or chemical processing agents. Just paper breaking down into its component parts and then fertilizing your garden next year, helping your tomatoes grow.

Cons

composting paper removes it from the paper production stream
on a large scale, composting paper rather than recycling it, may cause more harm than good.

Soiled paper

When paper is soiled in any way it cannot be recycled. Examples of soiled paper include art project and pizza box. Including soiled paper may impact an entire batch of recycled paper. It is recommended to tear soiled paper in small pieces and to add it to compost pile.

Tips to easily follow the Canada Food Guide 3 Guidelines

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Source: Canada Food Guide
Reference: https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/

The Canadian food guide outlines 3 guidelines.

– Guideline 1: Foundation for healthy eating
– Guideline 2: Foods and beverages that undermine healthy eating
– Guideline 3: Importance of food skills

We will go over these guidelines and provide some tips to implement these guidelines in daily life.

Guideline 1: Foundation for healthy eating

Nutritious foods are the foundation for healthy eating. Nutritious foods includes, but is not limited to:

– Vegetables
– Fruits
– Whole grains
– Protein foods

Plant-based protein

Plant-based protein positively contributes to health and the environment. The guide recommends consuming plant-based protein more often. Plant-based protein includes: legumes, nuts, seeds, tofu. Other recommended source of protein include: fish, shellfish, eggs, poultry, lean red meat including wild game, lower fat milk, lower fat yogurts, lower fat kefir, and cheeses lower in fat and sodium. Plant-based protein have significant positive impact on health and on the environment. Research suggests that plant-based foods, which in rich in fiber, decrease cardiovascular disease risk, colon cancer and type 2 diabetes.

Tip: When using plant-based protein, meals can be planned around flavour profiles rather than protein. For example, Greek flavours include: lemon, black olives, oregano, tomatoes and cucumber. An easy plant-based Greek dish could be a quinoa bowl with Greek spice marinated chickpeas, spinach, lemon juice, tomatoes, cucumbers and black olives.

Limit saturated fats & increase unsaturated fats

Limit saturated fats and increase unsaturated fats. Saturated fats should be limited and should be replaced by unsaturated fat foods. Examples of foods high in saturated fat includes fatty red meat, processed meats, fired foods and high fat cheeses. Saturated fats are usually present in meat while unsaturated fats are usually present in vegetarian foods. Examples of food high in unsaturated fat “good fats” includes: avocado, nuts, olives and fish. Research suggests unsaturated fats have a positive effect on overall heath as they lower risk of vascular disease, heart disease, and stroke.

Tip: To easily reduce saturated fats from dishes try reducing or eliminating cheese from dishes and replacing it with nuts or avocado. For example, you can replace the cheese in a sandwich or a burger by avocado.

Water is foundational to life

The human body is 75% water! Water is recommended as the beverage of choice. Water supports health and promote hydration without adding calories. Dinking adequate amounts of water is essential for metabolic and digestive processes. Impacts of dehydration are vast and include: constipation, weight gain, high cholesterol, fatigue, head ache, and high blood pressure. Drink up! It can be difficult to drink enough water throughout the day.

Tip: to increase your water intake try adding flavours to your water (e.g. cucumber slices, lemon or lime wedges), carrying a water bottle with you throughout the day and having a cool glass of water as soon as you wake up.

Healthy eating is more than food!

Food is an integral part of all social interactions, celebrations, cultures and family tradition. To make healthy eating a lifestyle, it is essential to enjoy your food. Nutritious foods should reflect your taste and preferences as well as your food traditions. Eating together reinforces these positive eating habits and supports a healthy relationship with food. Cooking and eating together is a fun way to connect with friends, family and to foster connections between generations and cultures.

Tip: Organizing potlucks with friends and family or baking night with kids are fun and easy ways to spend quality time together and sustain a healthy relationship with food.

Guideline 2: Foods and beverages that undermine healthy eating

Processed foods and beverages are likely to negatively impact health as they often result in excess sodium, free sugars and/or saturated fat. It is important to understand that it is the way we eat the majority of the time that has the most impact on our health.

Free sugars

Free sugars are defined as being added to foods and beverages and do not include the naturally occurring sources of sugars found in intact or cut fruits and vegetables. Free sugars are found in a variety of products such as: sugary drinks, condiments, sugary breakfast cereals, confectioneries and other processed foods. The Canadian foods guide recommends consuming less than 10% of total energy intake from free sugars.

High sodium

High sodium intake is associated with higher blood pressure which is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. High amount of sodium is often found in cheeses, processed meats, dips and condiments. The Canadian foods guide recommends consuming less than 2300 mg of sodium per day.

Saturated fats

Lowering intakes of foods that contain mostly saturated fat, by replacing with foods that contain mostly unsaturated fat, helps lower cardiovascular risk factors.

Saturated fats are found in animal-based foods such as cream, butter, cheeses, and fatty meats as well as some vegetable oils. The Canadian foods guide recommends consuming less than 10% of total energy intake from saturated fats.

Tip: Cooking at home using whole ingredients is a way to reduce intake of free sugars, sodium and saturated fats. You can reduce free sugar, sodium and saturated fats by using fresh herbs, garlic, lemon and lime zest, non-sodium added spice blends and essential oils. For example, instead of frying fish with batter and fries you can garnish fish with lemon zest and garlic, serve with fresh dill, oven roasted potatoes and steamed broccoli.

Guideline 3: Importance of food skills

Highly processed foods have become the easy choice in our food environment. Food skills are essential to navigate the food environment and support healthy eating. Food skills include the ability and knowledge to understand food labels, the ability to assess ripeness of vegetables and fruits, skills to plan meals within budget as well as technical skills to prepare meals.

Food skills can be taught, learned and shared. At ZestyKits we believe food skills are fundamental to a healthy lifestyle. Our meal kits provide pre-measured fresh ingredients, recipes with illustrated instructions and ripe vegetables and fruits. As such, ZestyKits meal kits are a teaching tool, prevent food waste and are a time saver.

Source: Canada Food Guide
Reference: https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/

Macaroons

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These macaroons are chewy and soft on the inside, crispy and golden on the outside, dipped in chocolate and topped with a glazed cherry. They are sure to make you smile. Children can easily whip up these macaroon and experience the joy of sharing their own creations with family and friends.

Tools

Preparation

1

Add the coconut and condensed milk:Preheat oven to 325 F. Place rack in the middle of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, add coconut mix, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla.

2

Combine: Combine the coconut mix, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Set aside.

3

Beat the egg white: In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg white (1) until stiff peaks form. Use a large rubber spatula to fold the egg white into the coconut mixture.

Cut the glazed cherries in halves.

4

Form the macaroons and bake: Using a mini ice cream scoop or two spoons, form heaping tablespoons of the mixture into mounds on the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart. Top each macaroon with a half glazed cherry. Bake for 23 to 25 minutes until the tops and edges are golden. Let cool on the pans for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cook completely.

5

Melt chocolate: Add about 2 inch of water to a small pot and bring to a boil. Place a glass bowl that is slightly larger than the pot on the boiling water. Place the chocolate in the bowl and melt stirring constantly with a spoon to avoid burning the chocolate.

6

Dip the cookies in chocolate: Once the chocolate is melted, dip each macaroon in the chocolate. Place the macaroon on a cooling rack and let them cool until the chocolate is firm.

Note: These cookies can be made ahead. Store in airtight containers at room temperature up to 4 days, or freeze in airtight containers up to 3 month.

Bon Appétit!

Ingredients

Included

21 macaroons

coconut mix

2 2/3 cups

condensed milk

2/3 cup

milk chocolate

1/2 cup

glazed cherries

egg white

1 large

Cooking with Kids

Making this recipe with kids?

Ask the child to help by completing steps 1, 2, 4 & 6.

Add the coconut and condensed milk
combine
Form the macaroons & bake
Dip the cookies in chocolate

Tags

Note: We cannot guarantee any dish is allergen free.

Nutritional Information

Fudge

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Whether you’re craving something rich and chocolaty or creamy and nutty, this fudge recipe is for you! This decadent and easy chocolate fudge is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. You will be surprised how fast these squares disappear.