I think about my impact on the environment a lot. Since Gousto started, we’ve made some big changes: From solving our pledge to recduce plastic by 50% last year to saving millions of tonnes of food waste from landfill. But we’re not stopping there, and there’s plenty more to be done.

After all this, I’ve come to realise that showing the planet love is a lot like showing love in a relationship. Grand gestures on Valentine’s Day are nice, but it’s the everyday changes that make the biggest long term difference.

So here are some of my favourite easy ways to show the planet some love, not just for Valentine’s Day – but all year round.

Meal plan

Meal planning is a great way to prevent food waste, but let’s be honest, planning those meals every single week – then sticking to that plan – is hard. If you have a few hours free, batch cooking is one way to do it. And obviously using Gousto makes it really easy to plan delicious, freshly cooked meals on weeknights – while cutting down on food waste.

Freeze more

Why throw it out when you can freeze it? You can freeze just about anything, and  food can be frozen for months. So whether it’s a meal or an overripe piece of fruit, your trusty freezer can take the pressure off eating things right away.

Cook at home

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, but if the idea of a restaurant bill brings you out in hives, then loving the planet is the best excuse to ditch the restaurant and cook a romantic meal at home instead.

So stay in, I say. Save on travel, skip the extra large portions and show off your cooking skills with the Valentine’s menu from Gousto. Pop the champagne and eat your heart out!

Ask for doggy bags

When we eat out, the portions are often bigger than we’re used to at home. If your eyes tend to be bigger than your stomach, don’t feel pressured to clean your plate. Stop eating when you’re full and ask the waiter for a doggy bag. You’ll probably enjoy your meal more and you’ll have a delicious lunch for the next day.

Save veg scraps to make veg stock

If you’re not making our homemade vegetable crisps, a healthy vegetable stock recipe is another great reason to save your food scraps. If you have a slow cooker, make life even easier by bunging everything in and turning it on low for 8-10 hours, or high for 4-5 hours. You can use everything from broccoli stalks to carrot peel, and you’ll have a vegetable stock with almost no effort.

Store food properly

Who knew proper food storage made such a difference to shelf life! Check out our guides on how to keep herbs fresh, and how to store fruits and vegetables to keep them fresher for longer.

Swap kitchen paper for tea towels

Did you know kitchen paper often isn’t recyclable? The good news is, tea towels work as a great replacement, and can just be put in with your other laundry once you’re finished with it. The other option is to go for compostable kitchen paper, which can be thrown into the food bin when you’re done.

Give leftovers a makeover

The idea of eating the same thing all week long can quickly lose its appeal – no matter how much you love the planet. If you’re getting tired of a meal, give those ingredients a face lift by adding them to other recipes, like using leftover roast chicken to make delicious salads, sandwiches or stir fries. 

Go meat free on Mondays

Meat is unavoidably delicious and a great source of protein. But it’s hard to ignore how much land, fuel and water is used up by meat on its journey to our plates. The good news is that we can all still make a big difference to our carbon footprint by eating vegetarian or plant-based recipes just once or twice a week, like on #MeatFreeMondays.

Check your fridge before you shop

Taking note of what’s in your fridge is a great first step before planning your food shop. It won’t just save money and waste, it stops you from searching the supermarket for ingredients you already have.

Or, if you’d prefer to skip the supermarket altogether, take the stress out of meal planning by ordering from this week’s Gousto menu. We’ll deliver the recipes you choose, with all your ingredients pre-measured, so nothing goes to waste! Happy Valentine’s Day!