My Mission To Cook Green With My Partner

I often view resolutions as a means of setting myself up for failure, but as I put my 2021 optimist hat on I can see resolutions are an opportunity for growth and discovery. This year I will try to cook one meal a week WITH my partner. Sounds easy enough, but often my Type A personality turns this into a one-woman cooking show—this may stem from my years in professional kitchens and his years behind a coding wall.

Despite my partner's lack of time in the kitchen, we share many goals when it comes to consumption: healthy habits, sustainability, budget, lowering our carbon footprint, efficiency by way of pantry and fridge organization, learning about new cultures and cuisines, and obviously tasty food.

The Why

Food waste is a big driver of climate change and two-thirds of that waste happens on the home-level versus retail-level. So, why not use every last scrap of produce and proteins we can? For example, always fully zest any citrus and keep the zest in the freezer to preserve the oils. Quickly flavor anything from ice cream, marinades, to salt blends for an added zing. Preserve the citrus peels to steep in milk or cream to flavor ganache or make a refreshing simple syrup. But, sometimes we can't use stems or shells, so that's where composting comes into play.

Budget is constantly top of mind and I know we are not alone. Choosing the right appliance can cut back on energy costs; whereas, reusing aluminum foil, glass containers, and plastic bags can not only lower our carbon footprint, but save extra cash. On that note, did you know you can recycle aluminum foil? The world of recycling can be ominous, but there are plenty of apps and resources that are just a Google away.

Eating locally may not always lead to the cheaper option, but it will prove greater reward. When the seasons change and you catch the first signs of spring peas or peak-season stonefruit, it's like waking up on Christmas morning. Buying from your local farmers means fresher, more organic products and less mileage (think thousands) a bunch of herbs will travel to make it to the grocery shelf. Plus, it puts a face behind the greens you're buying—ask your farmer their favorite way to cook kabocha squash or discover a vegetable you've never heard of before.

Food production accounts for about one-quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions and takes up about half of the planet’s habitable surface. That means every time you make a food decision you make an impact on the world. Sorry to all my meat-lovers out there, but researchers are looking to you as the climate impact of beef dwarfs that of other foods.

This is just the highlight reel of issues with our food systems and how we can all make little changes that create big difference for our world ahead.

The Game Plan

With these ideas in mind, we will pick a meal each week by dusting off one of my many idling cookbooks or turning to social media for inspiration. We will shop together, discussing ingredients and sourcing—optimal meal planning will lead to efficiency in budget and wasting less food. And most importantly, we will work as a team from conception to consumption. Two tall adults attempting to cook together in a class shoebox NYC apartment can easily lead to bumps and spills, but that's where the kitchen organization will come. Needless to say, alcohol will be necessary at points, but I have faith. 

We are one of many households to add an air fryer to our lineup, which will no doubt take the priority of our menu planning from easy snacks to more indulgent fare. It will be our go-to resource beyond my usual winter production of warming broths and soups.

I am looking forward to sharing more of my journey with The Spruce Eats community and updating you on my road to kitchen teamwork. In the meantime, you can find some of my key takeaways from this experience already, below. Please share your resolutions and tag us, so we can uplift each other throughout this year. 

22 Best Air Fryer Recipes