A recent survey of Irish Households by Green Isle (using www.Mywaste.ie) found that: • 85% are preparing and cooking more meals at home since the pandemic. • 66% are buying more frozen fruit and vegetables now vs pre-pandemic. • 60% of Irish households proactively plan their meals in advance. • 1 million tonnes of food waste is produced in Ireland annually. Enough to fill Croke Park two and a half times!
Meal planning makes sense, especially when you’re feeding a family, and stocking your freezer with healthy nutritious frozen vegetables is an important first step. Encouraging households across the country to eat well and reduce food waste, Green Isle has a range of family favourite veg, meal planning tips and delicious recipe ideas to help limit your food waste and save you money too!
With 1 million tonnes of food wasted in Ireland annually, meal planning, savvy shopping and using your freezer could help the average household save up to €700 a year! The good news is that 85% of us are preparing and cooking more meals at home since the pandemic with 66% of people buying more frozen fruit and vegetables now vs pre-pandemic, with nearly three quarters of us now aware that frozen fruit and vegetables offer the same nutritional value as fresh, and your produce will last longer too!
Currently just 60% of Irish households proactively plan their meals in advance, so Green Isle has put together some great tips, hints and recipes featuring some of their most popular products such as Garden Peas, Asian Stir Fry and Cauliflower Rice – so be inspired to enjoy all the benefits of eating better!
Prepped, sliced, and chopped for you, the Green Isle range is an easy and healthy choice to help limit your food waste. Use exactly as much as you need, when you need it, before putting the rest back into the freezer for the next mealtime. On your next shopping trip, plan ahead, be inspired and enjoy all the nutrition and taste of having these Green Isle products ready to enjoy straight from the freezer;
Green Isle Cauliflower Rice
RRP €3.00
A great low-calorie alternative to rice, potato or pasta for healthy mealtimes across the week, Green Isle Cauliflower Rice includes two steam bags which contain two of your five a day. High in protein and a source of vitamin c which cooks perfectly in three minutes.
Green Isle Asian Stir Fry
RRP €3.00
A delicious medley of carrot strips, water chestnut slices, cut baby corn, green beans, red pepper, red onion and Chinese mushrooms, the Green Isle Asian Stir Fry is convenient, full of quality vegetable products that are simple to use, delicious and nutritious.
Green Isle Garden Peas 450g
RRP €1.69 or mix and match any 2 packs for €2.50.
Green Isle Garden Peas are packed full of nutritional goodness and are a great source of folic acid. Frozen at their freshest, locking in all nutrients, Green Isle Garden Peas are perfect for summer salads or side dish. Vegan friendly and contain no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives, each 80g portion counts as 1 of your 5 a day!
In the spirit of reducing food waste, check out www.greenisle.ie/recipes/ for inspiration for your own versions of each dish. Get creative and swap in or add whatever vegetables, fresh produce, pantry items or herbs you have to hand! For example, butter beans would work as well as chickpeas, yoghurt can take the place of sour cream. It’s all about using up what you have
Encouraging households to eat well, Green Isle has five simple steps on how to meal plan and reduce food waste: 1. Think Before You Shop – Make a list before you shop to save time, money and food waste. Always check what’s in your fridge/freezer and shop with meals for the week ahead in mind which will help prevent over-buying. Think how you can use up what you have left over, before planning on buying any new items. 2. Use or Lose Your Food – 60% of people end up throwing away fresh food because its passed its ‘use-by’ date. Substitute fresh products and stock up with frozen alternatives like frozen fruits, vegetables and fish, use what you need plus you don’t have to worry about use by dates and it will save you money. 3. Stock Up – Having a well-stocked cupboard or pantry makes meals easier and quicker to prepare. Having a kitchen stocked full of items that have a long shelf life such as grains, beans, spices, favourite sauces can save time and dress up any meal. Make sure to use airtight containers to keep open food fresh in the fridge and ensure packets, jars etc. are closed to stop food going stale. 4. Love Your Freezer – The freezer is your friend for meal planning and family meal solutions. Plan ahead and pack your freezer with home-made meals, fresh and frozen ingredients to quick and tasty meals when needed. A freezer clear-out every 3 months will ensure you use up everything and nothing goes to waste. Don’t forget the First In/First Out rule, always put newer items to the back of the freezer and bring older ones to the front. 5. Love Your Leftovers - More than half of households say they throw away food because they’ve cooked too much. Use leftover to prepare and store meals for the week ahead, a smart way to make sure you eat everything you buy. For inspiration for your next family meal plan recipe visit www.greenisle.ie
Slán go fóill,
Danny