Instilling an eco-friendly mindset and daily green habits is important for the health and safety of our future generations. Every little bit helps when it comes to taking care of our planet Earth.
 
Yes, even baking!
 

 
While you can take charge and adopt using as many reusable baking equipment and food containers as possible, desserts shouldn’t be making more trouble for the planet than it already does. So here at My Weekend Plan, we want to encourage more responsible baking habits for personal baking.
 
Here’s how you can enjoy your desserts while still being eco-friendly.
  

1.Reusing Leftovers

There are plenty of ingredients that gets leftover after you’re done baking. And it’s always a waste to throw away perfectly edible food. Alas, a lot of stuff will litter your table after you’re done baking, but even more if you’re into dessert decorating.
 
For example if you were to make baked goods with decorative buttercream frosting, you will likely have a lot of frosting leftover after you’re done. In your mixing bowls, piping bags or even dollops of frosting that has fallen onto your work station.

 

 
While there are also many other types of ingredients that you may have leftovers from your baking session, the answer to this is always the same: reuse them for quick and easy to make snacks.
 
For many people, baking a large scale project where leftovers are highly likely means that their products are for people other than themselves. Birthday cakes, thank you gifts or even just trial baking new recipes.
  

2.Use More Eco-friendly And Organic Ingredients

Ensuring that your pantry has as many eco-friendly and organic ingredients has its pros and cons.

 

 
Create more fruit-based desserts for fresh and healthy baked goods that contain more natural sugar. There are several ways for you to use organic fruits in your desserts, so you can be safe and happy in the knowledge that you are using healthier and fresher ingredients when it comes to your baked goods.
 
However, these kinds of ingredients have a higher chance of being more expensive as well as having a shorter shelf life. This is because they contain no preservatives and were not exposed to chemical fertilizers as they were grown.
  

3.Growing Your Own Garden For Herbs And Spices

Of course, self sufficiency is one of the most visible pathways to not having to depend on manufacturers and mass production.
 

 
Start growing your own herbs and spices that you use everyday. If you live in an apartment or condo and don’t have the land to make a garden, planter pots will do just fine to grow your essential needs. Some examples of easy herbs and spices to grow are as below;
 

  • Mint
  • Thyme
  • Lemongrass
  • Rosemary
  • Star anise
  • Pandan

 
Some of these do need to be dehydrated before use like the star anise. But now you can make your spiced cakes from homegrown spices! Others like mint can either be used raw or made into extracts. If you are interested in learning more about natural extracts like you can make with pandan leaves or the previously mentioned mint, read our other article!
  

4.Use Banana Leaves

In SouthEast Asia, banana leaves are a common sight. It’s multi purpose is great for many different forms of food so long as it has been cleaned properly.
 
Reduce the use of plastics and cardboard to serve your cakes with this more vibrant, natural and most importantly, biodegradable alternative!
 

 
Banana leaves can be used for many things such as being woven into a container for cakes.
 
The only downside would be that it isn’t airtight and can’t retain cold air for cakes that need to be stored that way. However, it should be more than enough for the majority of cakes, cookies and other baked treats.
  

5.Mastering Recipes Reduces Ingredient Wastage

Another method to go green when it comes to baking is to reduce wastage. After all, we’ve been taught about the 3R’s since our childhoods: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
 
Any frequent baker can tell you that when it comes to the kitchen, things are gonna get messy.

 

 
When you have mastered how to make a recipe along with honing skills and the hand-eye coordination required for cake decoration you will discover that you can take a new step towards greener baking.
 
You can make more precise measurements as well as avoid spillage and messes that can come when you are trying to perfect the look of your cakes.
 

 
It’s hard to know that the health of Mother Earth is slowly failing. But it’s every little bit that counts!
 
If many individuals take part in ensuring that they practice daily habits that are eco-friendly, it will be easier for us to strive towards a better future for us and the younger generation. Even things like healthier baking can help reinforce the immune systems of vulnerable people in our society such as the young and the elderly.
 
Want to embrace more baking skills and learn advanced recipes? Have a look at our Seasonal and Promo baking classes and see if any of our offers catch your eye!
 
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