April is Earth Month, making it the perfect time to switch up your daily habits in favor of more sustainable choices. What’s one of the best places to start? In your kitchen! Armed with sustainable recipes, you can reduce food waste, make environmentally friendly choices and even save some money. Best of all? Eco-friendly cooking doesn’t require a huge commitment and even small changes can have a big impact. From where you shop and what you buy, to learning how to reduce waste and conserve energy, being eco-conscious in the kitchen can help you and your family promote a healthier planet.
Not sure where to begin? We’ve got plenty of pointers and sustainable recipes to help you reach your eco-friendly goals. Start this April, and 2025 may just be your greenest year yet!
Essential Tips for Sustainable Cooking
For a healthier tomorrow, sustainable living is something we should all embrace. Though it can seem like a daunting task, it’s not so scary once you know where to begin. We’ve all heard of reducing, reusing and recycling. Now, just move those habits into the kitchen, and make sustainable cooking an integral part of each and every day!
- Buy Local – One of the easiest paths to sustainable cooking is to fill your kitchen with seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients. These ingredients don’t have to travel far to reach your plate, making them better for the planet. Plus, buying groceries that are grown or made in your area supports local farmers and businesses.
- Ditch the Meat – Opt for plant-based or lower-impact proteins whenever possible. Not ready to go vegan? That’s ok! Start with Meatless Monday and go from there. Even using smaller portions of meat can have a positive effect.
- Plan Ahead! – Planning out your weekly menu before you head to the store can help reduce food waste and save you money. Not only will you avoid buying more food than you need, you’ll also have a plan in place for how to use what you buy. Reducing food waste is a simple, eco-friendly habit to adopt.
- Stay Organized — Beyond knowing what you need and when, it’s important to store food properly to keep it fresh. Buy grains, pulses, rice and pasta in bulk and store them in labeled, airtight containers. Don’t wash produce until you’re ready to use it and store it properly to maximize longevity. Some foods, such as potatoes, should be stored in breathable containers in a cool, dark spot. Others, such as apples or pears, are best stored in plastic bags in the fridge.
- Meal Prep — As simple as it may sound, batch cooking is a great way to reduce food waste, use less energy and guard you from the temptations of takeout! When you cook once but eat several times, you can use ingredients at their prime, save money and make the most of your time and energy.
- Get Creative – One person’s kitchen scraps are another person’s vegetable broth and simple syrup. If you’ve never repurposed vegetable and fruit peels, citrus rinds and other scraps, it’s time to learn the amazing things they can do. Ingredients that can flavor broth, soups, syrups and more, these oft-overlooked cooking remnants can easily be given new life in the kitchen.
- Eat Every Crumb – When you know how to approach leftovers, making too much dinner is never a problem! Whether you simply reheat and eat, or prefer to repurpose leftovers into something entirely new, there are plenty of ways to ensure no food goes to waste in your kitchen. Even simple leftover rice can be given new life with a little creativity and very little effort.
- Reduce Your Use – Making more sustainable choices can often come down to simple planning. Need to turn the oven on to bake a lasagna? Take the opportunity to roast peppers for tomorrow’s tacos! Similarly, try to be smart about water use in the kitchen. Some ideas include filling a bowl with water to clean produce instead of letting the tap run, steaming vegetables instead of boiling and storing water in the fridge for when you need cool water instead of running the water until it’s cold.
Zero Waste and Sustainable Recipes for Every Day
Now that you know how to be more eco-conscious in the kitchen, try these sustainable recipes to get your Earth Month off to a great start.
Easy Shrimp Fried Rice
Quick-cooking shrimp, eggs, vegetables and Success® boil-in-bag jasmine rice come together in this speedy weeknight dish. Leftover rice makes this dish even easier to assemble.
Spanish Rice
Seasoned tomato sauce and aromatics turn rice — white, brown, leftover or fresh — into a zesty, savory dish. Throw in extra veggies, or pair this with a simple grilled protein, for a delicious dinner that’s a snap to make.
Thanksgiving Feast Stuffed Peppers
A creative way to repurpose Thanksgiving leftovers, these hearty stuffed peppers are comforting, satisfying, and worlds away from the traditional feast.
Rice Salad with Spicy Cilantro Dressing
A bounty of vegetables — including cabbage, cucumber, radishes and more — bring zesty, bright flavors to this tempting tumble of greens. As for the cilantro dressing? It’s bold, creamy and fresh with just the right amount of kick! When you have them on hand, use day-old rice and leftover chicken in this dish.
Zero-Waste Moroccan Spice Rice & Lentil Pilaf with Quick-Pickled Preserved Lemon
A vegan dish with flavor to spare, this dynamic pilaf will surprise everyone at the table. Made with Success® boil-in-bag basmati rice, a slew of seasonings, add-ins and inexpensive, protein-rich lentils, this zero-waste recipe should be a year-round go-to.
Teriyaki Chicken Fried Rice
Ground chicken and nutty Success® boil-in-bag brown rice are a powerhouse duo in this unique fried rice recipe. Toss in a few cups of veggies to stretch your protein further, and up the number of servings.
Crunchy Thai Peanut & Quinoa Salad
Success® boil-in-bag quinoa is a protein-rich, plant-based ingredient that works well in a variety of recipes. Here, it joins forces with crisp cabbage mix, plenty of herbs, a sweet, fragrant dressing and buttery peanuts in a salad that you’ll be tempted to inhale around the clock.
Buddha Bowl with Spicy Peanut Sauce
It’s hard to think of many ingredients that wouldn’t benefit from a generous drizzle of rich, sweet and fiery peanut sauce. Lavished on roasted tofu, steamed broccoli and a fluffy pile of Success® boil-in-bag white rice, it turns a plant-based bowl of ingredients into a certifiable delight!
Cheesy Denver Omelet Stir-Fried Rice
Combined with scrambled eggs, red pepper, Success® boil-in-bag brown rice and a liberal amount of cheese, a handful of ham becomes a complete meal. Get dinner on the table in record time by making this with reheated rice.
Cheesy Italian Leftover Rice Bake
Breathe new life into leftovers with this ooey, gooey casserole. Though the recipe calls for Success® boil-in-bag white rice, any type of leftover rice will work in this straightforward recipe.
Edamame Brown Rice & Lentil Salad
Packed with tasty, sustainable ingredients, this vegan recipe is an Earth Month all-star. Easy to make and quick-cooking, it’s also a favorite with those looking to eat well without breaking a sweat.
Earth Month is the perfect time to work your way towards a more sustainable home kitchen! By adopting eco-friendly habits, learning to make environmentally friendly choices, and turning to sustainable recipes, you can do your part toward a greener future. Invite Success® Rice into your kitchen, and make sustainable cooking a natural part of every day.