PLASTIC FREE PANTRY

Los Angeles Audubon is an organization that advocates for a healthier, more ecologically sound environment for both animals and people. And, as you probably know, the main reason any animal disappears or becomes extinct is due to loss of habitat.

One of the main drivers of destruction of habitat is the extraction industry. Oil fields destroy habitat, leave toxic residue long after the wells have run dry, and all too often proper clean-up of the sites is not performed once the oilfield is no longer productive, and then abandoned.

We know that petroleum stock is used to make fuel for all manner of motorized transportation. But 40% of this stock is used to make plastic. Plastic is non-biodegradable, not recycled as much as one would like to think, and is becoming a bigger and bigger source of pollution on our planet.

Due to the massive amounts of packaging that is a part of our convenience driven lifestyle, we all bring loads of plastic into our homes via the food that we eat. The goal of this blog is to demonstrate ways that we can cut down on the plastic that we use in acquiring foods that are staples in most of our pantries (and refrigerators). The recipes that I will be sharing will help to reduce your own personal carbon footprint, require little to no special equipment, support local, independent businesses, and create a delicious product!

The first recipe that I am going to share with you is for homemade yogurt. No fancy yogurt maker (which are also made of plastic!) is required.

Homemade Yogurt

Note: I buy my milk in glass bottles, which can be returned to the place of purchase, where they will then be sent back to the manufacturers. Sprouts and Bristol Farms carry milk in glass bottles. In doing this, you are supporting smaller farms and collectives, and have already avoided plastic!

You will need:

An instant read thermometer
A two-quart sauce pan with a tight-fitting lid
One quart milk
¼ cup plain yogurt-Try to find one with a high bacteria count, like Strauss or Nancy’s

Instructions

Heat milk in saucepan over medium heat to 200 degrees
Cool milk to 110 degrees
Whisk in the ¼ cup of plain yogurt
Place covered saucepan in oven with the oven light on and leave for 8-10 hours
Pour your freshly made yogurt into a glass jar. It will keep for up to 10 days

And that’s it. You can flavor your yogurt with honey, jams, etc. You will of course have to buy store bought yogurt, probably in a plastic container (!) for your first batch, but after that, always save ¼ cup of your yogurt to be used as a starter in successive batches.

I will be adding new recipes frequently—keep checking for more ways to cut back on plastic and add delicious foods to your kitchen!