Created by:

Isolde Limé
August Lindemer
Mariia Pavliuk
Katie Vonderembse
 Table of Content
1. Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………………… II
2. The Authors …………………………………………………………………………………… III
3. In Season With Reason ……………………………………………………………… 1
4. Stopping When Shopping ……………………………………………………………… 7
5. Grappling With Wrapping ………………………………………………………… 11
6. The Heat With Meat ……………………………………………………………………… 15
7. The Best of the Rest ………………………………………………………………… 22
8. Storage Only Rhymes With Porridge ……………………………… 26
References (The Boring Stuff) ………………………………………………… 32
I II
Welcome to the world of tomorrow!
Or even better, the world of today – because with the tips you’ll find in this
booklet you can start saving money and eating more sustainably right away. In
the following six chapters, you will find information on everything food related
from the moment you pick it up in the supermarket to the moment it lands in
your trash. The overarching idea is quite simple: reduce waste in all shapes and
forms – money, food, packaging, energy, you name it!
Before we get into it, let us take this opportunity to tell you a bit
about ourselves and how we came to write this food guide. We four
are students like you, and in line of our studies decided to pursue a
group project that contributes to sustainability in some tangible way –
this booklet is the result of that! We hope that in reading it you will
discover useful information that helps you as much as it helped us
while writing it. To give you an idea of who presents what chapter to
you, and what our personal interests and challenges were during the
creation of this booklet, let us briefly introduce ourselves.
 The Authors
I’m interested in what the individual can do for the environment, and I can often spend many
hours trying to find ideas on how to reduce waste or find more eco-friendly options in my
everyday life. This is why I wanted to be a part of writing a book that aims at collecting
different thoughts, and maybe help someone else in their struggles.
I tried to go plastic free for two weeks regarding my food consumption. I think it went okay
solely because I already had food at home. It also made me use some of the food I have had
at home for a while.
The first time I went to the store, I hadn’t prepared at all, and I came out from the store
juggling 8 potatoes and a bag of muesli. Luckily I had some eggs and veggies at home, so
didn’t have to skip any meals that day!
Another night I just ended up buying a pizza because I didn’t have any energy to think about
what I could possibly buy to feed myself. (At home I found a piece of plastic inside the box
which I think was supposed to keep the top from touching the pizza. Totally unnecessary.)
In the end, I found myself making my own oat milk and wasting less cartons – great success!
I will present the chapters on shopping and packaging, and try to figure out what the best
options are when you’re in the store ready to shop.
I am currently getting a PhD degree in Physical Chemistry – renewable energetics. I am a
beginner in sustainable development, but being open to new things and thanks to friends and
many other people around that inspire me, I do small steps towards the betterment of
everything that surrounds us. As one of my friends said “Wherever you go – try to leave that
place better than it was!” That’s my credo. Myself being fully involved in science, this project
is completely different from what I have done so far. I will share with you more information
about the personal challenge I did in chapter titled “The Heat with Meat”.
III
Since I’m a student of environmental communication, I was interested in participating in a
group project that with very limited resources produces something that helps to facilitate
sustainable action. I am confident that with this booklet we succeeded in that matter!
During this project I challenged myself to reduce the amount of package waste my
consumption produced. As I like to think of myself as a tea-addict, one of the primary
sources of packaging on my grocery list comes from milk cartons. Inspired by my project
mate Isolde, I gave making my own milks a shot. Turns out that blending your own oat,
almond or coconut milk is actually incredibly easy – and cheaper! On top of that you can mix
different nuts, seeds and grains to match your favorite taste, which apart from being tasty is
a lot of fun.
I will present the chapter on seasonal food to you, and hope that you will find some
inspiration to fill your plate with more seasonal fruits and vegetables!
As an environmental science undergraduate major studying abroad in Uppsala for the
semester, I was interested in undergoing a sustainability project that would challenge my
understanding of sustainable development. I was particularly interested in creating a
sustainable food guide, not only to share with others, but so I could also learn from it myself.
Global hunger is such an important issue, and I want to make any impact I can to mitigate this
problem.
During my research for my part of the book (chapters on leftovers and storage), I challenged
myself to reduce food waste by not throwing away food that could be saved for later. As a
student who is always on the go, I have found that I have had good intentions to store food for
later but have still let food go to waste. By becoming more conscious of my schedule and
portioning my food better, I have begun to waste less food. A good incentive for me was the
fact that I could save a lot of money by reducing food waste, while also being more sustainable.
I want to try and continuously challenge myself to use leftovers and store foods efficiently. I
hope others will be motivated by this guide book in the same way I was.
IV
 It comes as no surprise, that a book that
talks about more sustainable ways to eat
and treat food is bound to talk about
vegetables and fruits. No, we are not going
to tell you to finish the asparagus on your
plate, but the food you eat should not only
sustain the environment but your health
too. You have most likely heard it preached
before, so we save you from reading
through a list of all the benefits of eating
plenty of vegetables yet another time.
Something that is less frequently discussed
however, is what to keep in mind when
getting your veggie game on.
Different vegetables and fruits grow at
different times. The difference in the
environmental impact of food that is in and
out of season is immense. What can’t be
grown in Sweden, will need to be shipped
in. Much of the food in Sweden is of course
imported in either case, but since the
seasons are similar in countries close to
each other, out of season food is often
shipped across half the planet to end up in
the super market shelf. But don’t sweat,
eating in season with reason is easier and
more delicious than it may appear!
Apart from seasonality, you can approximate the environmental impact of
fruits and vegetables you are eating simply by checking how squishy they
are. Sounds weird, but there’s a good reason for that. Coarse vegetables
such as cabbage, broccoli, or carrot and hard fruits such as apples and pears
are grown on open land. After their harvest, their transport and storage is
rather unproblematic, and in general the harder the vegetable or fruit, the
longer it will stay fresh. Soft vegetables such as tomatoes or lettuce on the
other hand are usually cultivated in greenhouses. Their irrigation and
handling requires more energy, in particular their subsequent transport and
storage.

On the next pages, you will find handy overviews of fruits and vegetables that are
seasonally produced right here in Sweden. If you want to try out eating more seasonal
There is not just one way of eating seasonal. The yourself, you can just check what’s in season and write down these foods at the top of
different forms of seasonal consumption have your grocery list. If you like a challenge, why not go one week building your dishes
different carbon footprints, each compared to around those vegetables that are in season? If it is summer, you may even go full in-
non-seasonal consumption in the graph to the season!
right (1). The best part is, that the products currently in season are usually the cheapest too! By
A: No import or greenhouse choosing those vegetables and fruits that are produced closer to home and of which
B: No import there are plenty, you are not only reducing the impact on the environment but on
C: No import outside of Europe your wallet too.
D: Non-seasonal consumption

1 2
 You are alive! If you read this, you either successfully survived the Swedish winter, or
you did the smart thing and moved here after it was over. In either case, the good Summer – the by far best time to indulge in seasonal eating, or living in Sweden in general
news is that things are slowly starting to grow again. Beginning in April, the first berries for that matter. The sun is driving Swedes out of their houses, and vegetables out of the
become locally available. These are usually strawberries and raspberries, as both are ground. From bell pepper to the aptly named summer squash, and artichokes to
technically not berries but so called ‘accessory fruits’. As such, they have a slightly cauliflower, the stores and markets are filled with local and fresh veggies and fruits from
longer seasonal period. I know, nature is weird. You now also have several vegetables which you can craft the perfect dishes for the warm summer weather.
back on the local menu, with Swedish corn salad (mâche), cucumbers, and asparagus
appearing in stores and markets in April. Starting in May, you can start adding
tomatoes and spinach to your Swedish food list.

Food in Season From June to August

Food in Season From March to May Summer Squash Radishes Onions

Carrots
Sugar Peas Strawberries
Potatoes
Tomatoes
Tomatoes Bell Pepper
Asparagus
Cucumbers
Carrots Broccoli Celery
Raspberries
Cauliflower
Potatoes Lettuce
Beetroot Spinach
Artichokes
Garlic Raspberries
Onions
Corn Salad Cucumbers Corn Salad
Apples Strawberries

3 4
 As The Beatles used to say: ‘Here comes the rain’ – or something like that. Fall is
actually an excellent time for plenty of fruits, be it cherries, apples, plums or pears. It is
Buckle up, this is a hard one. Regardless of what you are going to eat during this season,
no coincidence that this is the time of year that people traditionally made fruit cakes.
Sweden has a lot of darkness and ice in store for you. While your seasonal options are
This is also an excellent time, should you have a sweet tooth, to make all kinds of jams
rather limited during this period, essentials such as apples, carrots, potatoes and beets
and marmalades. In addition to fruits there are many vegetables that either continue
continue to be available seasonally and regionally. This is mostly due to their longevity –
or start to be in season, such as squash, all kinds of cabbages, and kale.
most starchy fruits and vegetables can easily be kept fresh, if stored correctly, for several
If you enjoy walks in the forest, this is also the perfect opportunity to pick mushrooms
months.
yourself! Swedish forests are filled with edible mushrooms of all types, but make sure
Before going overboard and limiting your food options too much, remember that your
you inform yourself about what types can be eaten first.
consumption needs to sustain your well being and health as much as anything else. The
other chapters in this booklet will give you information on how you can eat more
sustainable even if the fruits and vegetables you are buying are by necessity out of season.

Food in Season From September to November

Mushrooms Carrots Broccoli Food in Season From December to February

Pears
Carrots Onions Brussels sprouts
Tomatoes
Spinach
Cabbage
Potatoes
Raspberries
Plums Cabbage
Potatoes Strawberries Cherries
Squash
Onions Squash Beetroot
Apples Kale
Apples Beetroot

5 6
 But what about locally produced food? Is it not better than organic food?
Apparently both yes and no. Like everything else, it depends on the context. But let’s try to
figure it out.
What do you have to think about when Often it is the actual production that has greater impact on the environment and can be
shopping? more harmful to workers - not the transport. Buying organic foods from other countries can
A question I have struggled with is whether it’s thus be the better choice at times. Especially if the local produce is grown in green houses
that run on fossil fuel. Tomatoes farmed in Spain can then be the better option in Swedish
better to buy locally produced food or organic
winter (3).
food if you have to choose between the two.
Moreover, food in Europe has certain requirements that have to be fulfilled before they can
be labelled organic, so when buying these you know that they in fact are organic. The term
‘locally produced’ can vary, however. Does it mean the local municipality, Sweden, or
This may not sound appealing to the money-saving part of perhaps Scandinavia? Sometimes, products that are labelled as local produce, are grown in
you, but it is important to switch to more organic foods if Sweden, packaged elsewhere, and then sold at a market at yet another place or country,
we want to contribute to a better environment. Animals where it is bought and imported back to Sweden (4).
will be happier and the farmers will get better paid which Transportation is not always irrelevant though. Consider not buying as much food that
makes them happier as well. Buying more organic requires air transportation such as fresh fruit during our dark winter months. Mango and
products will increase biodiversity and contribute to a pineapple are always from a tropic country - no matter how much we want it, we cannot
richer nature. grow them in Sweden.
Bear in mind, switching to all things organic is not going to
magically reduce the emissions of climate gases, we still
have to consider changing our consumption habits. For
example, organic meat has the same effect on the climate
as conventionally produced meat, whereas organic
vegetables noticeably affect the climate less (2). So load
up on those veggies peeps! Even though organic meat still
impacts the climate, organic meat farming has other
Local benefits, such as healthier animals and less pesticides
Organic produce which otherwise can be harmful to other living things
produce around. Pesticides can spread to the food and water we
drink, and can directly harm the person handling it.

7 8
 There are several national and international labels that indicate that a product is a better choice. Look for these labels when you shop for food! Certain criteria need to be followed to get these
To begin with, in Sweden there are labels showing if a grocery store is trying to run more labels, and you know that the production of what you buy is more responsible and sustainable
sustainably. Both Svanen (the Swan) and Bra Miljöval (Good Environmental Choice) show that (7).
some stores meet certain demands regarding their environmental work. This includes routines
like recycling, energy efficiency, and providing enough organic and eco-labelled products. They
are simply there to help customers make better and eco-friendlier choices.

In Uppsala, the following stores are Svanen labelled (5):

Maxi Ica Stormarknad Uppsala
Ica Supermarket Luthagens Livs
Ica Supermarket Torgkassen
Ica Kvantum Uppsala, Gränby
Maxi Ica Stormarknad Gnista
City Gross Uppsala

The following stores are labelled with Bra Miljöval (6): Look for: KRAV, EU Ekologiskt, Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, UTZ, Svenskt Sigill Klimatcertifierat,
All Willys and Ica Supermarket Torgkassen Svenskt Sigill Naturbeteskött, MSC and ASC.

9 10
 What about saving money then?
• If you buy your dry goods in economy packages it will often be
cheaper, plus it requires less packaging in total.
Are there any good packages to buy food in? Is glass always good? • If you prepare your own snacks instead of buying something to eat
It is clearly difficult to decide which bag or package is best, and debates can go on forever. everyday you can both save money and use less packaging. Or buy
Package free food is of course the ultimate option, but there are only two package free stores foods in bulk and just bring however much you want in your own
in Sweden, both outside of Uppsala, and otherwise there are often only a few items that you containers.
can buy in bulk, such as muesli and nuts.
• Some say avoid plastic to every extent, but sometimes it might actually be the better choice
depending on what aspect you look at. It can prolong the lifetime of some foods, such as
cucumber. Sometimes only a little plastic is used, and less material is required than if any
other material were to be used, which lessens the total emission of the product (8).
• Tin cans and glass jars can be recycled as many times as possible, but extensive energy is
used in production and recycling. Moreover, they are also heavy to transport, and glass jars
tend to be quite fragile (8).
• The best option seems to be cardboard boxes, since the production of them uses less
energy, and they are easy to recycle. (8)
• The fewer materials used in the packaging, the better. It is more difficult to separate mixed
materials and recycle them, than if only one material is used.

Oat milk - approx. 1 litre

3 dl oats
15 dl water
3 tbsp neutral oil
a pinch of salt

Blend everything together until smooth.

Strain it (I simply use a sieve, but there are cloths
perfect for this).
Pour it into a clean bottle.
Voila! Will last in the fridge for about 4 days.
Remember to shake well before use.
Remember to recycle everything that can be recycled! The packages don’t have to be
rigorously cleaned, but do empty them completely, otherwise they might not make it to The oat pulp I’m left with after making the milk is
the right bin, and the recycling was done in vain (9). perfect in my morning smoothies!

11 12
 Plastic bags – the everlasting problem Start with some easy steps:
It is estimated that the general Swede uses 198 soft plastic bags per year. In 2017, The
1 Try to avoid buying plastic bags. I know, they’re really good for throwing waste in,
Swedish Trade Federation bought in at least 832,000,000 plastic bags for consumers to
but if you don’t have any other way of throwing away garbage, it can be better to buy
bring home their shopping in, but it isn’t clear if that is the final number.
plastic bags on rolls instead - they are usually thinner than normal plastic bags which
The EU wants to reduce the yearly consumption of soft plastic bags to under 40 bags per
demands less energy in production, and less plastic waste when thrown away. Usually
person by the year of 2025. To meet this goal, the Swedish government has therefore
there is no print on them either (12).
introduced a regulation saying that by the year of 2019, only 90 plastic bags should be
consumed by person per year in Sweden and by 2025, the number of bags per person
2. Tote bags are good if you use them often, very often. According to a study in the
should be only 40. The Swedish regulation also includes thicker plastic bags, since they
UK, a tote bag has to be used hundreds of times to ensure that it has a lower impact
wish to reduce the consumption of them as well (10).
on the environment than a normal plastic bag (13).

3. Most of us have bags of some kind at home already. Instead of buying a paper bag
which is continuing consumption, bring your own bag or backpack, or reuse old bags.

Most of the time I have a bag of
some kind with me when I go
shopping. It is rare that I have to
buy a bag at the store, but it does
happen occasionally.
• Can you reduce your
consumption of plastic bags to
under 40 a year?
4. Why don’t you make your own simple bags of some fabric you have lying around at
home? Good for both veggies and tote bags!
Even though plastic might not always be bad, it is a
material that does cause a lot of harm around the world,
for example when it ends up in oceans and inside
animals. If a plastic bag ends up in nature, it can take
400-1000 years for it to break down into really small
pieces. It is important to reduce the overall consumption
of bags instead of just substituting it for some other
material. The production of plastic bags only requires
half the energy compared to the production of paper
bags, and they are more durable (11). On the other
hand, plastic bags are often made by fossil fuels,
whereas paper bags are made from renewable sources,
and it is difficult to provide a simple answer to which bag
is actually the better choice (12).

13 14
 Impact on the climate
Animal production is known to account for almost a
fifth of the world's total
greenhouse gas emissions.
Meat is delicious. The majority would agree with that. Its production however comes At the same time, the independent analytical center
with quite a few problems. Also, there are equally delicious alternatives! We can of the Worldwatch Institute (16) points to a
therefore make a big difference if we reduce our meat portions or swap a couple of multitude of miscalculations in the generally
meals a week which contain beef, lamb, pork or chicken for vegetarian alternatives. accepted estimates. According to their research,
Right now Swedes consume 50 - 55 kilo meat and meat products per year, according to with a thorough consideration of all factors, the
impact of agro-industry reaches 51%, and therefore
the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (14), which is more than a kilo per week
is the main cause of climate change.
per person. The Swedish Board of Agriculture states that the meat consumption has
increased by 40 per cent since 1990. At the same time, meat is the kind of food that
affects the environment most.
This impact takes into account data from
various life cycle assessments of meat The
Chinese government did not
production: electricity, fertilizers, feed,
limit itself to declaring
transportation, fuel, resources required
environmental hazards due to
for cultivation and harvesting, as well as meat usage, but introduced a
storage and other inputs for animals. plan to reduce the
consumption of meat by the
Small population by 50% in the near
future.
LagoM
Large Regional differences
Lagom meat consumption We need to take into account also where exactly meat/dairy products are
The concept of Lagom finds its roots from the legend of the “A global shift made. The dairy production in Northern Sweden requires higher total energy
Vikings, who while sharing a pitcher of mead around the campfire, towards a vegan diet use (about 40 % more for a liter of milk) compared to those produced in
took only so much, that there would be still enough to share with is vital to save the south-west Sweden (17, 18). This difference arise from the fact, that less
others. Basically everyone took lag + om, to share among the team, world from hunger, cereal is cultivated in northern Sweden, and thus farms need to purchase
as “lag” from Swedish stands for team (15). This chapter will share fuel poverty and the them elsewhere, while transportation is energy-consuming. Additionally
with you the idea of Lagom meat consumption. worst impacts of Northern Sweden has higher need for lighting, ventilation and food storage.
climate change”

15 16
 The effect on the agricultural landscape Transportation of meat
For preserving the variation in the landscape and biodiversity, pastures need to be kept One needs to know that keeping livestock in itself generates high
open. Unfortunately a large amount of waste (manure, litter, urine) is formed and quantities of emissions, and in this case the proportion that comes from
stored in industrial farms, which are preserved mainly in vast open lagoons. Through transportation will be comparatively small. At the same time, large
volumes of feed and meat are transported, and meat also needs to be
them waste can enter and pollute underground and surface water.
kept refrigerated during transportation. Overall, this does have an
impact on total greenhouse gas emissions. How much emissions are
generated depends on how FAR, how efficiently and by what transport
Around the animal farms the bad
method the product is shipped. Transportation by train and boat results
breath is spread. Among the
in lower emissions than by air and long distances by truck. (20)
emissions into the air is ammonia,
which leads to acid rain and nitrogen
deposition. It damages crops and
natural ecosystems. The methane
molecule (emissions from cattle)
inflicts 27 times more damage to the
atmosphere than the CO2 molecule.
Ammonia emissions can cause the
formation of aerosols, known for
harm to human health.

Meat products increase the probability of cancer - the

World Health Organization
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of
The Water Footprint Network the World Health Organization (21) has stated that
processed meat products - ham, sausages, corn, dried
Worldwide about 1/4 of fresh water is used for animal husbandry. The opening of each large
meat, canned meat, etc. - belong to the "Group 1" - the
farm negatively affects the water balance of the territory. Depending on the capacity, one
most harmful compounds, which critically increase the
industrial farm uses 300-500m3 of water per day, which equates to the water consumption of
likelihood of oncological illness. This group already includes
a small village. Such calculations include only the amount of water directly used for the
such harmful carcinogens as arsenic, tobacco, asbestos and
maintenance of animals, without taking into account the associated costs. In particular, for the
diesel evaporation. The red meat, such as beef, lamb and
production of 1 kg of chicken 4300 liters of water are used, 6000 liters for 1kg of pork, and
pork, was attributed to "Group 2A" - the compounds that
15500 liters for 1kg of beef. For comparison: the production of one kilogram of lentils needs
are likely to cause cancer.
only 50 liters of water (19).

17 18
 The use of pesticides Beef vs. Pork vs. Lamb vs. Chicken… Production
Feeds for pigs and poultry contain a larger proportion of
cereals than feeds for cattle and sheep. At the same time In Sweden beef production comes from both did not eat them, thus resulting in same
more pesticides are used in growing cereals than in the specialist beef cattle breeds, culled dairy cows environmental impact.
cultivation of roughage. and calves from dairy cows. In guidelines (16) it According to the Swedish Environmental
is said that about 20-50kg of methane per Protection Agency, roe deer release 7.6kg,
animal a year is emitted from the digestive moose 60kg of methane per animal a year.
Pigs, poultry, and also cattle, are often given soybeans, which require system of the cattle. During its lifetime, cow can Methane emissions from reindeer are
large quantities of pesticides to cultivate. Nearly half of all antibiotics in produce more than 1 tonne of methane (19). uncertain, but it is suggested that reindeer
the world are used in animal husbandry, according to CIWF. This is one In contrast to cattles, pigs and poultry being release almost 50kg of carbon dioxide per kg
of the reasons why pharmaceutical companies can support and monograstric and growing faster, release much of carcass weight.
promote the consumption of meat products. Excessive use of lower methane per year (about 1.5kg). This is In all cases much more greenhouse
antibiotics on farms leads to the emergence and spread of viruses and about 15-30 times less methane per year, than emissions arise from feedstuffs, i.e.
antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Industrial farms can be the main centers the cow emits. cultivation, transport, storage and meat
for the emergence or spread of swine or avian flu. We could not find data on Swedish lamb processing.
production. Williams et al. 2006 said that in
England and Wales 18-10 kg of carbon dioxide
was produced per kg of sheep carcass weight
(including bones).
Just to know: Game animals in contrast to domestic animals
During the lifecycle of one In 1918, the H1N1 virus, similar would still exist even if we
chicken 760mg of herbicides, to the current swine flu virus,
40mg of insecticides and 6mg of caused a pandemic, killing Chicken/Poultry
fungicides are used per kg of about 50 million people (~ 5%
boneless fat-free meat. of the world's population)."
Pork
Eutrophication
The process of eutrophication is an environmental problem that partially occurs due to the Lamb
leakage of the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus from farmland. Livestock breeding causes Steers produce higher methane
heavy metal accumulation in the soil according to the World Food Organization (WOF). emission per kg than bulls due
Environmental threats from the activity of animal farms include the accumulation of excess to lower ability to put on Game animals
nutrients and heavy metals in the soil, which leads to a decrease in the fertility of the land and a muscle. Steers easier get fat on
reduction in the amount of agricultural land. According to the WOF (22) about half of excess high levels of feed and thus
phosphorus is produced through industrial livestock production. must be grown slower to get Beef
same results. Methane
Carbon Dioxide
19 20
 Recipes
Check the following websites for great vegetarian cooking:
1)www.cookinglight.com/food/vegetarian/simple-vegetarian-recipes;
2)www.yummly.com/recipes/traditional-swedish-vegetarian;
3)www.joythebaker.com/?s=vegetarian
Swedish vegetarian meatballs
Cook 2 cups of dried lentils for 30 min with a bit of salt, and a garlic
glove in 6 cups of water. Strain through a colander and discard the
garlic. Transfer to large bowl and add 1/4 cup sauteed mushrooms,
1/4onion, 1 garlic clove, 1/4 cup of fresh herbs, spices, salt, pepper
and 1 cup of breadcrumbs. Whisk 2 eggs until well combined with 1
cup of ricotta cheese and 1 teaspoon dijon mustard and add to a big
bowl. Mix all ingredients properly. Make meatballs and put them into
preheated oven (180°C) for 20min. Do drizzle meatballs with olive oil
before baking.
Personal note on challenge
I love meat and was grown in a family, where we
ate meat and dairy products every day. Thus some
of my friends noticed it and called me a person
who cannot live without meat. I will not deny it.
But 2 years ago I bet with a friend of mine that I
will easily survive a month without meat (though
still allowing myself to eat fish (stage 4)). I found
another friend who decided to join me. So…both
of us started our nonmeat-month. I faced a
problem – what to cook??? I know sooo many
recipes with meat, but almost none without. I
tried my best, but found it super hard. I did not
want to eat just vegetables - I needed help.
You can do it also!

Challenge
Depending on how high your meat consumption is at the
current time try to decrease it gradually or play hard.
Step 1: once a week try to exchange one of your everyday
meals for the vegetarian one.
Step 2: try keeping one day a week without meat
Step 3: try to stay one full week without meat
Step 4: prolong your challenge for a month without meat
(rarely allowing fish)
Step 5: No meat for a month (note: no fish)
Step 6: Expand your challenge for a longer period
“QUORN” vego-products can
be found in Willys or some
other shops. They are very
tasty and great for those who
begin to be vegetarian. I
could not find a difference
with the meat options, and
some of “Quorn” products
were even tastier!
I was lucky that a person who challenged me, decided to support me also. He taught me many
super tasty recipes. And I found myself – I lost so much by limiting my meals to meat
consumption. There are so many tasty, surprising, colorful, dishes around, which do not require
meat.. And it does not take that much time to cook them! That was my first step. I need to be
honest – I did not feel this challenge completed, as I allowed myself eating fish, milk and dairy
products. So you see couple of times I did things wrong.
This did not stop me. And this year I challenged myself. I decided to do stage 5, basically no
meat/fish for 40days. How did it go? – Perfect!!! I am happy I made it. There was a positive side
affect, which I felt after the challenge. My attitude to food consumption changed. I felt that I do
not need that much food on a table (this takes into account not only meat), I do not need to buy
half a shop to fulfill my needs, I came myself to Lagom consumption. Lagom- just enough!
Try yourself and let me know how will it go for you.

20 21

The average Swede throws away around
19 kg of perfectly edible food every
year. Including liquids, this number rises
to 26 kg. The average Swedish
household could save SEK 5000 a year if
food was not wasted (22). In 2013,
SMED (Swedish Environmental Emissions
Data) conducted a study to quantify food
and drink waste in Swedish households.
Results showed that 70% of the waste
was discarded from leftovers from
cooking (23). Not only is wasting food
harmful financially, but it also has
negative environmental impacts. Food
production contributes to climate
change and other environmental issues,
such as eutrophication from farming.
When food is wasted, the carbon
footprint left by food production was for
nothing (22). Often, food that is thrown
22
away could be used for leftovers. By
using leftovers we can reduce the need
to purchase more food. We can also look
at leftovers as an opportunity to be
creative -they can make a great lunch for
the next day or an exciting ingredient for
a new recipe.
• If you hope to save leftover food, don’t put too much on your plate -
• Even if you only have small amounts of food, they are worth saving - freeze them in
Safely Keeping Leftovers in the Fridge (24)
• Leftovers can typically be kept for 3-4 days in the refrigerator - if cannot be
eaten in over 4 days, try freezing the food for longer use
• Food poisoning can occur if leftovers are kept over 4 days in a refrigerator
• Make sure leftovers are properly reheated on a stove or in an oven or
microwave
psychologically it is harder to save food that has been on somebody else’s plate
a jar or plastic bag -helpful for pasta and rice
Pyttipanna Recipe (Swedish Hash)
Typical ingredients: cooked potatoes (peeled), leftover meat,
smoked bacon/sausage, onions, eggs, fresh herbs, oil, butter
Method visit http://honestcooking.com/pytt-i-panna-
1. Roughly dice the peeled potatoes, bacon, for
swedish-hash/ meat and sausage
full recipe
2. Heat a large non-stick frying pan or wok on a medium heat;
add butter, oil, potatoes, onions
3. Meanwhile, heat a separate pan and when hot add the meat
4. When the meat is cooked, add to the potatoes and mix
thoroughly; add fried eggs or yolks on top; add fresh herbs
23
 7
Leftovers = new ingredients: you can use leftovers as an
9 Creative Ways to Use Leftovers (25) ingredient for another meal; for example, you can use leftover
meat, vegetables, and rice as ingredients for a burrito, just add
fresh sour cream and salsa

1
Leftovers night: if you set a night of the week for leftovers you
can make sure that you actually eat what you’ve saved

8
Make your own veggie stock: Keep all your vegetable scraps in
a gallon zipper bag in the freezer; when the bag is full, defrost,

2 Make both dinner and lunch: turn your leftovers from dinner
into an pre-prepared lunch for the following day dump into a pot with water, simmer for 2 hours, and strain -
now you have your own homemade veggie stock

Recoup with soup: lots of leftovers can be blended to create

3 ingredients for a soup - an easy way to use leftover vegetables

or chicken
9
Buy bigger portions: it can be cheaper to buy food items in
bigger-sized portions - divide these items into portions you
know you will eat and refrigerate or freeze the rest of the
A leftover salad: Throw leftover vegetables, cheese, and

4 meats into a bowl of lettuce or spinach to make your own

salad
portions

Save the stale bread: bread seems to quickly lose its

5 freshness, but try putting olive oil and seasonings on stale

bread, wrapping it in foil, and throwing it in the oven
It can sometimes seem a lot easier to throw uneaten food away rather than save it to
use as leftovers (I am guilty of this). You can save a good deal of money by not
wasting food. Try to challenge yourself to eliminate food waste and use food waste:
• See how long you can go without throwing uneaten food after
a meal (A week? A month? A year?)

6 Make leftovers on purpose: sometimes it may be beneficial to

make extra food to save some time later - prepare extra
vegetables for a future soup or pasta, use leftover meats on
sandwiches, cook extra rice for a quick meal later in the week
•

•
Create a record of what leftovers you have saved - plan a leftover night using only
these leftovers
Look up your own recipes that you can make with leftovers -the internet is full of
leftover recipes!

24 25

Waste can be prevented by expanding
the lifespan of food products through
proper storage. On average, food waste
volumes increase along with income-
levels. It is typical for developed
countries to be more wasteful, despite
the fact that most people have access to
correctly store their food in a refrigerator
or freezer (27). Food will last longer
when properly stored--the colder you
store your food, the longer it will stay
fresh. Generally speaking, items that
have begun to spoil are often safe to eat
if they have been stored properly (even if
they look unappealing or taste or smell
bad). That being said, if food starts to
look moldy, then it should be thrown out
(26).
Put food on the proper shelf
Make sure to store opened or cooked
• Put fruits and vegetables on a shelf
food in airtight containers
above any raw meat
• Check to make sure lids are properly
• It is best to place raw meats at the
sealed and that containers are not
bottom of the refrigerator away from
cracked, scratched, or damaged
other foods and to make sure they
are in a sealed container
Keep dry goods dry
• Don’t let dry goods (such as rice,
cornmeal, and flour) get damp in
Remember to never leave
case of contamination of mold or
refrigerated/frozen food items out for
fungus
more than two hours
• To make sure they stay dry, put dry
• Food left out is at risk of reaching the
goods in airtight containers or
danger temperature zone when
canisters
bacteria can begin to grow

Reheating food
In your refrigerator
• It is better to let frozen food thaw
• Don’t overfill your fridge
Food Storage Tips (28, 29) on its own for a bit instead of
• Foods that quickly go off, like milk
putting it directly in microwave
It is important to store food properly for both safety reasons and so that food does not and eggs, should be stored on the
• When reheating food in the
go to waste shelves
microwave, either crack the lid or
• Don’t wash produce before putting it
take it completely off and use a
Choosing the right container in the fridge
splatter guard
• Make sure containers are airtight, leak-proof, and clear • Fruits and vegetables should be kept
• Containers with self-venting lids may be convenient for quick reheating of food in a separate produce drawer
• Some foods, like tomato-based sauces, will stain plastic containers, so it may be
helpful to try glass containers

26 27

How to Store Different Foods (30)
• Whether you are keeping baked goods at room
temperature or freezing them, make sure they’re
tightly wrapped or in an airtight container
• Bakery-style breads and baguettes should be kept in
their original packaging (an airtight bag will turn
crusts soggy) at room temperature
• Any crackers or snack foods kept for more than a
couple of days will stay fresh longer in an airtight
container or bag
• In the fridge: soft cheeses, like Brie and mozzarella
should be kept in an airtight container once open; semi
hard and hard cheeses should be wrapped in wax or
parchment paper then put in a resealable plastic bag (if
freezing, use plastic wrap instead of paper)
• You can put milk and yoghurt in the freezer - transfer
them to freezer containers or freezerproof glass jars,
leaving 1 inch of space at the top to allow for
expansion; once thawed, mix to redistribute the solids
28
•
Don’t wash produce before putting it in the fridge - if it
seems dirty, you can wash and dry it well before putting it
away
• Leave produce in its original packaging or wrapped loosely
in a plastic bag
• If you are storing produce at room temperature, remove all
packaging before storage
• Some items, like apricots and avocados, will ripen faster if
stored in a paper bag
• Ripe bananas can be frozen for baking (the skins will
blacken, but the flesh will be fine)
• For items like arugula, lettuce, and spinach, always check
expiration date on packaging when storing - even if it looks
fresh, bacteria can still form
• Unopened, most of these items can be kept in their
original packaging in the pantry at room temperature for
at least 1 year
• Once opened, items should be stored in the refrigerator
- some items, like olive and vegetable oils, vinegar, and
hot sauce, can stay at room temperature
• Note: any oil with garlic or herbs that is left at room
temperature can develop Clostridium botulinum, a
dangerous toxin
29
 • Most of these items, once open, can be kept at
room temperature in their original packaging in the
pantry
• Exception: baking goods in bags, such as flour,
sugar, and cornmeal, which should be transferred
to airtight containers as soon as you bring them
home
• Exception: dry items, such as grains and rice, which
should be transferred to airtight containers once
open
• For items with active ingredients, like baking
powder and yeast, follow the use-by dates
• Keep in its original packaging in the refrigerator - for
seafood, if possible, place on a bowl of ice (except
live shellfish)
• To freeze, put the packaging in a resealable freezer
bag - for long-term freezing, wrap pieces individually
before bagging
For more information on how to store specific food items, visit:
https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/shopping-storing/food/food-storage
30
• The shelf life of chilled goods can decrease
significantly in the car or when otherwise exposed to
high temperature
• If it takes a long time to get home from the store and
it is warm outside, you might want to take a cooler or
ice chest along.
• Coolers are also good for picnics or long trips - if you
only have a small amount of food like a lunch box or
sandwich, you can put it in a plastic bag along with
some ice packs
How many times has your food gone off and you’ve had to throw it in the trash
(even when it smelled)? We’ve all done it, but proper storage can really help
preserve food for longer. Try these challenges to level up your food storage
abilities:
• Try not to let any of your food go bad - see how long you can go without
throwing out spoiled food
• Keep a schedule of the food that’s in your refrigerator and freezer so you know
what items need to be used sooner
• Buy high-quality food storage containers and start using them regularly - they
come in a variety of colors and sizes
31
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