Green Cuisine

It’s become expectation over aspiration for our foodie favourites to embody sustainability in all that they do. From the war on single-use plastics, to supply chain transparency and packaging compostability, this is more than a food trend – it’s a philosophy.

We’re seeing plenty of options across ingredients, preparation and packaging to take what’s on your plate to new, sustainable heights.

Hemp: This buzzword has grown wings and very much flown into foodie vernacular. Hemp is high in fibre, protein, minerals, and unsaturated fats, and contains the non-psychoactive cannabidiol, CBD. This nutrient dense plant is fast becoming used in everything from milk alternatives and cooking oils, to protein powders and energy bars.

Oat Milk: Plant-based milks are in hot demand, and no nut or grain has been spared from the quest to find a cow-less concoction. But one option does seem to be gaining more traction than most – the humble oat. A high-yield grain, oats are nutritious, cheap to produce and buy, and even grown locally in the South Island. Oat milk is creamy and can be easily homemade by soaking and blending oats with water.

Bio-packaging: Single-use plastics have been shown the door, and in their place we’re being shown a surprising panel of alternatives. Think seaweed, vegetable fats and oils, corn starch, straw, sawdust and even recycled food waste. Bioplastics made a splash when London Marathon runners were sated with golf ball-size pouches made from seaweed and filled with sports drink.