This past month we've celebrated Plastic Free July, exploring plastic-free breakfast possibilities with our friends Nibs etc., But what does Plastic Free July entail and what impact has it had?
About Plastic Free July
Starting back in 2011 by a small team within local government in Western Australia, Plastic Free July is now one of the most influential environmental campaigns in the world, with an estimated 326 million participants in 2020 alone. Their mission is to work towards a world free of plastic. Participants were reported to reduce their household waste and recycling by 21kg per person per year, contributing to a total saving of 950 million kg of plastic waste each year (which is a lot!).
About Nibs etc.
Nibs etc. makes nourishing sustainable snacks out of ingredients that would normally be thrown away-- fighting food waste and enabling their customers to reduce their carbon footprint in doing so with snack-able granola made with fruit and vegetable juice pulp. Started by Chloe back in 2015, a strong advocate that we can be activists from our kitchen table after the realisation that 70% of food is wasted by us--the consumer. Her mission is to redefine the concept of 'waste' and in the process reduce the time, water, fuels, land, resources to produce it.
And so we bring you a collaborative recipe: a no-waste Summer Bircher Muesli, complete with Nibs etc. granola of course (!).
Recipe: Summer Bircher Muesli
Main Ingredients:
70g oats
30 mixed seeds (flaxseed, cacao nibs, pumpkin, chia & sunflower seeds all work well)
2 x envelopes of Kib ginger, lemon, turmeric
100ml oat milk
150ml filtered water
1 tablespoon date syrup
Toppings:
A big handful of Nibs etc. granola*
Seasonal berries or stone fruit
Plain yoghurt & a grating of nutmeg
In a large clip-top jar, add the oats, mixed seeds and contents of the tea bags (not the bag itself!). Pour in the oat milk, filtered water and date syrup. Stir well, cover the lid and give it a good shake so everything combines evenly.
The next morning, serve with a handful of Nibs etc. granola, your choice of fruit, yoghurt and a sprinkle of nutmeg.
*the granola photographed is not made with juice pulp
Our top plastic-free breakfast tips:
- Visit a Pick Your Own Farm to pick seasonal berries, reducing the plastic packaging you usually find in the supermarket.
- Buy yoghurt in a glass jar. Plastic alternatives are available via Milk & More, the home grocery delivery app.
- Milk & More also has both dairy and plant based milks available in returnable glass bottles.
- Buy seeds, oats and dried products either in bulk online or fill-your-own stores like The Source Bulk Foods, available for delivery in the London area.
Share your plastic-free breakfast creations with us over on social, @kibtea & @nibsetc.