Katie's Healthy Bites: 8 Ways to Be Green This Spring

Spring brings to mind that bright, vibrant green shade that you see everywhere this time of year, but it's also a great time to be more eco-friendly. Here are 8 ways to get started this season.
Tyler Florence Spring Green Salad

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Spring brings to mind that bright, vibrant green shade that you see everywhere this time of year, but it's also a great time to be more eco-friendly.  Here are 8 ways to get started this season.

Buy Local: Spring is the beginning of the growing season in many areas of the country, so locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients will be more readily available. Take a trip to the farmers market, join a CSA, or visit a local farm. With the weather getting warmer, getting outside and supporting local businesses is a great way to celebrate the season.

Eat Green: Spring is the season of green veggies, like asparagus, baby greens, herbs and peas. Green veggies are packed with nutrients that do a body good, so fill up your plate with all things green and your body will thank you.

Don’t Toss Veggie Scraps: Use them to make homemade stocks or start composting, which in turn will add nutrients to your garden.

Plant a Garden: This is the time of year to start planting. Not only is gardening a great hobby, sourcing ingredients from your backyard or window sill is as local as it gets, and you are sure to save some green (as in $$) on your produce purchases throughout the year. Seeds and starter plants cost significantly less than even one bunch of produce purchased at the store.

Make Your Life Less Disposable: Take time to think about the amount of trash and plastic you throw away each day and make an effort to cut back. A few easy solutions: Reusable water bottles, laundry detergent refill stations, use real plates and cups instead of disposables and save food jars like those that hold jams, pickles, etc as they can be reused for dressings, sauces and left overs.

Ditch Your Car: With gas prices sky-rocketing, a simple walk or bike ride can save you some major green, lessen your carbon footprint and get you moving. Seems like a no-brainer.

Be Green in the Kitchen: A few small changes can save you money and save the planet. Spring and summer foods lend themselves to more energy efficient quick cooking methods. You can also try to make more one pot meals, reuse cooking water, and be mindful of running water when washing produce or dishes.  Get more energy-saving kitchen tips here >>

Don’t Cook at All: Spring veggies are young and tender and lend themselves to delicious, raw preparations. Make a green salad, like Tyler's pictured above, paired with dressed-up chickpeas.

TELL US: How are you going green this spring?

Katie Cavuto Boyle, MS, RD, is a registered dietitian, personal chef and owner of HealthyBites, LLC. See Katie's full bio »

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