Preserving Food to Reduce Waste

Making quick pickles is an easy, cost-effective way to reduce food waste this fall.

Food waste is a major environmental issue that we can all help to reduce simply by being more mindful. For example, not buying more food than you need, eating up an older head of lettuce before buying a new one, and so on. One way to reduce waste is food preservation, for example, pickling, canning, and fermenting. For me, making quick pickles is a fun and inexpensive food preservation method that adds variety and probiotics to my diet. It’s a great way to use up some food that’s been sitting around a little too long and there are so many possibilities of foods to preserve. In this post, I have provided a basic pickling brine using ingredients you probably already have in your pantry and some every day and seasonally-available vegetables.

Quick Pickling Brine

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup filtered water

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp salt

Pepper, to taste

Pickled Red Cabbage

Core the red cabbage and slice it very fine. Alternatively, you can put it through a food processor fitted with the shredding blade. Fill a jar tightly packed with the cabbage and pour the brine over it until it covers the cabbage. Store in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Pickled Red Onion

Peel the red onion, cut it in half, and slice it very finely. Alternatively, you can use a mandoline. Fill a jar tightly packed with the onion and pour the brine over it until it covers the onion. Store in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Pickled Jalapeños

De-stem the jalapeños and slice them thin. Fill a jar tightly packed with the jalapeños and pour the brine over it until it covers them. Store in the fridge for up to two weeks.

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Meredith is an avid vegan cook and aspiring environmental conservationist. Her hobbies include yoga, baking, and taking her dog for long walks along the waterfront. Follow her on Instagram @crawlspace_