Baking is a cherished hobby and career for many, but did you know it contributes significantly to carbon emissions and global warming? Ovens and other such appliances in baking are a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, like methane and carbon dioxide. The ingredients, appliances, and traditional techniques we use play a huge role in this.

Fortunately, with a few tweaks and adjustments, you can bake more sustainably while still enjoying your favourite desserts:

Sustainable Ingredients

The most effective way to bake sustainably is by choosing ingredients with low environmental impact, like a banana cake. Buy your groceries from your local market. This reduces carbon emissions caused by the transportation of the produce. Make sure you are buying ingredients that are organically sourced, as they have a much smaller carbon footprint than commercially produced ingredients.

Another way you can incorporate sustainability in your baking practices is by going plant based. Dairy and eggs contribute immensely to carbon emissions, so choosing their substitutes is a good way to start. Incorporate plant-based dairy products like almond milk, soy milk, cacao butter, etc. into your recipes. You can replace eggs with chia or flax seed meals mixed with water.

Minimise food wastage

We don’t realise how much food is wasted only through scraps and leftovers. Baking often leaves leftovers like half-opened packets of flour, spices, etc., which later get discarded. The best way to avoid this wastage is to plan your inventory properly. If you bake professionally, you can plan when you stock up your inventory and then use it as scheduled. This ensures that no ingredients are wasted unnecessarily.

If you bake as a hobby, it would be a good idea to cut down on bulk buying and try to bake with the ingredients you already have available. Organic food scraps like eggshells, fruit and vegetable peels, etc., can be incorporated into composting. This will minimise food wastage and will also benefit your garden.

Another popular way to minimise household food wastage is portion control. We often make much more food than is required, which later gets wasted. Again, you can avoid this by properly planning your grocery stock-ups and being conscious of how much food is being made and wasted regularly.

Energy efficient baking

Ovens and other electric appliances are major contributors to this problem. Baking without these tools is next to impossible, but you can use these appliances much more efficiently. If you are baking multiple dishes simultaneously, you are advised to pop them in the oven together rather than using the oven separately for each dish.

Some sustainable recipes you can try

Vegan banana cake: This plant-based banana cake version uses flaxseeds instead of eggs and achieves the same moist and crumbly texture.

Coconut macaroons: These small coconut-flavoured biscuits can be made using leftover coconut shavings.

Apple crumble: Use seasonably available apples with a crumbly oatmeal topping.

You can enjoy your favourite desserts without feeling guilty by making a couple of conscious choices.