Attempting to give up or limit single-use plastic during Plastic Free July can have its challenges. At meal times, it can mean going without foods like pasta, noodles, frozen peas or frozen berries that are packaged in plastic.

If you can find these items plastic-free, awesome! And if not, here are some recipe ideas with ingredients that should be relatively easy to find sans plastic packaging.

Get Prepared: Pantry Items to Stock Up On

• dried grains & legumes
• tinned legumes as a back up
• cooked tomatoes (e.g. passata or tined tomatoes)
• oats
• baking ingredients (e.g. flours, sweeteners)
• nuts & seeds (especially chia & flax seeds, which are useful for 'egg replacers' in baking)
• sauces & condiments in glass jars

Plastic Free July Recipe Ideas

Breakfast

Oats: readily found in bulk bins

• Oatmeal/porridge - cook with homemade nut milk (blend 1C nuts with 3C water), plastic-free packaged (non-dairy) milk, or water. Top with your favourite fruits and nut butters.
• Overnight oats - mix oats with your favourite milk, chia seeds and add-ins (e.g. fruits/grated veggies/nut butters/spices/cacao/matcha). Leave in the fridge overnight.

Bread/Toast: buy it from the bakery in paper bags, or bring your own fabric bread bag (like these organic cotton string or muslin bags). Time saving tip - buy a few loaves at once, then store them in your freezer in a bread bag.
Topping ideas:

• peanut butter, almond butter or tahini with banana or sliced apple
• avocado, tomato & cracked pepper
• roasted veggies & homemade hummus
• homemade or store bought cashew cheese spread (in glass jar)

Cooked Big Breakfast:

• Baked or steamed sweet potato, sautéed greens, mushroom, tomato, avocado etc.
• Baked beans on toast

Pancakes: use oats or your favourite flour

Smoothies: use combinations of fruits, veggies, nuts/seeds, oats, spices, cacao etc.

Lunch & Dinner

Think about grains and legumes that can be bought from bulk bins, or in cardboard packaging (e.g. brown rice, quinoa, dried lentils, chickpeas or bins), as well as lots of fresh vegetables.

• Vegetable & legume curries, served with brown rice or other grains

• Loaded baked potatoes

• Roasted veggies with homemade falafel or burger patties

• Loaded sandwiches: filled with roasted & fresh vegetables, along with avocado/hummus/cashew cheese

• Vegetable & legume soups

• Mexican style chile

• Pizza on homemade bases

Snacks

• Fresh fruit
• Nuts & seeds
• Veggie sticks & hummus/homemade dips
• Nut butters on toast
• Homemade crackers
• Smoothies
• Chocolate or sweet treats in biodegradable packaging (e.g. Loving Earth or Pana), or from a bulk food bin.
• Homemade baked goodies like muffins, oatbars, cookies, brownies or cake, or raw desserts.

What are you eating during Plastic Free July? Let us know in the comments!