Egg-cellent tips for a sustainable Easter

Victorians are tipped to spend $173 each on sweets and food this Easter, according to research by Roy Morgan. That’s a lot of chocolate! Avoid egg-cess waste with these simple steps to help you celebrate more sustainably.

Recycle right

Have you gone overboard with the chocolate bunnies and eggs? The good news is that aluminium foil wrapping is 100% recyclable. Individual pieces of foil can sometimes be sorted as paper and contaminate our recycling, so be sure to scrunch your foil wrappers together into a ball roughly the size of your fist before you recycle them. You can also put foil wrappers inside an aluminium can and pop them into the recycling bin together. Just remember to squeeze the top of the can together to prevent them falling out.

Shop smart

When buying chocolate, be a good egg and consider more ethical options. Look out for local, certified organic, fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance chocolate to minimise the impact on both the producers and our planet. Many mainstream manufacturers now support Australian fauna and flora conservation by producing chocolate bilbies instead of bunnies. And if seafood will be appearing on your table for Good Friday, be sure it’s sustainably sourced and certified by the Marine Stewardship Council. Check out 5 questions to ask when shopping sustainably for food.

Get crafty

Easter can be an expensive time for young families with school events and other celebrations. Instead of buying new bunny ears and plastic Easter baskets, make your own from household items like cardboard boxes, newspaper, toilet-paper rolls and old fabric. Avoid plastic glitter which is harmful to both our bodies and our environment.

DIY decorations

Another way to reduce waste is to dye or hand-paint eggs rather than forking out for Easter decorations. Look to nature for dye alternatives and raid your kitchen for red cabbage, turmeric, spinach, onion skins or coffee to create some truly spectacular results. When blowing your eggs, be sure to keep the leftover yolk and white for an omelette or some Easter baking to minimise food waste. You could also purchase wooden or felt eggs and use them year after year.

Hot cross buns – it’s the yeast you can do

With the wild amount of hot cross bun flavours out there, it’s way too easy to overstock. Got extras you don’t want to waste? They freeze like a dream! Just separate your buns and pop them into a freezer bag – or slice before freezing for easy toasting later.

Leftover buns equal creative gold. Try them as French toast, or in a dreamy bread and butter pudding.

Conscious consuming

Family celebrations can generate a lot of waste and Easter is no egg-ception. When it comes to shopping, think quality over quantity and be sure your items will have a use beyond just one long weekend.