Let's make a difference – together.
A huge amount of our planet's resources is needed for cultivating, transporting and preparing food. Buying regional and seasonal groceries, reducing food waste and single-use items as well as energy-efficient cooking makes a huge difference.
Reducing waste it not a limitation. On the contrary, some of the world's best chefs dedicate their culinary art to reducing food waste and becoming even more creative in their endeavours.
Wasting less food and consuming less energy makes your cooking more creative and ultimately more fun. Thanks to our recipes and cooking courses, we already provide channels to inspire a more sustainable way of cooking. We would be delighted if you would join us on this culinary journey.
Select a few points from the following tips that are most feasible for you. These can save you some money and help you to be more conscious and environmentally friendly with your diet and kitchen practices.
Join Miele on the journey of inspiring more sustainability in the kitchen. Together we improve what we do – for a better future.
#1 CHECK YOUR GROCERIES' ORIGINS AND BUY WISELY
Does your go-to supermarket offer organic, seasonal, and regional products? Do you have the option of buying products without (a lot of) packaging? Always look out for new opportunities like farmers' markets, "crowd farming", foodsharing initiatives or even growing food at home. Plan meals and the food you need for them in advance. A well-organized shopping trip prevents you from buying too much food.
#2 STAY SEASONAL
Use seasonal products whenever possible. Seasonal calendars showing fruit and vegetables can help with the selection. Seasonal products often consume less energy in cultivation and storage, and in addition, often have a more intense flavour.
#3 STAY REGIONAL
Use regional products whenever possible. Regional products usually require less energy for transport. Looking for regional produce also allows you to get to know your own region – and the culinary tradition behind it – in a completely different way.
#4 STAY ORGANIC
Buying organic products protects biodiversiy and the quality of& our soil and water, as less pesticides, no artificial fertilizers or genetic engineering are allowed in organic farming. In addition, the food itself is more natural since fewer additives are allowed than in convential foods. A real win – for our well-being and the environment.
#5 ONLY BUY NON-THREATENED FISH
Educate yourself regularly about endangered species, the fishing location and method and the season, as this information can change and local differences are possible.
#6 REDUCE MEAT OR EVEN GO VEGGIE/VEGAN
Focus on vegetarian and vegan dishes. By focusing on plant-based dishes, you can often create completely new culinary experiences, like fricassee made with king oyster mushrooms or burgers made with bean patties and grilled vegetables. Legumes are a great source of protein too and are great for the soil they were planted in.
#7 USE EVERY PART OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLES
Do not peel the fruit and vegetables (if the peel is edible) or use the peel in other ways (for example potato chips using leftover skins or boiling peels for a vegetable broth). Try to use edible green parts of the vegetables (for example, radish leaves can be used for salad or pesto) as well as the seeds and stalks.
#8 STORE YOUR FOOD IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY
Find out which groceries should be stored in which compartment of the refrigerator and which groceries are better stored at room temperature. Our freshness systems DailyFresh and PerfectFresh keep food fresh even longer due to ideal temperature and humidity level, helping to prevent food waste. If you want to cook with food that's frozen, defrost it in the refrigerator. This automatically cools other foods in the refrigerator, so less energy will be consumed to reach the right temperature inside the appliance.
#9 USE THE WHOLE CONTENTS OF A CONTAINER
Use the entire package/pot (for example, 1 yogurt pot, 1 can of beans or 1 egg) when cooking. Leftovers tend to be forgotten and expire.
#10 EAT NOSE-TO-TAIL
Does it always have to be fillet of beef? Use a variety of different cuts of meat and use offal or bones when cooking. The point is not to waste anything. Bones, for example, can be boiled for a meat broth and cooking with offal creates completely new culinary experiences.
#11 USE LIDS ON POTS
Always use a lid when cooking with pots and pans to avoid energy loss.
#12 MAKE USE OF SMART FEATURES AND PROGRAMS
Preserving or Drying are examples of Miele features hat help to prevent food waste. Smart features minimize food waste by ensuring that perfect cooking results are achieved. The Food Probe monitors the cooking process and ends cooking once the core temperature is reached. The TempControl cooking zone on selected cooktops monitors the temperature of the pan base and maintains it precisely without burning. With Smart Food ID, the camera inside the oven recognizes specific dishes, adjusts parameters and avoids burning for the best results.
#13 REUSABLE BEATS DISPOSABLE
Look for reusable products and avoid single-use products such as aluminium foil, cling film or baking parchment. Thanks to Miele PerfectClean trays, most foods don't need additional baking parchment. Just wipe the baking tray clean with a bit of liquid detergent and lukewarm water. Use tins or glasses to store prepared food. Even a simple plate on a bowl does a great job to cover food.
#14 REMOVE ALL ACCESSORIES WHICH ARE NOT REQUIRED FOR COOKING
Remove all accessories (like racks, trays etc.) which are not needed during a cooking or baking process. This saves energy, as it avoids heating up additional material unnecessarily.
#15 STEER CLEAR OF PRE-HEATING
Whenever possible, start cooking food in a cold appliance. Pre-heating the oven compartment is only necessary for a few dishes, but almost all dishes also turn out wonderfully without pre-heating. This can save up to 20% of energy.
#16 MAKE THE BEST USE OF APPLIANCES
Remember to keep the appliance door closed while it's running. Consider using the Fan plus setting and baking up to three trays of food simultaneously, as it's more energy-efficient than baking one tray at a time. Take advantage of residual heat by using the timer function when baking – your oven will automatically turn off a few minutes prior to the end of the baking process. Your food will be completely baked without any loss of quality, and up to 10% of energy will be saved! If your oven doesn't have the timer function, switch it off manually 2-5 minutes before baking finishes. You can also save energy by making use of the eco operating modes or the night dimming function on your appliance's display.
#17 DISPOSE OF WASTE PROPERLY
Even if you act as sustainably as possible, there will probably be some waste. Make sure to separate this waste and recycle it properly.
#18 TAKE CARE OF LEFTOVERS
Too many fresh groceries at home that you can't use in time? Decide early enough what you can freeze or give away so it doesn't spoil. Leftovers can be a great basis for new creative dishes. The Miele Mix & Match feature – available on many steam combination ovens – helps you with this process. The Miele app tells you which components (cooked or raw) go together and recommends the perfect parameters for cooking or reheating.
#19 SAVING ENERGY EVEN AFTER COOKING
Allow warm or hot food to cool down before putting it in the refrigerator or freezer. This way, less energy is used to reach the correct cooling temperature.
#20 TAKE CARE OF YOUR APPLIANCES
Regularly check the seals of your refrigerator to prevent warm air from entering the cooling unit, and keep the ventilation grills clean and unobstructed to avoid increased power consumption. For cooling appliances without NoFrost technology, regularly defrosting of the freezer will prevent ice buildup (which increases energy consumption). To save the hassle of defrosting, consider choosing a Miele cooling appliance equipped with NoFrost technology, which allows for circulation in the cooling system, preventing ice formation and eliminating the need for defrosting.