Plastic Free July Day 7

One of the most frustrating things for me is when a store stops carrying a plastic-free/bulk option I had been relying on.  For instance, a long time ago, our Whole Foods used to have bulk oil and vinegar.  It was wonderful.  No longer :(

Anyway, we get semi-local humanely raised whole chickens from Whole Foods.  They used to be shipped to the store without packaging, but now they come pre-wrapped.  We don't live in an area where there are a lot of other options, and our farmers market has no meat or eggs.  (We do buy other meat at the butcher counter plastic-free).

We buy a chicken about once every two weeks or so, but we try to make it last.  After we have gotten three or so meals out of it, I use the carcass to make homemade chicken stock.
Making homemade chicken stock is super easy:

• Throw your chicken carcass in the pot.  
• Put in an onion, a couple of carrots and stalks of celery.  
• Season with a bay leaf, peppercorns, allspice, etc.  
• Add a dash of apple cider vinegar.  
• Cook for several hours (you can even do this in the crock pot, although I usually do it on the stove top)
• Freeze, or refrigerate and use in the next couple of days.

Here is a picture of the chicken stock being cooked:



You will never buy store bought chicken stock again.  And even if your chicken comes wrapped in plastic like mine, you will be making enough chicken stock that the waste created by the chicken wrapper is much less than the waste created by the cans or tetra packs of store bought chicken broth. 🐓🐓🐓