In the Kitchen with The Mighty Bin

Isabelle DeMillan is bringing The Mighty Bin to North Park soon. This zero-waste grocery store focuses on local, organic, nontoxic, package-free, and plastic-free food, household goods, and personal care products. 

Read on for a peek of what DeMillan has going on in her kitchen and see the list of local products we’ll be able to easily shop for when the store opens later this year. 

What's in your fridge? How do you eat it? 

Fruits and veggies, tortillas, almond milk, cashew yogurt, cheese, and eggs. Love me some parfaits, eggs and toast, and veggie burritos.

What's in your pantry and what will you make with it? 

Coffee beans, cereal, granola, tortilla chips, crackers, nuts, pasta sauce, beans, legumes, and different kinds of pasta. I am either making some sort of Mexican quesadilla, tofu-rice-veggie dish, or a pasta dish. And I always have to have some sort of cookies or chocolate in there. 

What are your essential kitchen tips or advice? 

Meal plan before you grocery shop—save money and stress less. Meal prep for the week to make cooking easier and ensure you're eating balanced meals. 

Store foods properly to extend freshness, make them last longer, and reduce waste. Carrots and celery submerged in a jar of water will last for two to three weeks. Keep your bread in the freezer. Fresh asparagus and broccoli keep well with the ends in a glass with a little water in the fridge, kind of like a bouquet. And berries shouldn’t be washed until you eat them. 

‍Kitchen tools you can’t live without? 

I look for durable, non-toxic cookware for use in my kitchen. I love my toaster; cast iron and stainless steel pots and pans; silicone and metal cooking utensils; and glass storage containers and jars.