Wakefield Council serves up an 'environmentally-friendly' cookbook with recipes from TV Bake Off contestant Karen Wright

The cookbook, titled Eat Better For Your Pocket And The Planet, has nine tasty, healthy recipes including contributions from former Great British Bake Off contestant Karen Wright and The Hepworth Café’s head chef, as well as advice from Ben Atkinson, director of Wakefield’s award-winning restaurant and takeaway Bear Kitchen.

The book has tips on eating a more environmentally-friendly diet, wasting less food and saving energy in the kitchen. The recipes have all been checked by a council dietitian.

It is free to download from the Council’s website or borrow as an e-book from Wakefield Libraries.

A limited number of printed editions will be made available at locations around the district.

Councillor Jack Hemingway, cabinet member for Environment and Climate Change, said: “Sometimes climate change can seem like too big a problem, but this book shows there is something we can all do to make a difference.

“It is a great place to start if you want to learn how we can have less impact on the environment just by making small changes to the way we eat and shop.

“The average family throws away £60 of food every month. If we try to waste less, it means more money in your pocket and it’s better for the planet too.

“Growing, making, transporting, storing and cooking food uses a lot of energy, fuel and water, and generates more than a quarter of the world’s carbon emissions.”

Karen Wright has contributed three recipes as well as tips for using less energy in the kitchen and reducing your food bill.

She said: “This cookbook is brilliant – it has lots of tips and advice to help everyone out in these challenging times.

“Saving money and wasting less is right up my street so I was keen to be involved.

“I love to make meals from the stuff I find lurking in the bottom of my fridge and a lot of the food I make is vegetarian and often vegan. I try to use my slow cooker as much as possible to avoid heating the oven which is very expensive to run.”