Sustainable Eating Practices

Six tips that will have major impact on making you a more sustainable eater.

Buy Local

Foods that have been produced nearby save resources by not needing to travel long distances – often in a refrigerated compartment. Farmers’ markets and CSAs are generally the best ways to do this. You can also grow some of your own food, which is as local as it gets.

Compost

Composting helps close the loop in the food system. Rather than being transported to a landfill and producing harmful greenhouse gases, food scraps nourish the soil.

Eat The Whole Thing

Instead of eating only part of a fruit or vegetable or a particular cut of meat, expand your palate and culinary skills by trying to make use of all edible parts of food. Also known as ‘root to leaf’ eating if you’re eating plants, or ‘nose to tail’ if you’re eating an animal, this practice brings mindfulness and gratitude into eating and helps reduce food waste. One of my favorite books - “Eating for Pleasure, People and Planet: Plant-Based, Zero-Waste, Climate Cuisine” by Tom Hunt provides a ton of information on how to do this.

Limit Packaging

Seek out foods with minimal or no packaging as packaging takes energy to produce and decades to fully decompose. When shopping for produce, bring re-usable bags instead of using single-use plastic. These re-usable organic cotton mesh bags are some of my faves.

Know Your Farmer

If you consume animal foods, research local farmers that might have what you’re looking for. Make an educated decision by asking them about farming methods and learning about the animals’ living conditions. Some farms might even be open to visitors, if you’d like to see it in person.

Eat Less Meat

Raising animals for food requires far more input (resources, energy, calories) than the output that is produced. Explore the variety of flavors and textures that plant-based foods have to offer.