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Perhaps to our detriment, we often prioritize convenience over sustainability (and our health) when it comes to our food choices. Ever make it to the end of the day and have the “what’s for dinner” conversation with your partner? All the time??? ME freaking too. As busy millennials juggling our careers, our little homestead, DIY home renovations, in addition to our fur babies and other obligations, we constantly run into the end of the day only to realize we’re starving. Sometimes convenience is ALL we seem to have time for; however, it’s important to consider the impact our eating habits have on both our health and the environment. Eating sustainably doesn’t have to be difficult or time-consuming, and there are plenty of small changes we can make to our diets that can have a big impact.
One way to eat more sustainably is to choose foods that are in season and locally grown. This supports local farmers and reduces the carbon footprint associated with transportation (or supports your home gardening efforts), and it ensures that we are eating foods at their peak freshness and nutritional value. Additionally, incorporating more plant-based meals into our diets can have a significant impact on both our health and the environment. Plant-based diets have been linked to a reduced risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes, and they also require fewer resources to produce than animal-based diets.
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Understanding Sustainable Eating
If you’re anything like me, convenience and texture are a huge factor in what we eat, and my brain doesn’t always think through the environmental impact of our food choices.
What Does ‘Eating Sustainably’ Mean?
By choosing to eat with sustainability in mind, you are choosing foods that are produced in a way that minimizes harm to the environment and promotes the long-term health of our planet. This could mean choosing foods that are:
- Locally sourced
- Organic
- Seasonal
- Plant-based
- Low in packaging waste
- Low in carbon footprint
When grocery shopping, it’s hard to check all those boxes; that’s honestly a really big reason we started our garden and try to grow a lot of our own food. I have no desire to pay the price of organic food, even though I know WHY the price is higher, I just can’t justify the difference. Our grocery stores only seem to have (or advertise) some of the more iconic fruit and vegetables as being locally grown. And everything we can buy in the produce section comes wrapped in plastic for some reason (that’s an exaggeration, but you get my drift).
We can’t do them all, but we can try to add one thing to work on and add to your daily life (or weekly grocery trips). Maybe it’s one plant-based meal a week, or exploring local farmers markets for locally grown and source food, or starting your hand at growing something you can eat. There’s an option out there for everyone to eat more sustainably.
Food we grow on our land is locally sourced, seasonal, organic for our purposes (we don’t use any fertilizers or pesticides), is seasonal, plant-based, has no packaging waste, and has a really small environmental footprint–if you factor in the initial transport of seeds to us, but now we actually save most of our seeds and haven’t had to order many in recent years.
The Impact of Food Choices on the Environment
The food system is a critical component of global greenhouse gas emissions, contributing significantly to environmental degradation and climate change. These emissions stem from various stages of the food production, distribution, and consumption.
Food production itself is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. Animal agriculture, in particular, releases significant amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, through processes like enteric fermentation in livestock and manure management. And, evening the plant realm, the use of fertilizers in crop production contributes to emissions of nitrous oxide, which is another greenhouse gas.
Transportation and packaging add to the carbon emissions associated with the food system. The globalized nature of food distribution means that many products travel long distances from farms to consumers, often by fossil fuel-powered vehicles. And packaging materials require energy and resources to produce and often end up as waste, contributing to pollution and environmental degradation.
However, there are ways to mitigate these environmental impacts through sustainable food choices. One of the most effective strategies is adopting a plant-based diet. Plant-based foods generally require fewer resources, such as land, water, and energy, to produce compared to animal-based foods. By reducing consumption of animal products, individuals can significantly lower their impact on the environment.
Even choosing locally sourced and seasonal foods can further reduce our environmental impact of food consumption. Locally sourced foods require less energy for transportation compared to products that travel long distances, thus reducing carbon emissions associated with their distribution, while seasonal foods supports more sustainable agricultural practices and reduces reliance on energy-intensive methods like greenhouse cultivation.
Nutritional Benefits of Sustainable Diets
Sustainable diets can be really good for the environment but they also offer numerous health benefits. Plant-based diets are associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. And choosing (or growing) organic foods reduces our exposure to harmful pesticides and chemicals.
Practical Tips to Eat More Sustainably
As busy millennials, we can find it challenging to eat sustainably amidst our hectic schedules, or someday remember to eat at all. However, with a little bit of planning and effort, we can make a big difference in reducing our footprint and promoting a healthier lifestyle. Here are some practical tips that we can follow:
Quick and Sustainable Meal Planning
Planning our meals in advance can really help us save time, money, and reduce our food waste. An easy way to start is by creating a weekly meal plan and sticking to it as much as possible. Preparing meals in advance, such as cooking a large batch of soup or chili on the weekend and freezing it for later use is also a really efficient way to meal plan and utilize all of your food.
I’ll confess that I’m really bad both meal planning AND freezing big meals. I like to be creative in the kitchen, so I almost never fully follow a recipe and will eff with it based on the vegetables I have on hand. And when I do make a large pot of vegan chili or I double our lentil loaf, somehow we just eat the same thing for the rest of the week and NONE of it gets frozen or saved for later.
To make your meals more sustainable, you can always try incorporating more plant-based meals into your diet. Vegetables and fruits are fully of healthy vitamins and nutrients AND they have a lower carbon footprint compared to meat and dairy products. We’re a 99% vegan household – we’re still holding on to cheese for Friday Night Pizzas (be sure to check out the Podcast). And I love the flavors and textures I’ve been able to create just by using different veggies and fruits than I had in the past. It’s a lot easier throwing something together than it is following a recipe with 30 ingredients I’ve never even heard of.
Smart Grocery Shopping for Sustainability
When grocery shopping, we can make a conscious effort to choose more sustainable options. We can start by bringing our reusable bags and avoiding single-use plastic packaging. We can also look for locally sourced produce and products, as they have a lower carbon footprint and support our local economy.
Another tip is to buy in bulk, as it reduces packaging waste and saves money in the long run. We love buying our dry goods from a local farm in bulk (25 or 50 pound bags). This way we have all the oats, flour, dried beans we need for the year and don’t have to worry about it for awhile because shopping is on the list of adulting things I hate to do.
Opting for products with no packaging is really easy in a larger grocery store with loose produce, but a little harder in stores like Aldis (which is where we get most of our store-bought groceries from because the cost-savings are significant). Compostable or biodegradable packaging would be the next best thing, but I think you and I both know that most produce comes wrapped or packaged in single use plastic.
Incorporating Local and Seasonal Foods
Eating locally and seasonally is not only sustainable but also supports our local farmers and promotes biodiversity. It’s actually really good for you because of the added variety and when produce is in season, the nutrients are the most bioavailable too. You can start by checking out your local farmer’s market or joining a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program. These options can provide you with fresh, locally sourced produce that is in season.
You can also try growing our fruits and vegetables at home, even if it’s just a small herb garden on your windowsill. It’s a fun and sustainable way to incorporate fresh produce into our meals.
Eating sustainably with a busy lifestyle may seem challenging, but with a little bit of effort, and being open to new experiences, we can make a big difference.
Overcoming Challenges
There’s a lot in our way when it comes to eating sustainably. We have limited time and resources, and finding reliable nutrition information can sometimes be difficult with the diet-emphasized culture we live in. Maintaining a sustainable diet in social settings can also be a struggle, but if you can find a restaurant that utilized locally grown produce in their seasonal or specials menu, I can almost GUARANTEE it will be fucking delicious. With some planning and preparation (those are always at the top of our goals and resolutions lists, right?) we can overcome these challenges and make sustainable eating a part of our lifestyle.
Dealing with Limited Time and Resources
Time and resources are two of the biggest challenges we face when it comes to eating for the planet (and our health). However, with a little bit of planning, we can make sustainable eating a part of our daily routine. One way to save time is to meal prep for the week like we discussed above. This way, we can grab a healthy and sustainable meal on-the-go, even on our busiest days. I’m working on this habit, I promise.
Like we’ve been eating the most amazing lentil shepherd’s pie for three days now (and it’s still sooo delicious), but now all the leftovers are gone and I have to figure out something for dinner.
Another major obstacle is that finding recipes online is easy, but the recipes are complicated or involve a lot of different ingredients that are hard to source in smaller towns or rural areas. I can offer you this advice:
- Make cooking and trying new things fun. Invite your kids or partner to a date night in the kitchen once a week.
- Experiment. Try new fruits and veggies. Learn what flavors you like. Use different cooking methods until you discover the exact texture you want.
- Start with the basics. If you want to cook a new veggie (for instance acorn squash), keep it simple and just aim for “cooked” so that you know what the natural and texture are before you start trying to a create complete dishes and spread around your new favorite vegetable.
Finding Reliable Nutrition Information
Finding reliable nutrition information can be difficult before even adding in looking for health and earth-conscious ingredients. There’s too much conflicting information on social media and the internet to know which way is the “best” way. One way to ensure we are getting accurate information is to consult a registered dietitian (or your doctor), especially before making any changes to your diet. They can provide us with personalized nutrition advice and help us make informed decisions about our food choices.
Another way to find reliable nutrition information is by reading the food labels and looking for certifications like USDA Organic or Non-GMO Project Verified. These labels indicate that the food has been produced using sustainable practices and is free from harmful chemicals.
Maintaining a Sustainable Diet in Social Settings
Maintaining your habit of sustainable eating in social settings can be a little difficult, especially when dining out at restaurants. The Boyfriend is always asking me for restaurant ideas for date night because my options are more “limited” because I don’t eat meat. But honestly, almost every restaurant has a way to at least vegetarian-ize something on their menu, and I say that as someone who travels for work and has to eat out a fair bit more than I normally would.
There are ways to make sustainable choices even in these situations. I always reesearch the restaurant beforehand (it helps me avoid ordering/social anxiety as well), and look for sustainable options on the menu. If you don’t see one, see if there is a pasta dish you can make without meat and maybe add mushrooms or artichokes to.
It’s a personal preference, but I don’t eat salads when I go out to a restaurant. They are overpriced for what I get, and my homegrown veggies are WAAAAY better at home. So, I avoid restaurants where it looks like my only option is a salad. And it’s not that many, mostly restaurants that are meat based like Texas de Brazil (basically a charcuterie board buffet). You can also ask the server if they offer any plant-based options that aren’t on the menu, or if they have a seasonal dish that features local produce.
Final Thoughts on Sustainable Eating
While there are challenges to eating sustainably for those of us with hectic, busy schedules, with some planning and preparation, we can overcome them and make sustainable, and healthy, eating just an everyday occurrence we don’t have to think about. Simple things like meal prepping, buying in bulk, reading food labels, and eating what’s in season, can make a positive impact on our health and the world around us.
