As the climate crisis moves into mainstream media, you may have been wondering how you can eat what you love in a greener way. We’ve taken a look at some of the ways you can eat in a more environmentally friendly way while still getting to enjoy all of your favourite foods!
Check out our tips below.
Choose more plant food
It has been suggested that plant food, like fruit, veg, nuts and seeds, are all better for the planet and better for your body! Eating more plant foods can help to support your digestive system as well as make you feel healthier.
Try adding more vegetables to your plate and opt to snack on fruit or grain-filled cereal bars when you’re a little peckish throughout the day.
Choose meat from small farms
Smaller farms and family-run businesses tend to be more sustainable than larger corporations. Sourcing your meat and dairy from smaller farms can help to reduce your carbon footprint, having a positive impact on the planet.
Try shopping for your meat at places like the Dorset Meat Company, where all the meat is sourced from sustainably-run, family farms.
Shop local
As well as shopping small, shopping local can reduce the travel miles of the food you eat. Reducing the amount of travelling your food does can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of your meals.
Shopping locally also means supporting smaller businesses and the local community!
Eat seasonally
Choosing to eat seasonally means you’re choosing the food that grows naturally in your region. This reduces the amount of energy needed to produce your food, reduces the distance your food travels, and again, helps to support local businesses.
Seasonal eating may be difficult at first, especially since we’re so used to eating all kinds of foods no matter the time of year, but it can be an exciting change. Learning about when food grows naturally and eating it at its best will make mealtimes more exciting!
Preserve food
Food preservation has been used for centuries and is great to tie in with your seasonal cooking. Look up traditional preservation recipes and start to preserve your food in new and unique ways.
Preservation tends to involve pickling and fermentation which can add new tastes to your food and help to make your mealtimes a little more interesting.
Check out recipes for kimchi and sauerkraut to see how fermentation can be used to preserve veg and look up different pickling techniques for the perfect relish!
Buy and cook in bulk
Buying in bulk is a great way of saving money and an even better way of reducing the amount of waste you produce. Buying in bulk means reducing the packaging you throw away as well as keeping your pantry stocked for longer!
Bulk cooking is a great way to ensure that you always have food ready to eat and that you don’t waste food! Cook meals in bulk and then freeze to have a kitchen full of delicious meals!
Use your leftovers
As well as cooking in bulk, you could also try using up your food scraps to limit the amount of food that goes to a landfill. Try blitzing up broccoli stems and carrot tops into soups and pesto or save your veg scraps to be made into stock! Using your leftovers can be a really exciting addition to your cooking.
Conclusion
Eating greener is actually quite easy. Following just a few of these steps can help you to do your bit for the planet while still enjoying delicious and nutritious meals! Why not try one of these steps out this week and see how it goes for you!
