Eco-Friendly Eating – 5 Food Tips That Will Help You Live A More Sustainable Life
Eco-Friendly Eating – 5 Food Tips That Will Help You Live A More Sustainable Life
Aside from supporting sustainable and environmentally conscious brands when shopping; what else can we do to live in a way that shows respect for the planet? We did some research on the subject, and the following tips are what we discovered.
Eco-friendly eating- 5 food tips that will help you live a more sustainable life.
1. Eat more plant-based
This means more fruits, veggies, grains, legumes and nuts, and fewer animal products. Also, look for milk alternatives that are sustainably sourced and easy on the pocket.
If it’s difficult to find plant-based food in your area, consider growing your own food – it is incredibly satisfying to eat homegrown food. You can start in your backyard, you can help at a community garden, or you can even make seed bombs and do your gardening freestyle.
2. Buy Local
Support local farmers and co-ops by eating locally grown food. Not only will you save the environment, but you’ll get access to fresh, organic produce that’s actually good for your body.
As a bonus, buying locally is better for your bank account because you’re buying straight from the farmer and cutting out the middleman. The product itself can last for a long time when stored properly because it’s freshly picked and free from harmful preservative chemicals.
3. Eat Seasonally
Eating in-season makes a lot of sense. Think about it – seasonal fruits and vegetables contain vitamins and minerals that are beneficial to your body at the time of their ripening. Nature designed it perfectly so that your body gets what it needs at every season.
4. Eat Close to The Ground
Eating close to the ground means consuming foods that are lower on the food chain. This is beneficial to the environment because it takes fewer resources and energy to produce potatoes than it does to produce a steak, for example.
Keep in mind also, that the lower you go on the food chain, the more value for money you get for your food. Ten pounds of rice is enough to feed you for up to three months, whereas ten pounds of meat can only last for so long before it goes off.
5. Buy Less Processed and Packaged Food
Almost everything in grocery stores comes in a package, and the waste from this can be seen in our polluted oceans, littered roadways, and overflowing landfills.
When you eat a bag of potato chips, you get five minutes of enjoyment. But that bag will still be there 80 years later. All that packaging takes energy and resources to create and dispose of, which is why it’s so important to reduce your consumption of packaged foods.
To buy unpackaged food, simply bring containers to the store and buy from the fruit, veg, and bulk food sections. Stick to whole foods as opposed to processed ones. If it’s in the same shape as it was when it grew from the earth, you’re probably good to go.
Bonus advice
At the end of the day, living sustainably is all about balance. Support brands that are sustainable and conscious when shopping. Read the ingredients list of the products you buy. Try and understand as many of the ingredients as you can.
When ordering food, be sure to wash the containers it comes in and re-use them for leftovers and lunch-carriers. If you don’t have enough space to store the extra containers, you should recycle them at your closest recycling centre.
Consider going meat-free once a week. It’s great for your body, your pocketbook, and the environment. Lastly, try and reduce your consumption of processed food, which is harmful to your body and the environment.
