Eco Food Guide: How to Find and Choose Eco-Friendly Foods

Greenhouse Gas Emissions and The Food We Eat

Our World in Data illustrates that over one-quarter of the world's greenhouse gas emissions come from food production. The largest producers of greenhouse gas emissions are animal-based products. In contrast, plant-based food products are generally 10-50 times lower in emissions. 

Many wanting to reduce their carbon emissions will first focus on shopping for local and seasonal produce. Transportation emissions are reduced when choosing local food. However, selecting plant-based proteins over meat (especially beef) can reduce your carbon footprint more substantially. 

Sustainable Food Systems

Most current food systems were not designed with climate change or equity in mind. As a result, our global food system is strained by inefficiency, waste, malnutrition, and lack of access to affordable healthy food. 

The United Nations has developed sustainable development goals, which outline sustainable food systems and emphasize reducing global hunger. While supporting policies in line with these efforts is essential, the change over time and the scale of the positive impact can feel distant. That's why I've created this list of actionable steps you can make to support sustainable alternatives to the flawed food system currently in place. 

Step 0: Mindset

This guide is meant for those who are food secure. This guide is not meant to shame or guilt anyone, especially those who are struggling with food insecurity. Our current food systems need to be revised. Many have limited access to healthful food or limited funds to afford it. 

While many eco foods are affordable, the time and energy to form new habits is also a luxury that some cannot afford. Remember these truths, and give yourself grace if your circumstances change. 

Even if you consider yourself generally in good standing and ready to make more eco-friendly choices, imperfect progress leads to better outcomes than short-lived perfection. Adjustments take time, like any skill or habit, so build up to these goals. This is a lesson I've had to learn personally, so save yourself years of guilt by resolving that mistakes will be made and perfection is not the goal. 

Step 1: Choose Plant-Based Proteins

According to the EAT-Lancet Commission and others, the evidence is clear. Our food industry needs to shift to rely less on livestock and more on plants. Plant-based proteins, including nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, tofu, and peas, have some of the lowest carbon footprints among protein sources. 

While going vegan or vegetarian can be daunting, replacing a few animal-centered meals with plant-based ingredients can be very impactful. Aim to try a new plant-based recipe a week or even once a month. 

Browse the grocery store for plant-based alternatives in your meals or search "vegetarian" or "vegan" in front of your favorite recipes. I'd recommend starting with quick, simple, flavorful recipes like my honey mustard tofu, enchilada soup, or chili mac. 

Step 2: Reduce Food Waste

According to the USDA, about 30-40% of the US food supply is wasted. How much food do you think you waste in your home? When that couple of carrots go bad in the back of the fridge, how do you dispose of them? 

The EPA's wasted food scale outlines that the best way to reduce food waste is to prevent over-buying and over-serving. A basic meal plan and shopping list can help avoid over-purchasing or impulse buying. But sometimes, armed with our meal plans, shopping lists, and best intentions, things still go wrong. Recipes flop. Tastes change. Sudden events pop up. 

In these cases, it may be best to donate or share the food before it goes bad. Starting a home compost or using a local municipal compost is also a great way to ensure the food's nutrients return to the earth and produce rich soil. While many foods can easily break down in compost and fertilize your natural landscapes, food in landfills rots to produce toxic methane. 

Reducing the amount of food that spoils and using the wasted food scale when food does spoil is a great way to reduce your household's food waste, improving your overall carbon footprint. 

Step 3: Support Sustainable Farming

When you have settled into your plant-based lifestyle and made efforts to reduce food waste, next find local farmers who practice regenerative agriculture and support them when able. Regenerative agriculture practices seek to sequester more carbon in the soil and improve soil health. You can even employ regenerative practices in your backyard garden for a healthier ecosystem. 

Step 4: Advocate For Sustainable Choices

Easiest for some, yet extremely difficult for others, the final step is to get involved in advocacy. Give friends and family a little social nudge by serving them a plant-based meal or sharing a recipe. Seek out local community leaders in environmentalism and become an ambassador for change. 

While I recommend you first look at your city or community level for like-minded individuals, Foodtank has also created an extensive list of organizations transforming food systems. 

​Going Forward

Overall, creating global sustainable food systems requires changes in policy and industry. Along with advocating for these changes, you can create demand for sustainable food systems right now by choosing more plant-based protein sources, reducing food waste, and supporting regenerative agriculture. 

Thanks for reading this guide! Don't forget to pin this guide to revisit your progress. If you enjoy learning about eco-friendly choices, check out my guide on How To Select Eco-Friendly Food Storage Containers. 

Resources

Here are a couple other resources that were not mentioned in this guide, but are worth taking a look at:

• Food + Planet: An excellent resource for health professionals to learn about sustainable food systems.
• Future 50 Foods: List of eco-friendly foods selected by the World Wildlife Fund and Knorr for their nutritional value, environmental impact, flavor, accessibility, acceptability, and affordability.