Easy & Tasty
Eco-nutrition Challenge!
Making sustainable food choices means making sure that what you eat is in season rather than using food that has been “force grown”.
You could also try growing your own as an alternative way of making sure that you are eating seasonal food.
Once you have checked out what the seasonal fruit and vegetables are these days, why not try making all of your meals today with ingredients that are in season?
Why?
Seasonal food
This means food grown from seeds that have been germinated in the soil at the right time, so plants are naturally stronger and more resistant to disease and produce higher-quality fruit and vegetables. Out-of-season food may be “force grown” in artificial conditions, requiring more fertilisers and energy. This can lead to watery, flavourless produce and damage to the planet. Be sure to buy products that were intended to be grown in their natural environment. For example, growing oranges in a cool climate would require a lot of energy!
Going the distance
The phrase ‘food miles’ has sparked a lot of controversy in the last few years. Literally, the phrase means the distance your food has travelled to get to your plate – but it doesn’t take into account factors such as how much heating was required to grow something in a colder climate, compared with growing it in naturally warm conditions. Just because something has been grown in another country, it doesn’t necessarily mean it is worse for the environment than something grown closer to home.
Healthy you, Healthy Planet Facts
- Most Europeans (53 per cent) consider the environment when buying food and the criteria at the top of their lists are food miles and packaging. http://ec.europa.eu/environment/eussd/escp_en.htm
- Most European consumers are unaware of the large difference in CO2 emissions between soya products and dairy.
- Soya products are more sustainable than dairy in terms of land use, water use and greenhouse gas emissions.
- You can feed five times as many people from a hectare of land on which plant based food is grown as you can from growing animal based food.
- Growing your own food means less food has to be shipped. Shipping is responsible for a lot of environmental damage. Your tiny row of carrots is not going to stop a delivery truck, but when more people do it, we will see a reduction.
- Children are more likely to eat the vegetables they have grown. Who among us does not have fond memories of eating peas out of the pod? Kids are less likely to call something "yuck" if they grew it themselves.
- Less waste. You can compost the dead plant matter at the end of the year and use it in the soil the following year.
Healthy you, Healthy Planet Tips
- Pick foods that are considered to be sustainable - fresh, plant-based foods that are not highly processed. Sustainably farmed soya is an excellent solution.
- Think carefully about the food choices you make and keep a diary for the day, to compare with your family and friends. Which of you is the most eco-friendly, ethical shopper?
- Buy at least one or two items that have been locally produced. There are plenty of good fruits and vegetables in season in Europe in September and you will also be supporting your local economy.
- Buy only free-range eggs rather than battery-farmed eggs - it's better for the hens and they taste better as well. The same applies for sustainably farmed or caught fish and seafood.