How to Improve Food Sustainability?

Many restaurants have taken it upon themselves to source their food more locally and practice sustainability due to environmental concerns and societal demand.

FREMONT, CA: Food sustainability is not just about the food itself. It is a combination of factors – like how the food is produced, distributed, packaged and consumed. The term ‘food sustainability’ is one which has begun cropping up more and more in recent years. Whilst it is an important notion to consider for the planet, it is also a trend that is growing in popularity amongst home cooks, chefs and customers alike.

How Does One Make Sustainable Food Choices?

• When possible, buy local, seasonal foods. This isn't to say that every piece of produce you buy has to be organic, but small changes like avoiding fruits like strawberries until British summertime can help. They are grown in the UK during their season, so they do not need to be flown across the ocean.

• From the standpoint of manufacturers or restaurants, try to source as many local ingredients as possible. Many restaurants, for example, have seasonal menus that change depending on what's available. More information on restaurant sustainability can be found here.

• Cut down on food waste. This is always a broad topic, but you can reduce food waste by planning weekly meals around what you have on hand or by repurposing scraps in novel ways, such as potato skin crisps or using the carcass from your roast chicken to make stock.

• Manufacturers should strive to use sustainable packaging and encourage their customers to recycle and freeze leftovers.

• As consumers, you should make an effort to understand what sustainable packaging is and try to choose brands that use it over those that do not.

Restaurants Can Practice Sustainable Food Choices

• Plot to plate eating entails growing and harvesting as much produce as possible at home.

• If growing produce at home is not an option, many people choose to buy as locally as possible.

• Include a lot of plant-based produce because it often requires less energy from fossil fuels, less land, and less water than meat.

• Where meat is used, it should be sourced ethically and sustainably. This entails farmers ensuring high levels of animal welfare and using sustainable practices.

• Furthermore, when using meat, encourage a nose-to-tail approach that aims to use as much of the animal as possible, in as many ways as possible, so that as little goes to waste.

• Reducing food waste by donating food that would otherwise go to waste to charities or selling it at a discount on apps like 'Too Good To Go' or 'Olio.'

• Some fine dining establishments also strive to reduce waste by utilizing all of their produce; previously, large quantities of vegetable peelings were discarded to obtain a perfectly shaped potato.