TIPS TO EATING MORE SUSTAINABLY

Food fuels us. Food allows us to spend time with loved ones. But food also had a big impact on our planet. Over the years, we have become more informed about the way the choices we make impact our home planet. 

Specifically, we’re clued in to how our food production can take a toll. In fact, experts have identified sustainable eating as the single biggest thing any one person can do to make a difference. 

If you’re looking for a way to make a positive impact on the planet, consider making some adjustments to your fridge and pantry. It can be a simple way to help keep our planet healthy.

What Does Sustainable Eating Mean?

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics sums it up for us, saying, “Sustainable agriculture enables us to produce healthful food without compromising future generations' ability to do the same. Sustainable eating is about choosing foods that are healthful to our environment and our bodies.” 

How, exactly, do you make sustainable food choices? Here are a few tips: 

• Shop locally. When you buy your food at, say, a farmer’s market or you choose local brands at the grocery store, you minimize the environmental impact of your kitchen. Locally grown or produced things don’t have to be shipped, meaning you’re eliminating the fuel it takes to get something from A to distant B. What’s more, a lot of grocery products have to be transported in refrigerated environments, meaning even more resources get designated there. Choose local and you get the things you need with the least environmental impact attached to them.
  
  
• Minimize animal products. Meat and dairy take an enormous toll on the planet (we’ll get into the details in a moment). You might not be ready — or, quite frankly, might not want — to start eating vegetarian or vegan. But even doing little things can go a long way, like celebrating Meatless Mondays or choosing vegan products (like our plant-powered Dark Chocolate) when they taste just as good.Choose ethically sourced food. A big problem with our food supply chain stems from the fact that we often don’t understand the various pieces of it. All too frequently, local environments are being taxed or local workers are being wildly underpaid to get us the food we want at the prices we expect. But you can combat that by choosing ethically sourced food whenever the opportunity presents itself. And we can help you get started: JOJO’s Chocolates are all ethically sourced.
  
  
• Watch your food waste. 40% of the U.S. food supply gets wasted each year. It’s probably happened to you. You buy a carton of berries with the best of intentions, only to find them fuzzy by the time you get to them. But because producing food requires so many resources, food waste costs us big. Start by keeping an eye on what you throw into the trash. Buying less of those items can help you make a difference. The EPA has more tips you can employ to slash your food waste at home.

How Does Sustainable Eating Impact the Planet?

Meat and dairy farming contributes to nearly 15% of our total global greenhouse gas emissions. Beef has the highest impact, but you can help there by choosing U.S. beef when you crave a burger.

Not only does going meat-free help to cut emissions, but it also uses significantly less water. A 6-ounce steak requires 674 gallons of water to produce when all is said and done.

Fortunately, even a small adjustment can have a big impact. If you adopt Meatless Mondays, for example, and skip a serving of beef every Monday for the next year, you make the same environmental impact as driving 348 fewer miles. 

Plus, these tips won’t just help you green your life in terms of food. They can help you keep more green in your wallet, too. American households throw an average of more than $1,800 in food waste in the trash each year. 

We hope that helps to inspire you to try sustainable eating. We bet you’ll enjoy the money you save and the good feeling you get from lessening the strain on our home planet!

And don’t forget our vegan JOJO’s Chocolate can help you make sustainable eating extra-delicious.