6th November 2023
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Why should we eat more sustainably? As stated by the WWF “about a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions are associated with food”. Food production is also the greatest contributor to wildlife loss (WWF). With the COP26 climate summit just recently taking place, climate change is more topical than ever, so here’s some easy ways to eat more sustainably and consciously:
PSA – sustainability means “the degree to which a process or enterprise is able to be maintained or continued while avoiding the long-term depletion of natural resources'”(OED definition).
Acording to the WWF 30% of the food produced globally is wasted. On the Too Good To Go app you can buy food from participating cafes and restaurants which would otherwise be thrown away at the end of the day. Each time you order you receive a magic bag which includes a selection of unsold items from that day, at a great price. You have to order on the app during the day to reserve your magic bag and it’s collection only. You must be quick as many of the places sell out early!
There’s tonnes of places to choose from with lots of options in the city centre and a few around campus. Enjoy the Canadian style loaded fries from Caribou Poutine (my housemate got me hooked on these boxes of goodness). Or, a mystery selection of baked goods from Greggs; will it be a sausage roll or a chicken bake? The magic bags are perfect for fuelling your day at the library, or curing your hangover after a few too many fat frogs at The Raz!
Download the app and start choosing your first magic bag from one of Liverpool’s foodie spots.
At night supermarkets lower the price of the items which are about go out of date. So, why not do your food shop in the evening to benefit from reduced prices whilst the environment benefits from your part in lowering food waste? Personally, I’ve found some amazing bargains when I’ve hit Asda on a wild (not) Tuesday night! Providing you have enough freezer space this is an easy way to do your bit for the environment.
Top tip: Always check that the item you are buying is suitable for freezing (often indicated by a snowflake icon on the back of the packaging). Also, look out for any fresh food you may have that’s about to go out of date, as this can be put in the freezer too, and eaten at a later date.
It’s time to get creative! Have you ever thought of dying an old top to give it a new lease of life? Zero Waste Memoirs details some fantastic and resourceful ways to use your leftover veggies. As a spinach lover myself, my personal favourite on the list is using spinach to dye clothes green. Spinach seems to go off very quickly so using the leftovers sustainably is a fantastic way to do your bit for the environment. You are also contributing to sustainable fashion when you upcycle your clothes. It’s a win win!
Check out this pin on Pinterest for more info.
It’s time to turn your uni garden into an allotment (well, maybe a miniature allotment?). Growing your own fruit and veg completely cuts out the energy it takes to transport produce from all around the world to your local supermarket and, in turn, reduces greenhouse gas emissions. You can also lower your plastic use when you opt for home grown over supermarket bought. Moreover, you won’t use any petrol driving to the supermarket to pick up the fruit and veg, which in turn helps to lower greenhouse gas emissions. And, incase you need anymore reasons to start, growing your own food is often cheaper than buying from the supermarket.
You will need to do some research first, so don’t start digging up your garden just yet. A quick Google of ‘how to grow your own food’ brings up lots of blogs detailing a step by step process and top tips.
Here’s one to get you started: https://www.lovethegarden.com/uk-en/article/10-easy-steps-growing-your-own-food
If you don’t meal plan you can end up over-buying food that goes off before you get the chance to eat it. Not only is this bad for the environment but also for your dwindling student funds. So, instead of that 15 minute study break on Tik Tok (this somehow always turns into an hour!), why not spend the time planning your meals before you go food shopping?
I like to create a table on Google Docs with the days of the week and each mealtime. Alternativley, there’s some free, printable weekly meal planners here. Next, I look for some delicious recipes to fill the table with and fuel me for the coming week.
Here’s some of my go to places for recipe inspo:
Finally, you have to actually to do the shopping bit – sigh.
Meal planning really makes you feel like you’ve got your sh#t together, even if the rest of your life feels entirely disorganised (which is a constant state as a student, right?).
Top tip: Portion your food accordingly so you don’t end up making more than you can eat and throwing food out. Invest in some scales to weigh out reccomended portion sizes for items such as pasta and rice.
Hopefully these easy lifestyle changes have inspired you to eat more sustainably!
For more Food and Drink inspiration, check out our other articles!
Feature Image Credit: Edward Howell – Unsplash
