You don't have to swear off eating out or budget to the very T, but by implementing a few simple, sustainable measures into your food planning, you'll reduce your carbon footprint and support more ethical food systems.
Plus, you might even save money. Contrary to what you might believe, buying organic and healthy produce doesn't have to drain your entire bank account. Here are a few ways to eat green and save some green too.
Eat seasonally.
We all know the best strawberries are in June, but did you know that April is asparagus season?
Foods harvested in season are typically at their peak of ripeness and taste, and they're higher in nutrients.
Seasonal foods also tend to be less expensive than those purchased out of season because when farms or food retailers have an abundant crop on hand, they'll price it low to get it into consumers' hands before it goes bad.
Plan your meals.
Meal planning can help you follow a healthier diet by putting you in control of exactly what you're going to eat. Creating a detailed list of what you need keeps food spending on track, preventing impulse buys. Food waste has huge effects on the environment, and it's easier to waste food when you're buying things you don't actually need, whereas if you follow a meal plan, you'll only buy the necessities.
Utilize your leftovers.
Eating leftovers can help you from spending on takeout or new groceries you don't really need. If you don't want to have the same dinner three days in a row, have your dinner for lunch and if you're really not a leftover lover, try creative approaches like repurposing leftover meat as a pizza topping tossing fruits and veggies into a salad.
Avoid mega processed foods.
Overly processed foods go under multiple industrial processes and usually contain lots of added flavors, sugars, fats, and chemical preservatives.
In addition to that, mega-processed foods harm the environment because their numerous ingredients mean that their overall carbon footprint is huge, so try to replace them with nutritious whole foods whenever possible.