Food

Taking care of industrial food waste

In the US, approximately 30-40% of all food is wasted according to the USDA. Generally, on this topic the discussion focuses on how to reduce this number with strategies for every stage of the chain from farm and manufacturing to the consumer. But Saba and colleagues (2023) have taken a different approach. Focusing specifically on … Continue reading →

Do you know how to make your diet more sustainable?

I’ve looked into research on food sustainability and to say it’s complex is an understatement. Local good but meat bad; what if it’s local meat? Fruits and veggies good; what if they’re grown with lots of fertilizer and pesticides? What about farming practices and transportation distances and water use? I have a good background to … Continue reading →

How much of a menu needs to be vegetarian?

If you aren’t vegetarian or vegan do you look at the vegetarian section of a restaurant menu? Would you be more likely to choose vegetarian or vegan if those items are mixed in with similar meat based dishes? How about choosing an item from a section called “Environmentally friendly main courses for a happy planet”? … Continue reading →

Rewilding and Food Sustainability

Rewilding is a conservation approach that focuses on restoring natural processes. It involves less human management compared to many approaches to managing landscapes including both natural and agricultural areas. Keystone species, those that impact many other species, are fundamental to the success of rewilding, as is the return of wild versions of both plants and … Continue reading →

What are the benefits of plant based meat alternatives?

I have switched to a number of plant based meat alternatives. Generally, I’ve done this where I’m trying to keep a particular style of meal like a burger (although I also enjoy a portobello mushroom burger). So convenience and familiarity play a role. But I admit to wondering whether these alternatives are actually environmentally better … Continue reading →

Does changing one food item a day make any difference?

In the past few years I have changed my diet to be (mostly) a weekday vegetarian. If I’m honest this change was aided by also switching to one of the weekly meal kit boxes. I signed up for the vegetarian box and through it gained many delicious vegetarian recipes. Vegetarian on its own isn’t automatically … Continue reading →

Share a meal

Enjoy the gift of food

Should I be having spinach in my smoothie?

I get spinach to use in salads, but I don’t often use enough to use it all up. In an attempt to reduce food waste I started adding the spinach to my smoothie in the morning. But then I fell down the internet rabbit hole of health advice. The number of different messages about raw … Continue reading →

Suppressing my appetite

So yesterday I completed a sprint duathlon. Just for fun and on my own because we are still in the midst of social distancing due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In the morning I got up and had some Greek yogurt and fruit and then I went and did a 5 km run, 20 km bike, … Continue reading →