Healthy diet for you and the planet

What we eat and how we eat affects our bodies and the environment around us. How can you improve nutrition AND be kind to the Earth?

The two most powerful, scientifically valid ways to improve human health in an Earth-friendly manner are to – 

Keep food out of landfills

Eat more plants and fewer animal products.

Food Waste

U.S. consumers waste about $1300 annually throwing food away, which equates to a pound of food wasted per person per day.¹

Food waste attributes to massive amounts of food and water wasted, pesticides and fertilizers needlessly used, wasted petroleum for transport and storage, increased pollution, and habit and biodiversity loss.^1,2

Foods most often thrown in the trash at home are fruits and vegetables,² yet 90% of Americans do not eat enough vegetables, and 80% do not eat enough fruit.³

Interestingly, those who tend to have a higher-quality diet (yes, you healthy people out there) are the ones most likely to throw away produce.² So it seems, good intentions are not enough.

Buying Produce

Buy produce that is in season.

Buy locally grown.

Consider all the inputs that it takes to get food from the field to your plate. Emissions from transport and storage, such as ships, trucks, and refrigerated storage, can be immense if the food was grown halfway around the world. 

Locally-grown food takes much less input.

Farmer’s markets are not only a fun way to spend an afternoon but also a great way to get fresh food while supporting your local farmers. Find your local market here. 

Fresh fruits and vegetables make up a huge portion of food waste. For foods with a very short shelf-life, like delicate fresh produce, buy only what you will eat in 3 to 5 days unless you plan to freeze it.

Buy frozen and canned fruits and veggies to complement fresh.

Frozen and canned produce is as nutritious as fresh produce. They sometimes have even higher nutrient content than fresh ones since they are packaged immediately rather than sitting around in transport, at the grocer, and on your counter or fridge.

Frozen and canned last much longer than fresh and can dramatically reduce waste.

Bulk-buying pitfalls

Buying in bulk may reduce some packaging and is a great way to save money. However, some studies⁴ have shown bulk buying may lead to waste. Especially for perishable food you don’t intend to freeze.

So ask yourself, are you really going to eat 3 pounds of fresh broccoli in about 3 to 4 days? If not, consider dividing your purchase with a friend or family member, buying a smaller amount, or buying frozen.

Do a fridge and cabinet makeover. 

How many times have you thrown away moldy, smelly food that you forgot was in your fridge?

Keep your fridge and pantries clean and uncluttered so you can see what’s inside. Place foods that will expire first front and center.  

As a bonus, cleaning your fridge can help reduce bacteria that cause illnesses.

Maximize shelf-life.

There are many tips for storing fruits and veggies so they can last longer. Some do best in the fridge, others on the counter or in the cabinet.

Make sure to separate those that give off ethylene gas that ripens plants quickly (apples, avocadoes, tomatoes, unripe bananas) from those that don’t give off gases (squash, watermelon, sweet potatoes). See the list here.

How you store it is as important as where you store it. Examples:

• Give them space to breathe! Take those delicate leafy greens, herbs, and shredded carrots out of their bags, rinse, remove excess water, and place them in a container to allow air to flow around the food.

• Keep ’em hydrated! Apply a wet paper towel on the bottom of lettuce, rhubarb, and broccoli to increase longevity.

• Stand asparagus upright in a container with a small amount of water at the bottom.

• You can store carrots and celery in water-filled jars. Replace water often.

Check out these easy ways to store food to make them last with this list.

For more great information on reducing food waste, check out #StopFoodWaste.

Plan your meals

How many times have you let food go bad in the fridge from ordering take-out or going out to eat? A little advanced planning can reduce the loss of food and money.

Planning your meals around what needs to be cooked, rather than what you are in the mood for, can dramatically reduce food waste.

Other ideas – consider prepping a day or two’s supply of veggies to encourage use, as well as improve your diet; divide bulk items into meal-sized portions and freeze what you won’t use immediately.

Need some inspiration to make those leftovers taste delicious? We love these recipes from #LoveFoodHateWaste!

Use food before it goes bad.

Donate food that you will unlikely consume and is NOT expired to your local food bank.

Share your food at a potluck. Now that many of us can socialize a bit more, potlucks are a great way to reconnect with friends, colleagues, and community members while sharing food and reducing waste.

Aren’t sure how long food lasts? Check out the FoodKeeper webpage or get the app, or see our page on Food Safety.

Use Food scraps.

Salvage what you safely can. 

There is a difference between bruises and abrasions on produce and spoilage. It IS possible to remove blemishes and use the edible parts of produce without throwing the entire plant in the trash.

Cut out the undesirable parts, then use a clean knife to prep the remaining pieces. Be careful and clean to avoid cross-contamination.

Also, eating overripe food in different ways can help improve acceptability.

Example:

•  overripe bananas may not taste good on their own but make great additions to bread, pancakes, and smoothies. 

• squishy tomatoes are yucky on sandwiches but do great in pasta sauce!

We love these inspiring ways to use food scraps in meals from #FoodPrint.org!

Grow food from scraps.

You don’t have to have a green thumb, a lot of land, or cash to grow food. A small container garden in a window or patio made from recycled food containers or buckets works just fine.

Many seeds, stems, and tops of produce that you would typically throw away can often regrow an edible plant, and for free!

For example, the tops of pineapples can regrow if placed in moist soil. Wipe off the jelly-like covering of tomato seeds with a paper towel and plant them.

There are so many ways to transform food scraps into a beautiful garden. We love these ideas from #FoodRevolution.

Compost instead of trash.

You can compost most plant-based foods, lawn clippings, and even plain cardboard and newspaper.

The recipe is typically 1 part green (nitrogen, from leaves, fruits, veggies, etc.) and 3 parts brown (carbon, twigs, paper, etc.).  

Composting helps to reduce landfill space and produces free fertilizer for that cute little container garden you’ve started (nudge, nudge).

Here’s how to get started with composting. 

Eat more plants, fewer animals.

People throw away more meat and seafood than any other food when out at restaurants and food establishments, equating to the most expensive foods wasted.¹

What you can do:

• ask for smaller portions, especially meats and seafood

• get a to-go box (preferably an Earth-friendly one)

• actually eat the leftovers (incorporate them into a new meal, like chicken breast shredded for tacos, shrimp added to pasta with sauce)

• split the entrée with someone 

AND consider eating more plant-based foods and less animal-sourced food.

Decades of research show that plant-based diets are healthier for you AND healthier for the planet.⁵

Plants also contain NO cholesterol, are typically very low in saturated fat and sodium, and are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Plants also have compounds not typically found in animal products, including phytonutrients such as flavonoids and colorful carotenoids, that behave as antioxidants and promote health.

The science overwhelmingly supports eating more plant-based foods and less animal-sourced foods to support environmental sustainability.⁵

For example, a collaboration of 37 leading scientists from 16 countries in various disciplines, including health, ag, political science, and environmental sustainability, formed the EAT-Lancet non-profit commission.

They concluded the following to improve human health and to support a healthier, sustainable environment:⁵ 

There are simple ways to incorporate more plants into your diet, even if you are a meat lover.

Just replacing processed or high-fat meats with beans, peas, and lentils dramatically can lower saturated fat and sodium,³ nutrients that contribute to the most likely way a person will die – heart disease.  

Examples:

• substitute black beans or lentils for half-ground meat can cut your consumption of saturated fat while adding a ton of fiber and antioxidants

• add slivers of zucchini, bell peppers, and onions to your tacos for more antioxidants and fiber

• add minced onion, sweet peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, black beans, or caramelized sweet potato slices to eggs to start the day healthy!

Further, unleash your inner connoisseur and learn how to make veggies taste good, so you will want to eat them!

What and how we eat affects our planet and our bodies.

Food is the strongest driver to optimize human health and environmental sustainability on Earth.⁵ Yet, it is one of the most significant contributors to massive increases in obesity, non-communicable diseases, and environmental degradation.^3,5

The two most important factors to improve human and environmental health – 

Eat more plants and fewer animal products.

 Reduce food waste.

A plant-based diet is one of the best ways to increase nutrients in your diet, lower saturated fat and sodium, and improve health.

Fewer animals grown for food can also reduce greenhouse emissions, water usage and pollution, habit destruction, and loss of biodiversity loss.⁵ Your dollar is your voice as demand drives production.

Reducing food waste is critical, and we all need to do our part. But really, it is simple –

• Buy only what you will eat
• Eat the food you buy 
• Store food properly and in a way that encourages consumption
• Get creative with food scraps 

Be kind to your body and mama Earth!

Eat well to be well.

References

1. Conrad, Z. Daily cost of consumer food wasted, inedible, and consumed in the United States, 2001-2016. Nutr J, 19,35; 2020.
2.  Relationship between food waste, diet quality, and environmental sustainability. Conrad, Z, Niles, MT, Neher, DA, et al. Plos One 
3. U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. December 2020. Available at DietaryGuidelines.gov. 
4. Ishangulyyev R, Kim S, Lee SH. Understanding Food Loss and Waste-Why Are We Losing and Wasting Food?. Foods. 2019;8(8):297. 
5. Summary Report of the EAT-Lancet Commission. Healthy diets from sustainable food systems. Food, Planet, Health.