April 2022
March—Nutrition Month—has come to an end! To mark the occasion, we spoke with our in-house nutritionist and content lead to get her best tips on how to embrace (more) sustainable eating every day.
More and more of us are aware of the impact our consumption habits have on the environment. From livestock farming and agriculture to overconsumption and food waste, our eating patterns have measurable and harmful consequences for the planet. But where do we begin? Do we have to go fully vegan to protect the environment? Keep reading—we’ve got answers!
What is sustainable eating?
“Sustainable eating encompasses all the practices involved in feeding people— from farm to fork—aiming to provide quality, sufficient food today and for future generations, while protecting the environment, ensuring affordability, and fairly compensating everyone across the food chain.” — Équiterre
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, a sustainable diet includes:
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A mostly plant-based diet
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A focus on local and seasonal ingredients
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Reducing food waste
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Choosing seafood from sustainable sources
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Cutting back on red meat, ultra-processed foods, and sugary drinks
“Protect the planet by eating differently”
How can you make more sustainable food choices?
Our nutritionist shares 5 practical tips for eating well while embracing eco-friendlier habits:
1. Choose local and seasonal foods
Whenever possible, go for foods that are grown, produced, or prepared locally. Thanks to greenhouse farming, many local options are available year-round.
Local products not only support the local economy and farming expertise—they’re also fresher, tastier, and reduce your carbon footprint by cutting down on transport.
Psst! Check out our tasty selection of local products at Cool&Simple!
2. Eat more plant-based foods
For your health and the planet’s, choose plant-based proteins more often, like:
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Legumes (lentils, beans, peas, soy, etc.)
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Nuts and seeds (hazelnuts, peanuts, etc.)
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Whole grains (buckwheat, millet, kamut, spelt, etc.)
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Tofu
They’re rich in fibre, lower in saturated fat, and great for your heart. Try replacing meat with beans or tofu in some of your meals.
At Cool&Simple, you’ll find delicious meat alternatives and ready-made vegetarian meals to help you discover new recipes, hassle-free.
3. Support sustainable seafood
When eating fish or seafood, choose options from sustainable sources. This helps protect marine life and prevents overfishing—currently one of the biggest threats to our oceans.
You can use tools like the Seafood Watch app or look for seafood endorsed by Ocean Wise, which certifies eco-responsible products.
Our Gaspé cod fillets, Atlantic salmon, Matane shrimp, and rainbow smoked trout are all sustainably sourced and Ocean Wise recommended!
4. Reduce packaging and waste
Another way to make your eating habits more sustainable is to limit the waste you produce by choosing minimally packaged or packaging-free products.
A quick stroll through the grocery store reveals just how many everyday items are needlessly double-packaged—mostly for aesthetic reasons.
Choose unpackaged fruits and veggies, buy in bulk, bring your own containers or reusable bags, and you’ll significantly reduce packaging waste.
For products that must come packaged, make sure to recycle properly. The Recyc-Québec website is a great resource for learning how to recycle right.
At Cool&Simple, reducing our environmental footprint is a top priority. That’s why we now deliver to the Greater Montreal area in simple recyclable brown paper bags.
This is made possible by our investment in low-energy freezer trucks, which keep our frozen products at the right temperature while minimizing our environmental impact—year-round.
5. Cut down on food waste
According to the UN, Canada leads the world... in food waste.
The average Canadian household throws away over $1,100 worth of food every year, and 63% of it could have been eaten (Recyc-Québec).
To fight this, here are some habits that make a real difference:
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Plan your meals around what you already have before heading to the grocery store.
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Buy the right quantities for your recipes and your actual needs.
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Choose frozen foods in portioned formats—like the ones offered at Cool&Simple! This way, you can take only what you need and keep the rest for later.
Got leftovers? Store them in airtight containers and use them creatively in your next meals.
At Cool&Simple, we’ve also committed to the fight against food waste—and we’re proud to have reached zero waste in our operations in 2021. Thanks to better management of short-dated products and partnerships with organizations like Too Good To Go, the world’s most downloaded anti-food-waste app, we now redirect unsold items to Quebec food banks.
References
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Équiterre (2021). All About Sustainable Eating
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FAO (2010). Food-Based Dietary Guidelines & Sustainability
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Radio-Canada (2021, May 26). Canadians: World Leaders in Food Waste