Add sustainable eating to Earth Day this year.

Go all out this Earth Day by thinking about your food as well

With Earth Day around the corner it’s a good time to think about how the food we eat impacts our environment. Many of the reports predicting 2017 food trends put sustainable eating on the list of things we will be looking for the most this year. We talked to Sonya Fiorini, senior director of corporate social responsibility at Loblaw for her top tips on eating sustainably.

1. Reduce your food waste. Accordingly to a recent report, Canadians waste roughly $31 billion of food each year. Making a grocery list before shopping is an easy way to cut down on household food waste, but there are some other great ways to reduce the amount of food you throw out. “If you’re taking stock of your fridge and you think things are going to spoil before you can eat them, do some batch cooking and stock your freezer for later or try some food storage techniques like pickling and canning,” says Fiorini. “Herb and vegetable tops can also be dried or frozen for future use as seasoning.”

2. Choose sustainable seafood. Choosing seafood that comes from a sustainable source will help to ensure the livelihood of the species for future generations. “Many grocery stores carry a range of sustainable seafood, so look for the Marine Stewardship Council or Aquaculture Stewardship Council symbols on the package or at the seafood counter,” says Fiorini.

3. Eat local. Locally grown produce and meat don’t have as far to travel to your local grocery store. During peak growing season farmers’ markets are a great option and many grocery stores will have a wide variety of locally produced items. “Choosing food grown near you can help reduce your carbon foot print and puts dollars into your local economy.”

4. Try alternative proteins. Nuts, seeds and pulses are excellent sources of protein. Another source of protein you may want to consider is According to a United Nations report called Edible Forest Insects Humans Bite Back, 100 grams of crickets contain a whopping 12.9 grams of protein. It’s no surprise that cricket products are popping up in grocery stores across Canada, like the Loblaws store at Maple Leafs Garden.

Courtesy of: News Canada