Learn about the impacts of food waste and prevention strategies here.

What is sustainable food?

Sustainable food refers to food production and consumption practices that are environmentally friendly, economically viable, and socially equitable over the long term. It involves methods that:

1. Minimize Environmental Impact: This includes reducing the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, conserving water, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and promoting biodiversity by using crop rotation and polyculture practices.
2. Support Local Economies: Sustainable food often emphasizes local sourcing to reduce the carbon footprint associated with transportation, support local farmers and communities, and ensure food security.
3. Promote Animal Welfare: It involves ethical treatment of animals, providing them with natural living conditions and diets, which is contrary to the practices of intensive animal farming.
4. Ensure Food Safety and Health: Sustainable food production avoids the use of harmful substances, leading to healthier food options for consumers.
5. Promote Fair Trade: Ensuring fair working conditions and fair pay for all workers involved in the food production chain.

By focusing on these aspects, sustainable food aims to create a food system that can continue to support human needs without depleting resources, harming the environment, or compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

How to make sustainable food choices

Choosing sustainably produced foods isn’t any different than other items you purchase. sustainable food production

Questions to consider are:

• Where was this grown/produced? Is there a local option?
• Was it grown/produced sustainably and ethically? What are the business practices?
• What chemicals were used? Ingredients? Are there cleaner, more natural choices?
• Is there a plastic-free packaging option?

Grow your own food, forage, cook more—including homemade substitutes for processed foods

Eco-friendly Food Packaging

The most environmentally friendly food packaging is no packaging.

Avoid plastic whenever possible. Buy in bulk. sustainable food packaging.

Buy Local

Sustainable food certifications

USDA Organic, Non-GMO, Rainforest Alliance, Monterey Bay Seafood Watch, American Grassfed, Animal Welfare Approved, Certified Humane, Global Animal Partnership (GAP), USDA Certified Organic, and USDA Process Verified No Antibiotics Ever