While you’re trying to focus more on healthy cooking, another thing to focus on would be sustainability. There is already a major issue with food waste being produced all around the world every day, but what’s going to make it a lot worse is contributing to it. Everyone needs to play their part in some form or another to put this to an end. While it doesn’t seem like a lot, even you just deciding to make some minor differences could be more than enough to help. If everyone comes together and makes sustainable choices, then less waste will be produced! So, when it comes to incorporating simple eco-friendly practices into your diet, here are some things you can try!

Reuse Bags at Stores

Using fewer plastic bags is one of the easiest ways to reduce your environmental impact. If you go to the grocery store, bring reusable shopping bags with you instead of purchasing single-use plastic ones. Every year we use billions of plastic bags, and they end up lining our landfills and contaminating the water supply. You can get reusable, eco-friendly bags at most stores for a small fee, or you can even find them online for a more affordable option. These bags can also be recycled, and many supermarkets offer bins for them. You can also donate them to a local food pantry.

Consider Buying Food with Less Packaging

This can be a challenge, especially if you live in an area with limited grocery stores. But if you can, why not try to buy food that has less packaging? This can even include going to your local farmers market or even one of those grocery stores where you bring your own packaging, such as jars. This helps make a big difference in the environment! 

Buy Local

This ties into the above, so if you’re wanting to buy support less waste, make sure you buy locally sourced food. This cuts down on the transportation energy used by food and also helps support your community and farmers. If possible, try to buy organic items. This will reduce the number of chemicals that are in the soil and water supply, preventing contamination and improving health. This also includes eating foods in season if you can.  If you’re buying from a farmer’s market, you’re most likely going to be buying from local farmers who only grow in-season produce anyways. 

Cook Foods That Require Fewer Ingredients

This often gets overlooked, but one way to have a sustainable diet would be to just focus on dishes that don’t have an exorbitant amount of ingredients. While it’s fine to indulge from time to time in dishes that have ten or more ingredients, it’s also best to stick with meals that preferably have fewer required ingredients. You can look into an easy Romesco recipe as this has fewer ingredients required, making it sustainable while still being completely delicious. 

Overall, these are very small and simple practices, and while they don’t sound as if they make a massive difference in the end, they definitely do! So be sure to come up with creative ways to focus on sustainability and sustainable living because it can all make a massive difference!