Sustainable Eating for People and Planet

As we swing into the final days of National Nutrition Month, I wanted to share a few thoughts on the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics’ 2023 theme “Fuel for the Future,” with an eye toward eating sustainably. As it turns out, sustainable eating is a dual-purposed and tasty way to nourish ourselves during every phase of life while protecting the planet.   

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that in the United States, food waste is estimated at between 30-40% of the food supply. The implications of such losses are far-reaching and impact society in numerous ways. 

• Wholesome food that could have helped feed families in need is sent to landfills. According to the USDA, more than 34 million people in the United States—including 9 million children—are food insecure.  
• All the land, water, labor, energy, transportation and petrochemical inputs (gas, oil, fertilizer, pesticides) used in producing, processing, transporting, preparing and storing food are also directly lost when food is thrown away.  
• In addition, food disposal itself churns through a heavy amount of resources. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that food loss and waste generate 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. “That’s the equivalent of the entire global transportation sector combined,” reports IPCC. 

Reducing food waste is among the top ways you can diminish your carbon footprint and contribute to planet health. Here are a few suggestions for making a difference at home.  

In the spirit of planning ahead to avoid any waste, here are some practical, delicious recipes to try this weekend from nutrition expert and adjunct professor Elizabeth Shaw, MS, RDN, CPT, on Meal Prep Supersets: A Quicker Way to Eat Well (and Waste Less) All Week!