Protecting the environment by eating more sustainably is all the rage. With our conscious consumer decisions we can make our personal contribution to climate protection.
Our eating habits account for almost a quarter of our ecological footprint, so we can already achieve a great deal by eating in an environmentally friendly way.
By reducing packaging material or consciously choosing organic food, you are already heading in the right direction for more sustainability.
VERIVAL breakfast in organic quality – try it now
With our 4 tips for a more sustainable diet you will not only learn how you can make your consumer behaviour more climate-friendly, but also find out the background to it.
Tip 1: A more sustainable diet is regional and seasonal
A lot of environmentally harmful CO2 is produced when transporting food around the globe. The same applies to fruit and vegetables that are grown in greenhouses. It takes a lot of energy for the fruit to thrive under these conditions.
And let's be honest: tomatoes, strawberries and the like don't really taste that good in winter anyway. If they have to travel halfway around the world or are grown in greenhouses, they taste very watery.
It is better for the climate and for flavour if you consume food from your local area and when it is in season .
This applies not only to fruit and vegetables, but also to all other foods. From cereals and meat to dairy products and cheese.
Quinoa, for example, may provide a lot of valuable nutrients and bring a variety of health benefits, but oats are a true superfood and are in no way inferior to the exotic plant. The significant difference: oats don't have to travel thousands of kilometres to end up on your plate.
Oats can be used to whip up not only delicious breakfast dishes but also wonderful snacks and other tasty treats. For example, our delicious banana bread:
Tip 2: Reduce your waste
This tip may not have anything directly to do with your diet, but it is an important step towards greater sustainability. If you have ever consciously considered how much packaging material you take with you when you leave the supermarket after your weekly shop, then you know that it is far too much.
Supermarkets don't make it easy for us to avoid unnecessary waste, but with a few conscious decisions you can significantly reduce your waste.
For example, you are better off buying loose apples than those wrapped in plastic, or you can opt for more environmentally friendly packaging materials that are less harmful to the environment to produce. The use of reusable packaging is also a more sustainable option if you cannot avoid waste altogether.
Also, take your own shopping bag with you to the supermarket and opt for large packs of foods that you consume frequently.
At VERIVAL, you will also find some of our breakfast classics in more environmentally friendly large packs. By buying larger quantities, you not only reduce packaging waste, you also have to order supplies less often and can thus save CO2.
Tip 3: Eat less meat
According to the environmental protection organisation Greenpeace, global animal husbandry is one of the biggest producers of CO2, accounting for around 20% of all greenhouse gas emissions. This is partly due to the high CO2 emissions from ruminants and partly to the emissions from feed production. To produce 1 kg of meat, 5 kg of animal feed is needed.
With increasing meat consumption, we also need more land for animal feed. This in turn means that large areas of forest are cleared every year to grow soya for animal feed.
To come straight to the point: only 2% of soya is used for food production (e.g. tofu). Most of the rest is used as animal feed in agriculture.
On average, each German eats about 60 kg of meat per year (including vegetarians), although the World Health Organization recommends only 15-31 kg as a healthy amount. The average citizen eats more than twice as much meat as recommended by the WHO.
By having several meat-free days a week, you are not only doing something good for the environment, but also for yourself. And if you are concerned about your protein intake, we can reassure you: legumes, nuts, tofu, vegetables and the like provide you with everything your body needs. It is not without reason that they are among the best sources of protein in a vegan diet.
Tip 4: Organic products for a more sustainable diet
According to some studies, organic farming produces fewer greenhouse gases and other environmentally harmful pollutants than conventional farming.
The main reason for this is the avoidance of artificial fertilisers and pesticides. Organic farming thus not only protects the soil and groundwater, but also promotes biodiversity.
Toxic pesticides kill not only weeds but also other living things and plants. Furthermore, the use of mineral fertilisers heavily pollutes the soil, making it less fertile.
At VERIVAL, respect for our environment is our top priority. That is why, for more than 30 years, we have been committed to using the best organic ingredients for our breakfast products and your healthy breakfast.
Organic breakfast from VERIVAL – discover it now
