Change the world one meal at a time with sustainable dining

Sustainability has become the present day buzzword. But how do we apply it to the way we consume our food? Ahead of the World Food Day, here are a few easy diet changes you can make for a greener planet.

migrator|13 Oct 2019 12:41 AM IST

Change the world one meal at a time with sustainable dining

Chennai

If there’s one thing common to the cooking of award-winning chefs Massimo Bottura (chef patron of Osteria Francescana), Dan Barber (co-owner of Blue Hill restaurant in New York) and Manish Mehrotra (of Indian Accent restaurant in Delhi), who helm some of the best restaurants in the world, it is the conversations on sustainability they attempt to create through their food. With millions around the world dying of hunger, the responsibility of cooks has gone beyond creating a plate of delicious food, and now includes being conscious of the food’s carbon footprint as well. The same applies to home kitchens too, which often see a tremendous amount of food wastage due to overstocking, improper storage or not cooking the ingredients on time. Ahead of the World Food Day on October 16, which aims to reduce global hunger by making healthy and sustainable food accessible to all, here’s how you can make tweaks to your food to

ensure it’s sustainable.

Make plants a priority

Experts suggest making your diet, at least about half of each plate, filled with fruits and vegetables, for a meal with optimal nutrition. The simple reason that plants are easier on our planet is that they require less water for their growth and are also easy on us as they require less time for digestion. That makes plant-based foods a win-win for both our environment and our health. Opt for local farms or farmers’ markets to buy your veggies and greens. Remember to buy in less quantities instead of stocking up too many that you don’t use and then toss away. By making plants a priority, you can cut down your meat consumption, which contributes significantly to greenhouse emissions.

Make plants a priority

Opt for seasonal produce

If a fruit, vegetable, meat or any ingredient has to come from a far off region, it is typically not sustainable. Particularly, when it comes to fruit that had to be flown in to your city by air from a far-off country, the impact that the fruit is having on the environment is high. The fruit is also likely to be spoilt soon when stored in another region. It is always wiser to set a 200-250km radius to source fruits and vegetables grown within the region, a principle that is followed by many global restaurants as well.

Reduce waste, learn to preserve

We have all seen those months when there is an abundance of certain varieties of vegetables or plants. For instance, we witness times when tomatoes are available in large quantities across our supermarkets, sold for just a few pennies. Those are the times when you take what the nature’s offering and learn to preserve and pickle for later use. It is one thing that most chefs working towards sustainability excel at, as they preserve the produce and ingredients to be used throughout the rest of the year.

Limit your food shopping trips

Most of us can admit to walking around the supermarket’s shopping aisles, and picking up groceries, snacks and other items that we don’t really need. Studies have also found that travelling to shop for groceries also has a considerable impact on the distance that food has to travel to get to your plate. If you’re planning to shop over the weekend, club your grocery and other produce runs with the same trip, to cut down the amount of travel done for food. This step will also make you better at utilising your food resources efficiently at home.

Start growing your own food

There’s no satisfaction equivalent to growing your vegetables and herbs, and having to depend on no one for your food needs. While the popularity of setting up gardens right on a terrace or in the backyard is rising, many are still apprehensive of taking the step towards getting their hands in the soil. An easy way to begin the self-sufficient journey will be to start small. Begin with small planters, starting with herbs and vegetables that can grow easily. Involving no food packaging, no carbon footprint, there can be no better way to consume food sustainably.

‘Green’ Recipes

Juice pulp veggie burgers

Ingredients

Pulp from juicing carrots, beets, cucumber etc: 3 cups

Onion: 1 chopped

Garlic cloves: 2 finely minced

Chilli powder: 2 tsp

Egg: 1

Breadcrumbs: ¾ cup

Whole grain buns: 2

Homemade mayonnaise: 1 tsp

Tomato slices: 2

Method:

Instead of throwing away the pulp from juicing vegetables, take it in a large bowl and add onion, garlic, salt, chilli powder, egg and breadcrumbs until well combined.
Make the mixture into small patties using your hands.
Pan-fry the patties on a pan over medium heat for about three minutes on each side. Drizzle some coconut oil if you wish to.
Assemble the burgers by splitting the buns open and toasting them. Spread some homemade mayonnaise and add tomato slices and any leafy greens available. Place the patty and sandwich the burger together.

Beet greens and beets salad

Ingredients

Beetroots with greens: 3

Oil: 6 tbsp

Orange juice: 3 tbsp

Mustard paste: ½ tsp

Onion: 1 chopped

Local cheese (preferably feta): ¼ cup crumbled

Chopped nuts: 2 tbsp

Method:

Cut the beetroots from beet greens after a thorough wash. Cut the beets into large chunks and drop them into a pot of boiling salt water.
Cook for about five minutes and drop them in cold water to stop cooking.
Take a smaller bowl and mix orange juice, mustard and whisk in the oil. Now add in the chopped onion.
Rinse the beet greens and tear into bite-sized pieces after removing the centre ribs from the leaves. Add them to a salad bowl. Now add in chopped and cooked beets and pour over the salad dressing with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, nuts and cheese.

Visit news.dtnext.in to explore our interactive epaper!

Download the DT Next app for more exciting features!

Click here for iOS

Click here for Android

Change the world one meal at a time with sustainable dining

Sustainability has become the present day buzzword. But how do we apply it to the way we consume our food? Ahead of the World Food Day, here are a few easy diet changes you can make for a greener planet.

migrator

Related Articles

Most Read