A Low-Carbon Diet
Eat deliciously and sustainably!
We approach being more sustainable on our menus and in our bars in many different ways, from sourcing seasonally to using electric-powered delivery vehicles. We’re about trying to tackle things in manageable-sized pieces, rather than getting worried about all the things we need to do. Something we have come across recently is the low-carbon diet.
What is a low-carbon diet? A low-carbon diet is an eco-friendly diet consisting of foods that leave a minimal carbon footprint.
How can I eat low-carbon? With around a quarter of greenhouse gases emissions (26% according to a 2018 Cambridge University study) being related to food, there is definitely something we can collectively do to help reduce this number. There’s lots more information over on this great blog from Lowly Food.
See below for three fundamental principles we can all follow to reduce our food emissions:
1. Eat less meat and dairy
By eating more plants and less meat and dairy we remove some of the worst offenders for carbon emissions, due to how much water, feed, space and energy is required to rear and prepare animals for food.
We have significantly reduced our meat dishes as a group, with one of our restaurants now fully vegetarian.
2. Use seasonal produce
The Assemblies have always championed seasonal produce, and we will continue to do this until the cows come home. Our strong belief is that not only does seasonal produce require less energy to grow, using the earth’s natural resources, and cultivated in the natural environment, it also arrives fresher, and tastier for you! We look at seasonality around Europe, so we can make the most of the bountiful harvests and stop food wastage.
Here is a helpful blog about how imported tomatoes can be less carbon-intensive than home-grown in a greenhouse. https://lnkd.in/dqxEV3cZ
Our ideal is seasonally produce grown locally so we can support local producers and our community.
3. Reduce Food Waste
Annually, over 6.5 tonnes of food is thrown away in the UK. More shockingly, around 70% of the food that was thrown away was still fit for consumption.
The best thing we can do for the environment is reduce food waste. This can be through planning meals, meaning you’re not buying unnecessary ingredients that rot in your fridge. Trying to use as much of the produce as possible, do you know how tasty broccoli stalks can be? Or putting the peelings into a stock or soup. Batch cooking and freezing food, saving you time and effort on those hungover nights. And our personal favourite – no food shopping when hungry!
By cutting down your food waste, all the energy and emissions that have gone into creating your food aren’t wasted.
