Staring down a seemingly endless aisle of tomatoes, I feel like the blobs of red and orange fruit are all blurring together. Each sign lists unheard-of varieties and growing conditions, and all I want is to find something to make for dinner.
This is my first semester without a Cal Dining meal plan. As I navigate the first few weeks of classes, I’ve been putting a lot of thought into planning what groceries to buy and what meals to cook. Still, I feel like I’m falling short of my own standards.
I’m someone who cares about the environment, I always try to put in that little extra effort to be sustainable in my everyday life. When it comes to groceries, though, I’m lost. The main piece of advice I’ve heard is to “buy organic,” which is an ideal choice until you look at the prices — not to mention the variety of labels surrounding what “organic” actually means.
But even if sustainable grocery shopping is intimidating, I refuse to shy away from the challenge. Instead, I’ve found a few affordable food swaps that benefit the environment without costing too much time and energy.
Grow your own herbs
Most grocery stores offer a variety of basic potted herbs, such as basil, rosemary and mint. These plants are pretty low-maintenance and come potted and ready to grow. Instead of buying pre-packaged herbs, make some space for a few kitchen plants that you can access whenever you need a little seasoning. As a bonus, I love the extra freshness in taste and the cozy look that the plants bring into my apartment.
Buy produce in season
When I started taking an extra couple minutes to check what was in season before making a shopping list, I suddenly found it a lot easier to track down cheap, fresh produce. Not only are in-season fruits and vegetables more affordable and readily available, but they also cut down hugely on carbon dioxide emissions as they can be grown in the natural environment and require less transportation. I also think it’s fun to plan seasonal meals depending on what’s in store at that time of year.
Find alternatives to red meat
Animals that are raised as red meat, such as cows, goats and sheep, require massive amounts of water and land to sustain. This results in resource draining and deforestation, a cycle that can be diminished by opting for meat alternatives that are easier to maintain, such as plant-based meat. Even scaling down from red meat to white meat, such as chicken and turkey, is a simple switch that cuts down on resource depletion.
Watch out for overconsumption
This seems like an obvious one, but it’s easy to lose track of the little ingredients and snacks you purchase until suddenly they’re festering in the fridge and need to be tossed out. For me, planning out meals in advance helps me decide exactly how much of an ingredient to purchase in order to avoid waste. When in doubt, I always try to buy less and come back later if I really end up needing more. If you’re less of a planner, having a system to track what you’ve already bought or cooked can also help you strike a balance.
Next time you’re deciding what to eat, try integrating one or two of these solutions into your shopping routine. Even if it may seem small, sustainable grocery routines make an important difference to the environment around you.