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How to Make Your Weekly Food Shop More Sustainable

Sustainable shopping
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Sustainable shopping is a hot topic for 2018. Make it part of your routine with Absolutely’s guide to doing a more mindful weekly grocery shop

Words Joy Montgomery

Sustainable Shopping

SHOP SEASONAL

Eating seasonally is an easy way to make your weekly shop more sustainable. Firstly, it reduces the energy needed to grow and transport crops, which lowers the associated CO2 emissions. Secondly, seasonal food is fresher and tends to be more nutritious and flavoursome. It’s a win-win situation.

PLAN YOUR MEALS

Food waste is something we are all guilty of, yet it can be a hard habit to shift. Putting a bit of forethought into your meals will help you to create a more concise shopping list and in turn allow you to shop more efficiently and reduce the amount you throw in the bin. Plus, meal planning will also save you money (no more overprices packaged sandwiches) and help you to eat better.

GO PACKAGING-FREE

Supermarkets love wrapping their produce in copious amounts of plastic packaging. In some ways this is unavoidable, due to transportation, however it is possible to avoid in many cases – think choosing loose vegetables over ones which are individually cellophane-wrapped. Some stores, such as Planet Organic, also offer refillable produce, which lets you bring your own containers and restock cupboard staples without adding to the plastic pile.

TRY MEAT-FREE MONDAY

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the livestock sector is “one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global”. Scary stuff. Meat Free Mondays was set up by Paul, Mary and Stella McCartney, to raise awareness of the environmental and health benefits of having at least one meat-free day each week. A small change with big impact.

BE CAR CONSCIOUS

It may sound obvious, but ditching the car for the weekly food shop is a great way to boost your green points. If walking isn’t an option, then try carpooling with friends or combining your shopping trip with other activities which require a car.

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