Good food keeps us healthy. It helps us reach our potential. It strengthens our communities, powers our economies, and protects our planet. But not everyone gets good food every day – and the way we produce and market food is harming our environment. This has to change.
Cut your food waste
More than 900 million tonnes of food – 17% of all food available to consumers – goes into trash bins every year, while nearly 700 million people around the world go hungry. Let’s stop the waste. When you throw out food, you’re also wasting the energy used to grow, produce, package and transport it. Only buy what you need – and use what you buy. You can save money, reduce pollution, and help preserve resources for future generations.
Eat healthier meals
Start eating a more balanced diet – one that provides energy and nutrients from several different food groups – and reduce foods that are harder on our planet, such as foods that need more natural resources, especially water, to produce (meat uses more than plants or pulses), or fruits and vegetables that aren’t in season or local. It is not only good for your health but also for the environment! And remember to buy food with less packaging.
Buy local and seasonal food
Transporting food around the world takes a lot of energy. Lots of fruit comes from far away while local farmers struggle to make enough money to keep producing. Buying local and seasonal food supports your local economy and lowers the carbon emitted to get that food on your table. Local and seasonal produce tastes better, too – give it a try. And don’t shy away from buying imperfect-looking fruits and vegetables. They might otherwise get thrown out.
Try a sustainable recipe
More and more chefs and other food suppliers are focusing on local and organic produce and shifting away from meat-heavy meals and fast food. They are joined by a growing movement of people changing the way they cook and eat. Have a look at these recipes by leading chefs who are cooking up dishes that are not only delicious but also good for you and the environment.
Learn about “food systems”
“Food systems” – all the activities involved in producing, processing, transporting and consuming food – touch every aspect of human existence. Food systems profoundly affect the health of our bodies, as well as the health of our environment, our economies and our cultures. In September 2021, the UN Secretary-General is convening a Summit to launch bold new actions to transform the way the world produces and consumes food.
