Food guide

fresh vegetables

One third of all food produced is wasted. Every year wasted food in the UK represents 14 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. In total, these greenhouse gas emissions are the same as those created by 7 million cars each year.

If you would like to find out more about how your food choices impact on the environment have a look at the climate change food calculator on the BBC’s science and environment pages.

The food you buy

Think about where the food you buy comes from and how it is produced. Buy local and in season if you can; you can search for local produce outlets on the Big Barn local food map. Buying local also supports the local economy. 

If you are buying imported food such as coffee, tea or chocolate look for labels such as Fairtrade or Rainforest Alliance. These movements are not just about trade justice, they are about climate justice too.

If you’re buying fish and seafood look for the Marine Stewardship Council label. MSC certified fisheries are well managed and more prepared for environmental changes. These fisheries follow current scientific advice to ensure they catch fish sustainably.

Try to buy food with less packaging, such as loose fruit and veg and look out for ‘loose food’ and refill shops where you can take your own containers.

Find out what the companies supplying your favourite food brands are doing themselves to tackle climate change. If you don’t think they’re doing enough, think about switching to a different brand.   

Grow your own  

Growing your own food can dramatically cut the food miles of your meals, and therefore your carbon footprint. Home-grown food is much tastier and nutritious than shop-bought food, too. The Royal Horticultural Society has some good tips on where to start or you could check out Eat Seasonably for ideas about what to grow and to find out what is in season to buy.

Food waste

Try to avoid buying more than you need, planning your meals ahead of time is a good tip and make use of your leftovers rather than throwing them away. Check out the Love Food Hate Waste website for leftovers recipe ideas. 

If you do need to throw food away make sure you use your food caddy to dispose of it. You can order a food caddy from the council if you don’t already have one. Find out what happens to your food waste once it’s collected.

Alternatively, if you have a compost bin at home you can add the following items of food waste:

  • Fruit and vegetable peelings, seeds and cores
  • Tea bags
  • Coffee grounds and filter papers
  • Paper towels or tissues (not if they have touched meat)
  • Egg shells
  • You cannot compost: cooked food, fish, and meat or dairy products