What to eat?

I know I should drive less to reduce my carbon footprint, but does what I eat really matter?

by Sarah Cullinan

Absolutely. Food production is among the leading sources of the greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming, generating up to 30% of total global emissions. Food production is also a significant contributor to biodiversity loss, deforestation, freshwater use, and land use change. The production of livestock generates the highest levels of greenhouse gas emissions (14.5%), whereas the production of fruit and vegetables generates the lowest levels.

What is the ONE most impactful thing I can do to reduce the environmental impact of my diet?

by Sarah Cullinan

Eating less red meat and dairy will typically have the biggest impact.

Do I have to give up meat?!

by Sarah Cullinan

Not necessarily. It is true that plant-based foods usually have a lower impact than meat. In particular, beef and lamb tend to be the worst offenders by a considerable margin. And it is also true that plant-based foods like beans, pulses, grains and soy tend to be the most climate-friendly options of all.

Shifting your diet to contain less of the foods with the biggest climate footprints, like beef, lamb and cheese, and substituting them for pork, chicken, eggs and mollusks will lessen your footprint. Substituting for plant-based foods like beans, pulses (chickpeas, dried peas, lentils), grains, and soy will have an even bigger impact on your climate footprint.

Where is fish on the spectrum?

by Sarah Cullinan

Local fish is a great option. Much of the environmental footprint from eating fish comes from the boat fuel used to catch it, and eating locally will also decrease emissions from transportation.

When it comes to other seafood, the choices are less clear. Farmed fish, on average, have a relatively low greenhouse gas footprint - higher than soy and beans, lower than beef, and about the same as poultry. However, some fish, like shrimp, can have a high carbon footprint because hauling nets uses extra fuel, for example. In addition, many of the world’s fisheries are already harvested to capacity, and some species are at risk of decline. There are great tools out there to weigh your most sustainable seafood options, though, such as Seafood Watch.

Does eating locally-produced food help?

by Sarah Cullinan

Yes, transporting food certainly contributes to its environmental footprint. Local food will not only reduce the transportation footprint of your food, but contribute to other benefits such as supporting local businesses and a more resilient food system, and getting fresher, healthier, and more nutritious options. Locally-produced food will also tend to have less packaging, which contributes to a food’s environmental footprint.

Check out the Beverly Farmers Market, other North Shore markets, or even an option for locally-sourced grocery delivery.

What about food waste?

by Sarah Cullinan

If you’re buying more food than you actually eat, your climate footprint will be bigger than it needs to be. Minimizing food waste can be a straightforward way to reduce the environmental footprint of your diet. By some estimates, Americans end up throwing out roughly 20 percent of the food they buy. That means that all the energy it took to produce that food was wasted.

I want to become vegetarian. Where do I start?

by Sarah Cullinan

Overhauling your current diet can be intimidating and different approaches will work for different people. But, once you integrate vegetarian options into your lifestyle and routine, it eventually becomes the default. This is where coaching can come in handy - I’m happy to help you either slowly adapt your diet to incorporate greater proportions of vegetarian options and less meat- and dairy-based options, or guide you through going cold-turkey!

I’m on a limited weekly food budget. How do I reduce the impact of my diet without breaking the bank?

by Sarah Cullinan

Eating a diet that has a lower environmental footprint does not have to be more expensive, and in fact can be even less expensive than the average American diet. Beans, lentils, and soy products are less expensive than meat per gram of protein. Eggs also have a relatively low environmental impact and cost compared to meat.

The Beverly Farmers Market accepts WIC, SNAP, and Senior Coupons.

What are some good, local restaurants that have vegetarian options?

by Sarah Cullinan

While totally vegetarian restaurants can be super delicious (Organic Garden Cafe), almost every restaurant menu can be “hacked” to find a great vegetarian option. Sometimes you have to get creative, but the more you practice, the easier it is. Pizza is a no-brainer - just don’t add the meat, and choose a few yummy veggies instead. Veggie burgers in place of beef burgers are an easy substitute, and if they are hand-made at the restaurant can be very good (A&B Burger, Hale Street Tavern). Asian (Siam Delight, Anmol) and Mexican (El Jalisco) cuisines tend to naturally have great vegetarian options without having to specify ingredients. Pubs and breweries frequently have good veg substitutes, too (Backbeat, The Indo). When in doubt, pasta dishes are easy to make vegetarian.

HappyCow.net is a great resource for vegetarian-centric restaurants.

Where do I find plant-based meal ideas for home?

by Sarah Cullinan

Cooking vegetarian food at home does not need to be any more complicated than preparing meals with meat in them. Here are four helpful formulas:

Start with your favorite meals you make now that have meat. Is there a simple swap? Can you replace ground beef in a bolognese or Chop Suey with a can of white beans or TVP (texturized vegetable protein)? Chicken breast in a stir fry with tofu? Gardein and Beyond Meat make easy, frozen one-for-one substitutes as well for chicken breast, steak tips, sausages, meatballs, among other things.

Starting from scratch -- pick a grain (quinoa, farro, brown rice, local sourdough bread), a vegetarian protein (lentils, chickpeas, tofu), add 2-3 veggies (sweet potato, peas, spinach, summer squash, bell pepper), pick a flavor profile (Asian, Mexican, Italian, herby, garlicky, creamy), and an add-on (cheese, avocado, nuts or seeds). Put it all together in whatever pan or pot you have. Your recipes will evolve over time!

Start with a few go-to themes: pasta night, stir-fry Sundays, taco Tuesday. Pasta + beans + greens is a protein-packed, filling meal (add cheese if desired). Stir fry can use any strange vegetable you picked up at the farmers market - add some tempeh or tofu, brown rice or whole wheat noodles, soy sauce, sesame oil and you’re good to go. You can switch a few ingredients up each week to keep it fresh and in-season

If you’re the type that loves following a recipe, some my favorite sources are Minimalist Baker, Cookie & Kate, and The Kitchn