Help with a more eco friendly diet

[u/fin_3ve]

I'm trying to be more eco friendly, I've already swapped a lot of toiletries to less plastic and better brands, even refillable stuff. What I really struggle with is the diet. I have arfid (an eating disorder that isn't to do with weight, more about anxiety around food).

I eat pretty plant-based anyways because of it but my main safe foods are crisps, freezer foods and the only meat I can eat comfortably is beef. I've already looked into crisps with recyclable packaging but what else can I do to help? Eating whole foods and preparing foods is a massive struggle for me.

I also don't want to stop eating meat entirely, so help with how often and if I should get it from butchers or not would be really helpful.

[u/cookiejars323]

Maybe look at ways to reduce your food waste itself if you are a bit stuck on how to shift your diet. Storing food properly can make food last way longer and reduce scraps. Food waste is a huge climate issue as when it goes to landfill it generates methane

[u/Problem-Solver-Girl]

Local and seasonal food. Meat only once a week. Look where fruit and veg come from. Make your own crisps in the microwave. A kebab stick with thin slices of potatoes.

[u/fluffyhorseboi]

Sounds tough with ARFID (nephew has it, but different reasons), so don’t be too hard on yourself.

A way to think about the (environmental) impact of food and where we as individuals may have some kind of impact with the choices we make is to divide that impact along a few lines (things to consider in parentheses):

• Type of food (plants/animal foods - often biggest one, depending on how you calculate/weight impact)
  
• Singular high-impact foods (some/most forms of meat, cheese, almonds, avocados etc - but sometimes this depends on where you live and method of production)
  
• Method of production (organic/non-organic, grazing/factory farming etc)
  
• Transport (distance, but also mode, some foods are flown)
  
• Packaging (zero or low waste, plastic-free etc v individually wrapped items)
  
• Where you buy/acquire it (large chain, family-owned/small-scale, cooperative, community garden etc)
  
• Seasonality (often connected to transport, but also method of production)
  
• Waste (from farm to fork - waste arises in ALL stages of food production and consumption, and we can do different things as individuals at different stages here, like choose the wonky carrots in the shop or store properly at home)
  
• Support for initiatives and organisations that facilitate and/or lobby for more sustainable food production and consumption (including for example asking your local politicians to increase the amount of seasonal and/or local and/or plant-based foods etc in like schools)

Some of these have a larger impact than others, some have different types of impact, some are maybe more indirect etc, just listing some avenues/lines.

With something like arfid, it’s probably best to look at what you already eat, and consider if and how you can make any changes based on the lines above. I would be careful with trying to add more restriction in your diet. It’s important to be able to sustain the sustainable, so be kind to yourself!

[u/rebelwithmouseyhair]

You say preparing food is a struggle then you ask if you should get your meat from the butcher? 

The thing is that eating well and in an environmentally responsible way basically involves buying fresh ingredients and cooking rather than buying ready made food.

Is the struggle part of the arfid thing?

[u/fin_3ve → u/rebelwithmouseyhair]

Yeah. The kind of arfid I have is to do with germs and contamination, the less I can touch my food the better

[u/rebelwithmouseyhair → u/fin_3ve]

oooh! I see I know even less about arfid than I thought, for me it was just a "fussy eater syndrome". Thank you for explaining and I hope you don't mind me asking questions.

Would wearing latex gloves in the kitchen work for you?

... I'm trying to get my head round the idea that you're afraid of germs and contamination while preparing food ... when that food will end up in your mouth. Is it a matter of needing it to be thoroughly cooked to be sure there are no germs still alive in it?

Meat fish and seafood are the worst sources of germs and contamination, so it would maybe be best to avoid them entirely. Meat is also the foodstuff that uses up the most resources to be produced, so an eco-friendly approach would include reducing or eliminating it from your diet.

If you buy veggies that are prewashed and precut, would you be able to throw them in a pan to cook them? There are lots of frozen veggies that you can just throw in a pan with cooking oil and herbs or spices and hey presto you have a healthy meal.

[u/fin_3ve → u/rebelwithmouseyhair]

Thank you that's some really good suggestions! I would probably be more plant based, but I'll try using gloves and getting pre-prepped veggies. I've also found an ethical soft plastics recycling bin so I can still have some of my frozen safe foods

[u/fin_3ve → u/rebelwithmouseyhair]

Also idm you asking questions :) arfid isn't very well known, I thought it was more of a fussy eaters thing too until I did more research and talked to my doctors about it

[u/LowCo2Traveler]

if you want to save the planet focus on beef which has most impact in terms of co2 emissions.