To mark the date when the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) was founded, all around the world people celebrate World Food Day on 16th October every year, which celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2020.
With the slogan for this edition, “Grow, Nourish, Sustain. Together. Our actions are our future”, the FAO is emphasising the need to achieve food security and to offer healthy, accessible - including financially - and sustainable food both for people and the planet. These goals apply equally to everyone involved in the agri-food chain, from producers to consumers. With their own purchasing decisions, everyone can reduce the impact of their eating habits on the environment and benefit their own health. But how? Here are a few tips.
Change your food. Varying your diet encourages more diverse food production and therefore helps protect biodiversity. It is a beneficial choice both for your health and the planet’s.
Increase the amount of wholemeal grains you eat. Brown rice, rye, barley, oats and corn have many benefits for your body and are sustainable for the planet. In fact, when taken in equal amounts, they require less energy and water to process compared with refined grains.
Go for plant protein. Eating plants rich in protein, such as pulses and grains, is a cheaper, more sustainable choice than eating animal protein.
Buy local products. When possible, buy locally or domestically grown products. This will let you support small producers, the economy and local communities, while at the same time encouraging different crops and reducing the environmental impact from transporting products long distances.
Choose seasonal products. Choosing what you eat by focusing on seasonal food is important both for ensuring you eat delicious, nutritious foods and for helping lower carbon emissions from transporting goods. In fact, out-of-season foods must be imported from faraway regions and travel long distances so they can be available in shops.
Favour eco-friendly packaging. The choice of packaging is also important for reducing the environmental impact of your habits. An increasing number of companies are committed to guaranteeing products with environmentally-friendly packaging, so reading labels is a good way to make an informed decision.
Romagnoli Spa is committed to making our supply chain production eco-friendly, from production to marketing. To find out more, go to the “environmental focus” section on our website.
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