Let’s resolve to start eating more sustainably

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This article was published 04/01/2025 (353 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitobans and Saskatchewanians need to rethink their diets. In addition to healthier and affordable, they must be more sustainable. Many consumers are already beginning this shift, but there’s still much to do. The new year is a good time to align our values and motivations and take the necessary next steps in this transition.

According to the latest Sodexo Canada Sustainable Food Barometer survey conducted by Leger, more than half of Manitobans and Saskatchewanians already connect sustainable food to improved health. About half associate it with support for local producers and economies, and reduced waste — all priorities people in the Prairies care about.

However, the desire to change still comes up against current financial considerations as well as entrenched eating habits, both in Canada and globally. More than two-thirds of consumers continue to list price as the top hurdle, mistakenly believing sustainable options typically cost more, while a third don’t want to change eating habits.

The good news is, eating more sustainably is fundamentally about adjustments or reductions, rather than elimination or complete transformation — making this resolution one we can and must keep.

When it comes to cooking sustainable meals, Prairie Canadians are willing to make compromises. More than two-fifths are willing to eat a sustainable dish even if it takes longer to cook; more than a third would even if it’s more difficult.

When trying new foods, long-lasting herbs and spices help improve taste and manage cost. Cooking an international recipe once a week is one way to introduce less familiar but delicious and more sustainable ingredients.

As for cost, there are many affordable ways to include more sustainable options. For example, using whole-plant ingredients. Tubers, beans and legumes are healthier, cheaper and often locally sourced.

Conversely, animal meat proteins are the most expensive and have the biggest carbon footprint. Without eliminating them, consumers can reduce their frequency and portion sizes, supplementing with rice, beans or mushrooms.

Of all measures surveyed, Manitobans and Saskatchewanians are least likely to reduce their consumption of non-red meat. Yet, sustainable diets are about more than that. Reducing waste is also a major benefit.

More than three-quarters of Manitobans and Saskatchewanians are already reducing food waste in their households. Most consume seasonal products and buy local whenever possible. Reducing travel distance, local sources are fresher, tastier, more nutritious, last longer and are less likely to become waste.

Canned or frozen fruits and vegetables are also a good option. They’re often as delicious and nutritious, and freezing from fresh reduces packaging.

Conscious of their wallets as well, more than half of Prairie Canadians try to store food better. Two-fifths reduce their consumption of processed foods and more than three-fifths intentionally cook their leftovers instead of throwing them away. Younger generations can learn from their parents and grandparents, as those aged 55 and above are significantly more likely to practise all of these cost and waste savers.

They can’t do it alone. At the heart of the transition, the Sustainable Food Barometer also shows Manitobans and Saskatchewanians expect farmers, producers and the food services industry to shift to more sustainable practices including sustainable growing, sourcing, delivery and waste reduction.

With this goal, we can all contribute to the economic, social and environmental health of the country — to our personal and collective benefit. By resolving to eat more sustainably, Manitobans and Saskatchewanians can improve their health, extend their wallets and reduce their carbon footprint.

From field to fork, we are what — and how — we eat.

» Davide Del Brocco is the senior sustainability manager of corporate sustainability and responsibility for Sodexo Canada. This column previously appeared in the Winnipeg Free Press.