Snack foods are notorious for using an incredibly large amount of resources while also creating a large amount of waste but sustainable snacking may just change this. When you make the change to sustainable snacking, you are not only reducing the amount of plastic going into our landfills but you are also helping to support industries that are making a significant difference to how food is produced globally.
Home-made goods
The easiest way to adopt sustainable snacking is to start making your own treats at home. There are numerous benefits associated with creating your own snacks at home, however, the most significant is the amount of packaging used. You have the option to visit a grocery store that sells items in bulk where you can fill your own jars and containers with dried fruits, oats and other healthy treats. Once you have prepared a large batch of snacks like oat energy bars, you can wrap your treats in brown paper that can be recycled later or simply place them in a reusable container. Another benefit associated with baking your own snacks is the effect on a global level. You have the choice to purchase items that have been produced ethically. This means that your snacking habits are not contributing to the downfall of our planet. Purchasing ethically made groceries means that all aspects of production are thought of so that waste is kept at a minimum and all of the workers are treated fairly with working conditions that are regulated and monitored on a frequent basis.
Go organic
There is great debate surrounding the health benefits of organic food. However, the benefits from a sustainability point of view are undeniable. Organic farming principles significantly reduce the amount of damage that is done to the environment as the number of pesticides and herbicides are dramatically reduced or even eliminated. As a result, organic farmlands do not release harmful gases that destroy the environment. It is also common to find that there is less waste during the manufacturing process as the use of resources is of the utmost importance. Choosing organic sustainable snacking options is fairly simple. All you need to do is pay attention to the labels on the food you eat. If it is labelled as organic, you are good to go. You may even be able to find restaurants that provide organic baked treats that are both yummy and ethical. Your transition to this kind of snacking may even help you reduce the amount of waste you produce.
Change the way you get takeaway
Once you decide to give sustainable snacking a chance, it may be easy to resign yourself to never being able to enjoy a good slice of cake as a takeaway ever again. However, this need not become your reality. You just need to change the way you think about dining. Restaurants are often guilty of producing enormous amounts of plastic waste when packaging takeout orders. You could find your simple vegetarian snack is packed in a polystyrene bowl with a plastic tub containing your dressing, all of this packed into a large non-recyclable plastic bag. This is a shocking amount of plastic that is headed straight to the nearest landfill. Fortunately, you can change this by taking your own containers to restaurants for your takeaway order. Simply request that the restaurant package your meal into your containers and place them in your reusable cloth bag to get them home. This way, you have all of the joy of a delicious snack with none of the guilt.
