Food and Drink
Trying to eat and drink in an environmentally friendly manner is somewhat of a minefield. How do you balance out competing issues, such as number of airmiles, plastic packaging, whether the food is organic? That is before you take into any ethical considerations of eating meat and dairy. For the purpose of this website I thought I could start by firstly identifying sources of local fresh produce, with an environmentally friendly emphasis, and also for those looking for bargains, ways of saving food from going to waste.
Ethical Fresh Food Delivery Companies:
Company | Regional Coverage | Fresh Fruit and Vegetables | Dairy | Meat | Bakery | Other Produce | Environmental Credentials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Abel and Cole | Most of England and some parts of Wales | Fruit and vegetable boxes starting at £14.50 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Also sells general store cupboard goods | Organic |
Milk and More | England (Subject to postcode checker) | Fruit and vegetable boxes from £16.50 | Yes | No | Yes | Also sells regular branded store cupboard products and household goods. | Sells both organic and inorganic produce |
Oddbox | Midlands, London and the South East | Fruit and vegetable boxes starting from £11.49 | No | No | No | Has a ‘Market’ for loose refillable ingredients, such as pasta and oats etc | Set up to avoid fresh food going to waste. All products have been chosen for being 'good' in one way or another; from brands with B Corp status to plastic-free options, to organic items |
Riverford | Most of England and South Wales | Fruit and vegetable boxes starting at £17.95 | Yes | Yes | Yes | A small selection of store cupboard goods. | Ethical Emphasis: Organic, reduces packaging. Produces an annual sustainability report, considering factors such as biodiversity, food miles, etc |
Ethical Delivery Companies for Everyday Household Goods:
Company | Regional Coverage | Produce Sold | Environmental Credentials |
|---|---|---|---|
Biona Organic | UK | Sells a range of general organic brand foodstuffs such as pasta, beans and lentils, conditments and seasoning. | Promotes biodiversity, 100% Natural, No artificial chemicals, Lower emissions, Reducing singe use plastic with our plastic-free products |
Buy Whole Foods | UK Mainland | Sells various dried 'Buy Whole Foods' carbohydrates and fruits etc plus various other dried produce from other brands | Recyclable Packaging & Ocean - bound Plastic Recovery |
Ethical Superstore | UK Mainland | Sells a large selection of general household items, general foodstuffs, clothing, gardening stuff, cosmetics, and baby stuff. | Everything sold adheres to ethical principles in one or more of the following areas: Fair Trade, Organic, Eco Friendly, Education, Health and Wellness, Locally Produced, and Charity. |
How to Obtain Bargain Food and Stop it Going to Waste:
Besides from food banks for those really in need, there are various ways of obtaining cheap food which woud otherwise go to waste. Two of the best food Apps are:
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Too Good To Go - An App for purchasing heavily discounted surplus food from shops, restaurants and cafes which would other wise go to waste.
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Olio - An App for donating and obtaining free food which would otherwise go to waste.
If you want to take more active steps to help with food waste, you can volunteer with Olio, or if you want to get your hands dirty you can participate in gleaning, which is the name given to harvesting surplus crops directly from farms to prevent them going to waste. You can find more information about gleaning where you live on the Gleaning Network's website here.