There are many ways that you and your family can make your eating habits more environmentally friendly. In my last post, I discussed our family’s decision to eat less meat in our diet. This is definitely an environmentally friendly choice, but here are some other ways that you can make healthy, eco-friendly choices.

· Eat what you need. Did you know that 1 in 3 North Americans are obese? We’ve all heard these startling statistics and we know that we need to be more health conscious. So what does this have to do with the environment? Huge amounts of energy are needed to grow, harvest, slaughter, package and transport our food. By reducing your intake and eating only what you need, you can reduce the impact that you make on our environment in a very personal way. You’ll have the added benefit of a healthier body too.

· Eat less meat. In my previous post about vegetarianism, I mentioned that we are trying to reduce our meat consumption. There is no doubt that eating a plant-based diet is the more environmentally friendly choice, but a life style change to vegetarianism might not be an option for you. What about simply reducing your meat intake. You might not be willing to give up meat altogether, but maybe you could live with one or two vegetarian days a week.

· Buy local. Food that is grown close to your home has less distance to travel, therefore saving gas and energy needed for transporting and storage. Farmers markets and fruit and veggie stands are one of my favorite parts of summer. I love going and meeting the local farmers and gardeners. Besides knowing that you are making an eco-friendly choice by saving the planet, you’ll also know that you’re helping to support these local entrepreneurs in your community. You can also look for food labeled as locally grown in your grocery store. Another way to eat local produce is to grow your own. Even if you don’t have the time, ambition or space needed to have a large garden, you can still grow some of your own produce. Container gardening is another choice, especially if you live in the city or don’t have a yard. You can grow tomatoes, strawberries, beans, peas, lettuce and herbs with very minimal effort in containers.

· Buy in season. Again, you’ll save on shipping and storage. This can be difficult depending on where you live, but do your best. Take advantage of the abundance of seasonal produce available in the spring, summer and fall. Not only is this food more environmentally friendly, but it’s also a healthier choice. Food that is freshly picked has more nutritional value than food that has been stored for long periods of time.

· Buy organic. The key to buying organic food is to look for third-party certification. Farmers and other food producers have to meet certain requirements in order to have their food certified as organic by a third-party. This will help you know that the food you are consuming really is environmentally friendly. Organic agriculture is all about sustainability. By buying organic, you are helping to protect our soils, water, and ecosystems and promoting quality of life for the whole planet.

A green lifestyle truly is a lifestyle. It goes beyond recycling and Earth Day. Environmentally friendly living is something that needs to affect every aspect of our life, including our diet.