3 Resolutions for a Year of Plant-Forward Eating

Are you planning to make a resolution to eat better and reduce food waste? Like any other resolution, getting started is easy. The real challenge lies in maintaining consistency. Here are some food resolutions — from vegetarian tips to reducing food waste — that will help reduce your environmental impact and improve your health. We've broken them down into simple, manageable steps to help you stay on track.

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Eat More Plant-Based Foods

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Animal proteins have the highest carbon footprint of all foods. Beef produces 25 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent (kgCO₂eq) per 100 grams, followed by lamb (20 kgCO₂eq), farmed shrimp (10 kgCO₂eq), and cheese (8.4 kgCO₂eq). Other animal products have lower emissions: pork (6.5), chicken (4.3), eggs (3.8), and farmed fish (3.5). But these still far exceed the emissions from plant-based proteins like tofu (1.6), beans (0.65), peas (0.36), and nuts (-0.8). Completely eliminating meat and dairy isn't realistic for most people so consider breaking down your dietary changes into smaller, manageable steps:

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• Start with Meatless Mondays for the first three months.
• Then, expand to three meat-free days per week.
• Work toward becoming completely vegetarian by the end of the year.

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Check out Veganuary Kickstart: A 4-week Guide to a Plant-Based Lifestyle.

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We have also curated a couple of other guides with vegan and vegetarian tips:

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• 10 vegan and vegetarian grilling ideas for your next BBQ
• 25+ Plant-Based Sides for Thanksgiving‍

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Also listen: My Biggest Obstacle to Plant-based Eating? My Family.

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Reduce Food Waste at Home

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Around 40% of all food grown in the U.S. goes unsold or uneaten, and most of this food is wasted. Most of this eventually ends up in landfills and releases methane, a greenhouse gas that is more potent than carbon dioxide. Homes are responsible for around 50% of all surplus food. This food waste happens due to unplanned purchasing, which can lead to over-purchasing and wastage. You can take a staggered approach to reduce the food waste at your home:

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• Create a detailed meal plan and grocery list before shopping to prevent overbuying, and follow it strictly at the store.
• Next, get creative with fruit scraps, vegetable scraps, and stale bread by turning them into delicious new dishes.
• Finally, embrace "ugly" produce at grocery stores — those bruised, oddly shaped, or overripe items that typically end up in landfills.

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Some food waste is inevitable. You can also add composting food waste to the resolution if you aren’t doing it already.

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Buy More Seasonal Produce

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Whether you buy from a supermarket, farmer’s market, or a local produce shop, try and purchase produce that’s in-season. While it’s easy to find off-season produce these days, but most of it is grown in energy-intensive greenhouses, or they are transported across countries and continents. If you really need to buy off-season produce, it's better to choose produce that was grown in a country where it's in season rather than buying one that was grown in nearby greenhouses. You can break down this resolution:

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• Create a seasonal produce calendar for your region and aim to buy seasonal produce for at least 50% of your supermarket trips.
• Progress to shopping at local farmers' markets for seasonal produce or join a local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program.
• Learn to grow some seasonal vegetables and herbs at home.

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This guide can help you get started on growing your own food: 5 Steps to Start Home Gardening.