Low Carbon Swaps To Reduce Your Food Footprint

Smashed avocado, granola and tofu are staples for the Millennial diet but the true carbon cost of popular foods has been revealed in a world first report by UK food-tech startup, Foodsteps.

The landmark report, The Food Footprint 100, reveals the carbon footprint of Millennial favourites avocado (2.62 kg CO2e per 1kg), granola (2.21 kg CO2e) and tofu (3.39 kg CO2e).

The hidden carbon impact of 100 of the UK’s most popular foods have been revealed for the first time ever looking at the entire lifecycle of the food from “cradle to grave”.

We are always keen to explore ways to reduce our carbon footprint, and live a more sustainable and environmentally friendly life, so we spoke to Foodsteps to examine some easy low-carbon food swaps everyone can make, based on their report findings.

Simple low-carbon food swaps

1. Chocolate swaps: Swap milk chocolate (4.24 kg CO2e) for dark chocolate (3.03 kg CO2e) with carbon saving of 28.5%. This is due to the carbon intensive milk powder in milk chocolate.
2. Seafood swaps: Save a huge 79% in carbon footprint savings by swapping prawns (22.70 kg CO2e) for cod (4.74 kg CO2e)
3. Dessert swaps: Swap baked vanilla cheesecake (4.15 kg CO2e) for a less carbon heavy alternative lemon sponge cake (2.74 kg CO2e), with a decrease of 34%
4. Pudding swaps: Swap dairy ice cream (5.46 kg CO2e) for custard (4.29kg CO2e) saving over 20%
5. Yogurt swaps: Swap dairy yogurt (1.96 kg CO2e) for coconut yogurt (1.63 kg CO2e) saving over 16%
6. Sausage swaps: Swappork sausage (9.45 CO2e) vs plant based sausages (2.34 CO2e) a massive saving of 75% less carbon footprint
7. Meat swaps: Swap pork (10.45 kg CO2e) for chicken (9.24 kg CO2e) for a XX% carbon saving
8. Fruit swaps: The lowest carbon way to get your 5 a day pulled from the report: orange (0.45 kg CO2e), kiwi (0.99 kg CO2e), banana (0.86 kg CO2e), pineapple (0.55 kg CO2e) and apple (0.47 kg CO2e)
9. Vegetable swaps: An addition to your low carbon five a day pulled from the report: Potatoes (0.66kg CO2e), carrots (0.56 kg CO2e), pumpkins (0.45 kg CO2e), onions (0.6 kg CO2e), cauliflower (0.81 kg CO2e).
10. Wine swaps: Red wine (2.13 kg CO2e) replaces it’s heavier counterpart white wine (3.25 kg CO2e)
11. Oil swaps: Swap olive oil (4.73 CO2e) for rapeseed oil (3.56 CO2e)

The report was created using robust data from the Foodsteps database, which contains thousands of peer-reviewed scientific studies alongside primary research and using foods identified using the annual UK National Dietary and Nutritional Survey (NDNS).

Examining food stages

The 100 foods were analysed across the full life-cycle; production, the subsequent supply chain up to and including the shop, transport to the place of consumption, preparation including any home storage, cooking and end-of-life disposal impacts of any food waste at any point. According to this report the farm stage, on average, has by far the highest impact on foods, emphasising the importance of looking at the origins and methods of farming behind our food.

Founder and CEO of Foodsteps, Anya Doherty, said: “Making small changes to our daily diet could make a huge difference to our carbon footprint

“We provide environmental impact assessments for food to turn into climate actions. We urgently need to decarbonise our food choices, and this can’t happen without food businesses leading the way and consumers making informed choices.”

• For more information about Foodsteps visit https://www.foodsteps.earth/