Not buying the processed foods saves you money
Sounds to good to be true hey! Well it’ll be a step in the right direction at least.
I’m talking about reducing or eliminating processed / packaged foods from your diet. Now I know this won’t be an easy feat, but gosh, does it have a big impact!
Just think, if you’re not buying the processed foods in the first place, you’ll be saving money. Then if you’re not consuming the processed foods, you’re saving your health from future illnesses. And lastly, but definitely not least, think of all the packaging you’ll save from landfill.
Save the environment
It's becoming increasingly difficult to ignore how our eating habits are damaging the planet.
We need to start shopping sustainably. Australians throw away around 1.9 million tonnes of packaging each year. Packaging takes a lot of energy, water and other natural resources to produce, and packaging waste pollutes our air, water and soil. Every time we make a purchase, we need to consider how the item is packaged. Try to only buy items with recyclable packaging to avoid excess waste in our landfill. Thus, reducing the energy and emissions associated with this.
We need to discourage people away from unhealthy, unsustainable products through education and public knowledge. To feed more people sustainably we need to reduce the consumption of animal products and avoid the overconsumption of processed / packaged foods and the associated waste.
Over the past 50 years, something has gone horribly wrong to allow this unsustainable lifestyle to exist. Now that we are standing up and taking action, we don’t have much time to fix it.
Save your health
The best diet to preserve the planet may also be the best one for your health. It’s no secret that eating processed junk food is bad for you so to find a nice balance between health and sustainability, try a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, legumes and wholegrains.
Encouraging a dietary shift away from junk food is challenging because of their cheapness, taste and convenience. However, eating large amounts of these foods increases your risk to serious health issues like, obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.
Save your finances
Many of us are looking for simple ways to save money. Cutting out processed / packaged junk food should definitely be high on your list. If you’re not careful, the amount you spend on it each week can blow out pretty quickly.
Here’s to a better future…
Buying in season fresh produce is a sustainable way to shop and will keep you fuller for longer. Out of season produce is imported from overseas and those costs are passed down to the consumer.
Shop at your local farmers markets. Not only are you supporting your local community and avoiding the middleman, produce at these markets very rarely come packaged. You’ll save money before you’ve even begun.
Start making a difference through your choices. I have listed a few tips you can adopt to shop sustainably and save money along the way.
-Grow your own food. Veggie patches are fun and you can get the kids involved.
-Cook at home to save you money.
-Buy food with little or no packaging or at least packaging that can be recycled.