Food (See also: Meals and Waste)

Feeding people and accommodating dietary preference and restrictions will always be tricky. A diverse menu with healthy, wholesome options can accommodate both the flexible and the inflexible while achieving your goals for low environmental impact. When planning the meal, consider:

• Local Ingredients: Can you or the food service provider access food produced or grown locally? As you develop a list of local resources, your job will become simple and enjoyable. In addition to local produce (berries in the spring and summer, apples in the fall!), consider value-added products like breads, cheeses, meats, beer, wine, spreads, and salsa as well. You may find it easiest to work with restaurants or caterers who are already accustomed to working with local producers.
• Organic Ingredients: When choosing between local and organic, it may be difficult to know which option is better. From a carbon footprint* perspective, local foods travel less than organic foods (which often come from California). However, organic foods are often easier to find in large quantities and are still better than the non-organic alternative. If available, foods that are both local and organic are great. However, it is important to remember that organic certification is an expensive process. Many small farmers and food producers have found that their direct relationship with their customers and their reputations are enough to assure the consumers that their food is as good as or better than organic certified foods.
• Vegetarian*/Vegan* Options: While only 3% of adults in the United States report upholding a vegetarian diet, the demographic you are serving may have a greater percentage. A vegetarian option can also accommodate those on low-fat or heart-healthy diets. Vegetarian options contain no meat products (beef, poultry, pork, or meat-based stock); vegan diets additionally refrain from consuming eggs, dairy products, and honey.
• Low-meat/sustainable meat dishes: It is simple to include tasty meals that have little or no meat. Because of the way meat is produced in America - primarily on factory farms* - the carbon footprint of meat is significant. Because so much energy goes into corn production and so much of the corn produced goes toward meat production (roughly 1/3), we could all do our part to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases by reducing meat consumption to 1-2 servings per week. This may or may not meet the needs of your event guests. One way to reduce meat is to incorporate it into as dish rather than have it on its own. For example, offer chicken salad instead of fried chicken, or spaghetti with meat sauce instead of hamburgers. This will create a healthier, more environmentally friendly meal without sacrificing the presence of meat. Whenever possible, select meat from local producers for enhanced flavor and local flair.
• Seasonal Menu: A seasonal menu captures the succulent tastes of foods grown in their natural season. While there are many strategies for extension that prolong the season, getting foods out of season requires shipment from warm places like California and Central and South America, often at the sacrifice of flavor and nutrition. Utilize chefs who understand seasonal availability and pairing.
• Non-endangered Seafood: In response to severely depleted fisheries worldwide, The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center has published a guide on "Sensible Seafood." Best Choices: US farmed catfish, Alaska wild Salmon, US farmed Tilapia, Albacore tuna (BC, US troll/pole). Good Alternatives: Black Sea Bass, American/Maine lobster, Swordfish (US longline). Avoid: Chilean Seabass, Groupers, Mahi mahi, Orange Roughy, Shrimp (imported farmed or wild). For the downloadable guide, see the Resource section.

Cost Savings Opportunities: Cost savings opportunities vary with food selection. More often then not, good food that is ethically produced will cost more than mainstream options. If you are planning on spending more on quality anyway, you may not see a dent in your budget. Sometimes more eco-friendly alternatives are the same amount. Plan on spending money saved elsewhere on this part of your budget and try to control other areas like decreasing waste to cut down on additional or unnecessary costs.

Green Lens Questions: Where did the ingredients come from? Are there local alternatives? Is the food in season? 

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