As a college student, grocery shopping can often feel like a burdensome task that costs time, energy, and money. When adding to that the busy schedules of college students and the priority that seemingly more important tasks receive, the process of grocery shopping becomes successful when as little time is spent at the store, as little energy is used, and as little money is spent. For students interested in shopping more sustainably and making more conscious choices, however, a little bit of time and effort will be needed. The key to grocery shopping sustainably is informing yourself about the various dimensions that come into play and making the best decisions possible in light of this information. Buying and consuming food is essential for survival, and there is always an inexpensive, time-efficient, and sustainable way to do so. This list has been created to hopefully aid in this process, providing information that can allow you to make choices that are not only good for you but good for the planet as well.
1. Pay Attention to Packaging
Purchasing packaged foods is almost unavoidable, but having a wide variety of options to choose from gives you the advantage of making the most sustainable choice possible. Generally speaking, opting for materials such as glass, paper, or aluminum (rather than plastic) is better for the environment. If you must purchase something in a plastic container, checking the label can give you very valuable information. The categories most likely to be recycled are plastics one (PETE) and two (HDPE), so selecting either of those plastics in packaging is the better choice compared to film-like, non-recyclable plastics.
Another sustainable choice you can easily make is purchasing a larger, higher volume container rather than a smaller container of the same product. This gives you more of the product, often for only a slightly higher cost, and saves in packaging in the long run. Furthermore, many glass or plastic containers can easily be washed and reused for other purposes such as food storage.
2. Check Out the Bulk Section
Buying foods in bulk not only saves on individually-wrapped products, but may even be less expensive. The bulk section of a grocery store is a great place to stock up on pantry staples such as grains, nuts, coffee, tea, seasonings, spices, and more.
In order to optimize your sustainable impact, bring your own containers to the grocery store, such as the repurposed and washed jars from previously purchased products, and weigh them at the tare station. Taking note of the weight of your container and the bin number will allow the cashiers to easily charge you only for the weight of the food product, not the weight of the container. Locally, the Davis Food Co-Op, Nugget Markets, Safeway, and Save Mart all feature bulk sections.
3. Look for Imperfect Produce
Grocery stores often have very high standards regarding the appearance of produce, as the companies need to make sure that the product will be bought. Sadly, this standard results in a large amount of food waste each year. Some online companies offer services where you can order a batch of produce that grocery stores have rejected. Alternatively, you can always choose the produce at the grocery store that may not look perfect to the eye or has a dent, as this will not in any way affect the taste but may make other customers less likely to purchase them, meaning they could go to waste. When considering the produce on display, opting for the items that may not be the most visually appealing can, in the end, save them from being thrown away by the grocers.
4. Limit Animal Products
By now it is commonly known that consumption of meat (and other animal products) is one of the largest contributors to climate change. Nevertheless, many people continue to buy meat and animal products simply out of habit and convenience. With today’s wide variety of options and innovative companies, it is increasingly easy to find delicious meat replacements and alternatives to animal products. While animal-free meats can sometimes be more expensive, there are also alternatives to animal products, such as beans, and tofu, that are much cheaper than animal foods. Doing price comparisons between stores can often also make a big difference, as some retailers charge more than others for the same product.
5. Bring & Use Your Own Bags
This step is both enforced and practiced in many counties already, likely because it is so easy to always keep a stack of reusable shopping bags in the back of the car for planned or impromptu grocery trips. This notion can be extended to shopping for fresh produce as well, by making an investment in small, reusable produce bags instead of using the single-use option at the store (or just not using a bad for produce at all!). As a student, keeping a small bag tucked away somewhere in your backpack allows you to always have one handy if you decide to stop for groceries on the way home from campus. Additionally, in those situations everyone is occasionally guilty of where all the bags were forgotten at home, opt for paper instead of plastic, and then reuse the bag at home as a compost bag.
6. Select Seasonal Produce
In the United States, it is customary to be able to access almost any type of food or produce year-round. However, purchasing produce that is currently out of season is often more expensive because it has to be shipped from farther away or grown with harmful pesticides/preservatives, both aspects of which also negatively impact the environment.
Paying more attention to buying seasonal products reduces costs and carbon emissions. Additionally, shopping seasonally provides you with the opportunity to learn more about currently growing foods and discover new recipes to cook in-season.
7. Shop Locally
The Davis Farmers’ Market has repeatedly been voted one of the best in America. Stopping there to check out the vendors is a great option for buying locally sourced, quality products. Shopping for groceries at a farmers’ market removes the intermediary (i.e. the grocery store) from the shopping process, as you are able to buy directly from the farmers themselves. This allows you to connect directly with – and learn more about – the source of your food.
It is worth mentioning that shopping locally also goes hand-in-hand with shopping seasonally, and this, in turn, provides you with the possibility of supporting your community and local economy.
Farmers’ markets aren’t the only place you can find local produce, as many grocery stores also sell locally grown products. Keep an eye out for labels identifying local produce. Both seasonal and local foods often carry more nutrients than foods that traveled hundreds or thousands of miles to reach your destination. Therefore, shopping locally provides you with additional health benefits as well.