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Healthy and Sustainable Eating: Leading the Shift – Event Highlights

Sue Mah with Dr. Fiona Yeudall and Dr. Cecilia Rocha

Sue Mah with Nutrition Connection Forum speakers Dr. Fiona Yeudall and Dr. Cecilia Rocha. Image source: Lucia Weiler

Hosted by Nutrition Connections, this year’s annual forum explored the shifts that will be required in eating habits and food choices in order to benefit the health of current and future generations as well as the health of the planet. Here’s our summary of a few of the presentations.

What is Sustainable Eating? – Dr. Cecilia Rocha

Dr. Rocha is a member of the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems, a Professor in the School of Nutrition and a researcher at the Centre for Studies in Food Security at Ryerson University.

Sustainable diets, defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations are: those diets with low environmental impacts which contribute to food and nutrition security and to healthy life for present and future generations. Sustainable diets are protective and respectful of biodiversity and ecosystems, culturally acceptable, accessible, economically fair and affordable; nutritionally adequate, safe and healthy; while optimizing natural and human resources.

Rocha reminded us of the 17 sustainable goals proposed by the United Nations, in particular, goal #12 which focuses on responsible consumption and production. Consumers have the potential to be agents of change through their healthy and ethical choices of what to eat. Through responsible consumption, ordinary people can effect change by carefully selecting the products they buy. However, price, convenience and brand familiarity are often the most important decision for most consumers, rather than fairness, sustainability and health.

In a world in which food is mostly a commodity, bought and sold through markets, how do we make the transition from unsustainable and unhealthy food systems to sustainable diets? Can consumers, through their choices of what food to buy, lead the way to that transformation? Rocha further posed this thought-provoking question: Is it realistic or reasonable to put this heroic task on the shoulders of consumers?

Rocha acknowledged that alternative food markets such as Community-Supported Agriculture (CDA), famers’ markets and fair-trade may offer consumers a more sustainable, healthy and ethical model of food production and consumption. Her opinion is that these alternative markets are still viewed as niche and alone, aren’t the answer. Rocha suggested that public policy is needed in at least three areas to facilitate responsible consumption:
– taxes and regulation (e.g. on sugar-sweetened beverages, use of chemicals, ultra-processed foods, and advertising)
– subsidies (e.g. for ecologically-friendly processes and alternative markets)
– information, education and nudging (e.g. food-based dietary guidelines).

 

How Do Our Eating Habits Compare to Canada’s Food Guide? – Dr. Rachel Prowse

Dr. Prowse, Applied Public Health Science Specialist at Public Health Ontario, compared the recommended proportions of food (by weight) in the new Canada’s Food Guide versus Ontario adults’ intakes from the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey – Nutrition Public Use Microdata File. Research results are expected to be published next year, however preliminary findings show that we’re not eating according to the recommended proportions of the food guide. Dr. Prowse suggests that non whole grains and “Other foods” (such as cookies, cakes, pastries, ice cream and confectionary) may be displacing nutritious foods on our plates. A consumer shift towards eating a more plant-based diet may help to drive the production of sustainable food options.

 

A Deep Dive into Food Waste – Dr. Kate Parizeau

As an Associate Professor at the University of Guelph, Dr. Parizeau researches the social context of waste and its management. Parizeau shared some staggering statistics:
– Canada generates 12.6 million tonnes of organic waste per year
– Canada wastes $49.5 billion of food annually – enough to feed every person living in Canada for almost 5 months.

In collaboration with the Guelph Family Health Study, Parizeau looked at food waste both at the household level. Household food waste was defined as either “avoidable” (food that could have been eaten such as whole fruits and vegetables, spoiled food, uneaten leftovers, food past it’s best before date as well as bought but forgotten food) versus “unavoidable” (such as egg shells, banana peels and meat bones).

The study found that about ¾ of the household food waste was avoidable. Most of the avoidable food waste (over 65%) came from fruits and vegetables, 24% from bread and cereals, 6% from meat and fish, and 2% from milk, cheese and eggs. Overall, this amounts to an average of $936 per year, over 175,000 calories thrown out and 1,196 kg of C02 emissions created.

 

Image source: Kate Parizeau

 

Food literacy skills can result in reduced food waste. Behaviours such as meal planning, shopping with a list, food preparation, storing food safely and cooking at home are encouraged. A new cookbook Rock What You’ve Got – Recipes for Preventing Food Waste is now available for free download. This cookbook was created by the Guelph Food Waste Research Group in partnership with The Helderleigh Foundation, George Brown College’s Food Innovation and Research Studio (FIRSt).

 

 

 

3 Trends Shaping Online Grocery

Driver Delivering Online Grocery Shopping Order

According to the 11th annual Tetra Pak Index Report, the Internet is transforming the grocery trade. Online is by far the fastest growing channel for groceries today. Keep your eye on these three trends which are shaping the online grocery marketplace both today and tomorrow.

Convenience is the key driver of online grocery. Time-crunched consumers are looking for a shopping experience that is fast, easy and seamless. Some of benefits cited by online grocery shoppers are:
I have my shopping delivered at home
– I can shop whenever I want
– It’s more convenient
– No physical effort is required
– I can buy everything without visiting several shops

Sustainability affects all of us – consumers, brands, retailers and governments. Locally and indeed globally, food waste is a key concern for sustainability. Almost 1 billion people around the world today suffer from food insecurity and yet 1/3 of food produced is wasted. Innovations such as aseptic carbon packaging or re-sealable packages can help to extend the shelf life of products and ultimately reduce food waste in the home, where most of the food waste actually occurs.

Personalization attracts shoppers online and builds relationships. Unique, customized products available only online can be a major driver. Personalized digital marketing strategies include shopper-specific e-coupons as well as in-store / point-of-sale display systems which show personalized messages to approaching customers.

Do you shop for groceries online? Tell us why or why not? We’d love to hear your experiences.

The Buzz on Sustainability

Sustainability DFC event-1

Sustainability is HOT! Food industry leaders are responding to this ever growing consumer trend and making sustainability a top business priority. Responsible consumption is everyone’s responsibility and it encompasses concerns for people’s nutrition/health, for the welfare of animals and crops, for our communities and the environment overall. Here’s a selection of sound bites that we and other thought leaders tweeted from national events on sustainability food waste.

  • Features of a #SustainableHealthyDiet: reduce overconsumption; maintain a healthy weight; limit consumption of nutrient-poor foods; reduce food waste; conserve water and energy in the kitchen.” (DFC symposium)
  • $31 billion of #FoodWaste in Canada 2014. 53% of food waste is from fruits n veggies. Yikes! (DFC symposium)
  • #ReduceFoodWaste by eating leftovers, meal-planning, preserving food.” (DFC symposium)
  • ReduceWaste! Eat what you buy – a family of 4 throws away over 120lbs of food a month!” (DFC symposium)
  • Some work to do: Canada wastes 40% of food post-purchase.” (DFC symposium)
  • Wasting less food is not only important from a sustainability standpoint but also for budgeting.” (Conference Board of Canada, Ontario Agri-Food Education Inc. presentation)
  • Only “59 % of Canadians understand what organic food means” (Conference Board of Canada Report Card on Food)
  • Environmental footprint labelling is on the rise in grocery stores. Could this trend be here to stay?” (DFC symposium)
  • The food system of the future must be: nutrition sensitive; climate smart; secure the environment and our natural resources” (DFC symposium)
  • 5 top tips from 100 years ago that still apply today: (DFC symposium)
    • Buy it with thought
    • Cook it with care
    • Serve just enough
    • Save what will keep
    • Eat what would spoil