Hi beautiful,
Most people eat like it doesn’t matter, climate-wise.
But some plates hit the planet way harder than others - we’ve just never really been taught to see it that way.
And since it’s Earth Month, it feels like a good moment to look at something we do every single day… without thinking twice.
Every time you eat, you’re making a choice: higher impact or lower impact.
And the foods that tend to have the biggest environmental impact… are also the ones that feel the most normal.
So nothing changes - because nothing feels like it needs to.
But behind every meal, there’s a whole chain most of us never see:
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Water to grow ingredients
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Land to produce and scale
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Feed, farming, processing
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Transport, packaging, storage
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And for animal products - potent emissions like methane on top of all that, never-mind all of the land and water it takes to grow crops to feed animals..
All of that happens before your food even reaches your plate.
Some foods are simply more resource-intensive than others.
In most diets, the biggest drivers damaging the planet tend to be:
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Animal products (especially beef and dairy)
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Heavily processed foods
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Foods that are shipped, packaged, or preserved multiple times
The more that goes into producing something, the more it usually costs the planet.
And none of this shows up on a label. But the data is pretty clear:
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Beef can produce 10–20x more emissions than plant-based proteins
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Dairy requires significantly more land and water than alternatives
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Food systems account for roughly 25–30% of global emissions
We’re used to tracking things like calories, protein, even how much we spend.
But rarely environmental impact.
And that’s not your fault, it’s just not something we’ve been taught to look at. Because two meals can look almost identical… but carry completely different costs behind the scenes.
FOODS DOING THE MOST DAMAGE
To make that a bit more tangible, I wanted to give you some of the highest-impact categories:
Animal-based (biggest drivers):
– Beef (burgers, steaks, mince, meatballs)
– Lamb (often even higher impact than beef)
– Cheese (especially aged cheeses like cheddar or parmesan)
– Butter & cream
– Processed meats (bacon, sausages, deli meats)
Dairy-heavy “everyday” habits:
– Multiple milk-based coffees a day
– Creamy sauces (pastas, curries, desserts)
– Yogurts with added packaging
Highly processed / convenience foods:
– Protein bars & packaged “health” snacks
– Ready meals / microwave meals
– Frozen processed foods (pizza, nuggets)
– Packaged desserts and sweets
Packaging-heavy habits:
– Single-serve snacks
– Bottled drinks
– Individually wrapped “on-the-go” foods
Out-of-season / long-distance foods:
– Berries in winter
– Imported greens or herbs
– Exotic fruits that travel long distances
Trend foods (context matters):
– Avocados (especially imported)
– Almond-heavy products (water-intensive)
– Coconut-based products (shipped globally)
Takeaway + delivery culture:
– Food + multiple layers of packaging
– Delivery emissions
– Higher levels of waste + processing
We know that Europe is typically further ahead when it comes to sustainability so it’s inspiring that EU food laws (which already require traceability and ingredient disclosure) are initiating new policies under the Green Deal. Specifically, the Farm to Fork Strategy, is pushing for more sustainable agriculture, lower emissions, and clearer information for consumers. Although there is no EU-wide requirement yet for carbon labels on food, several countries such as France and Denmark are piloting environmental labeling systems, and many major retailers are beginning to ask suppliers for emissions and sourcing data.
Small shifts actually go a long way.
This matters because we know that meat and dairy have higher environmental footprints due to factors like methane emissions and land use, so even small shifts in what we choose to eat can have a meaningful impact.
🫶🏼 Shift, don’t overhaul: Even reducing animal products slightly has measurable impact.
🫶🏼 Think in swaps, not restriction: Lentils, beans, tofu, tempeh = lower impact, high nutrition.
🫶🏼 Eat closer to the source: Whole foods > heavily processed.
🫶🏼 Seasonal + local: Less transport, less storage, less footprint.
🫶🏼 Question convenience: If it’s wrapped, shipped, and processed multiple times… there’s a cost.
Check out this video for a powerful mindset shift that will help you make the change - and make it last: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHdSMZjSO8A
You don’t need to change everything overnight.
But eating with just a little more awareness?
That’s one of the most consistent ways to reduce your impact - because you’re doing it every single day 🌍
xx Desirée
Founder & CEO
