Eating better for the planet and your health

What we eat has a significant climate impact. The UN’s Food and Agricultural Organisation found that about 14% of all greenhouse gas emissions come from meat and dairy production. Changing the way you eat may be easier than you think and could significantly reduce your carbon footprint. The number of people moving to vegetarian and vegan diets has increased sharply in the last few years but you don’t have to give up meat and dairy completely to make a difference. Reducing the amount of meat and dairy and choosing less intensively farmed options will make your diet more climate friendly, better for your health and can save you money.

• Find out more about the climate impact of your diet with the BBC Climate change food calculator to help you make different choices
• Go meat free for one or more days a week: Meat Free Mondays
• Swap some or all of the meat in traditional recipes for alternatives such as pulses, tofu, Quorn, or soya.
• Eat more fresh, local, seasonal vegetables: Soil Association Seasonal Food. Better for your health and reduces the carbon emissions from transport.
• Look for high welfare meat such as organic, free range, RSPCA Assured. This will be more expensive but you can make it go further by including pulses and vegetables in your recipes.
• Reduce the amount of dairy in your diet, there are lots of alternatives such as oat milk readily available.