Trying to eat more sustainably can be pretty overwhelming when you first get going. Suddenly, you’re walking around your local supermarket, and every food choice starts to feel like an ethical dilemma. Is it organic? Local? Plant-based? Packaging-free?

It can be overwhelming thinking about where to start, but luckily, sustainability isn’t something you have to ‘achieve’ all at once. If you want to start to eat more sustainably, the key is to focus on a few simple changes you can stick with over time.

Start small

First thing to remember: you don’t have to flip your entire diet upside down. You’re better off making a few small swaps that actually fit into your life. For example, you might start by eating a few more plant-based meals each week, or choosing to buy fish from sustainable producers like John West.

Not cutting out meat completely – just reducing a little, where it feels manageable. Or maybe you could swap out heavily packaged produce for loose fruit and veg when you can. Small changes like these stack up more than you think.

Read more: how to generate more collagen if you’re a vegan or vegetarian

Think local and seasonal when you can

Eating food that’s grown closer to home cuts down on transport emissions and usually means you’re eating what’s naturally in season. This often tastes better too.

That being said, you don’t need to obsess over it. Just being a bit more mindful. Picking up local strawberries in summer instead of imported ones in winter, say, can make a difference.  Farmers’ markets, veggie box schemes, and even some supermarkets now label the origin of their produce, making it easier to choose.

Reduce waste first

Before you stress about where your food comes from, look at what’s already going in the bin. Wasting food is one of the biggest food-related sustainability issues out there, and luckily, it’s also something you have direct control over.

Planning meals ahead, freezing leftovers from dinner, getting better at using up scraps in later meals… It all requires diligence and some creativity, but it’s one of the most effective things you can do. Less waste means less food production needed overall, and that’s a bigger win than you might expect.

Be realistic about what’s sustainable for you

There’s no point building an “ideal” sustainable diet if it’s impossible for you to stick to. For example, it might not be realistic for you to buy everything organic due to the cost. Or, you might find some plant-based meat alternatives don’t work for your digestion.

Sustainability isn’t just about the planet. It’s about building habits that are sustainable for you as well. If you’re forcing yourself into something you secretly hate, it won’t last, so make sure you find that balance point.

Progress, not perfection

The food system is complicated, and as a result, no choice is 100% perfect. Sometimes you’ll still grab strawberries that have flown halfway across the world, and sometimes you’ll buy pre-packed salad because it’s the only thing available. That’s life.

The point is to be a little more thoughtful, a little more often, not to torture yourself trying to get it right every single time. If you focus on a few realistic changes and let them build naturally, sustainable eating stops feeling like a burden and starts becoming second nature.

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