Food Day Highlights Sustainable Sourcing Practices
Oct. 24 was Food Day, an annual celebration of something most people cherish on a daily basis. Intended to be a day of advocacy for healthy, affordable, sustainable food, Food Day is one part of an overall evolution that is taking place among the general public and within the food industry of becoming more environmentally, health and cost conscious about how food is produced, sourced and eaten.
Building a more sustainable food chain
As people become more aware of the environmental and social impact they have through their various actions, especially when it comes to the food they eat, they have begun looking for ways to mute those effects. It’s a sentiment that has also become prevalent among chefs and other food industry professionals, as many restaurants are looking to source their food locally and buy products from suppliers who follow sustainable farming, fishing and processing practices.
As humanity looks for solutions to many of the problems it faces in the 21st century, developing a more efficient, more eco-conscious and healthier food supply chain will be one of the keys to the effort.
Trends in sustainable food
Because of the growing popularity of sustainable food production, there have been a number of dishes and innovations that have become popular in recent years. Here are just a few things you may want to learn about in your culinary class or online culinary arts program:
- While veganism and vegan cooking has always largely been about animal welfare and sustainability, the recent trend toward more high-end animal-free fare, with its emphasis on health, has helped make it a more prevalent dining option in society. Whether it’s the healthy aspects of the cuisine or its environmental friendliness that draws customers in, they are taking part in the sustainable food revolution.
- Octopus is the new black … or rather, prawn. With prawns having been severely overfished over the past several decades, their availability has become limited, opening up the market for octopus. Currently, octopus is a relatively abundant oceanic food resource, making it, for the time being, a sustainable alternative to many other types of fish and crustaceans that have seen their stocks depleted. The idea is that greater public awareness of sustainable fishing practices will keep the octopus from befalling the same fate of overuse.
- Wine on tap offers a measure of sustainability because it is carried in reusable kegs and saves valuable resources that are wasted in transportation and storage. And it’s becoming a hot offering in New York City and beyond.
If you like this post, please be sure to check out the following!
The Slow Food Movement
Going Beyond The Farm: Foraging For Produce
Farm-To-Table Movement: Understanding The Locavore
