How much have your shopping habits changed in the past seven months? Social distancing, hygiene procedures and restrictions on handling products have transformed a leisurely browse in the shops into a not-so-pleasurable experience. Many of us have had to swap trips to our local independent retailers for online shopping. We might not be able to visit as many stores as we did just a few months ago but the good news is that we can still enjoy many of our favourite sustainable food brands. I have come across Good Hemp’s sustainable food delivery guide, which is a great resource for finding small businesses, local initiatives, homegrown independents and sustainable food brands that offer home delivery in London.
From organic fruits and vegetables to biodynamic wine, and from organic coffee to vegan cheese and vegan burgers, it’s great that we can now shop online for so many ethical and sustainable brands delivered straight to our doors. Many people in London were used to shopping on their way to or from work but, with a majority still working from home for the foreseeable future, this is sadly not an option right now. Lately, I have enjoyed shopping online, avoiding long queues in the shops and being able to get most of my favourite brands without having to drive to multiple locations.
Shopping for healthy and responsibly produced food can be a challenge. Good Hemp’s guide is especially useful for anyone trying to follow a plant-based diet as the guide lists delivery services for vegan groceries, snacks and recipe boxes, as well as some of London’s local sustainable food stores and drinks deliveries: a great selection of companies doing good.
There is even a handful of delicious vegan recipes to make at home (it is not like we are eating out very often anymore!) to help you reduce your food bill and packaging waste. If, like me, you are a fan of hemp, look out for this Thai Red Curry with Hemp Crusted Tofu. So delicious! I like crispy tofu but I would have never thought of using hemp seeds and desiccated coconut to make a crust around it. So much better than bread crumbs! This recipe also uses hemp milk instead of coconut milk. Hemp milk not only has more protein than coconut milk but it also contains healthy omega-3 and omega-6 unsaturated fats. Thumbs up all around!
Now more than ever, it is so important for us to support sustainable food brands. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a massive impact on our food system and has highlighted many issues around how food is produced, processed, consumed and wasted. Global food production based on intensive agriculture has a direct impact on the spread of zoonotic diseases like coronavirus. Complex supply chains have a devastating environmental impact and prices do not reflect the true cost of food as the economic effects of the impact on the environment is never truly accounted for.
As we emerge from this crisis, it is more important than ever that we consumers make better and healthier food choices. In my mind, this is the only way forward if we are to learn anything from the current pandemic.
Our food choices can have such a positive environmental and social impact. It can be as simple as shopping from your local farm shop, swapping a mass-produced food brand for a tastier independent alternative, eating more plant-based food instead of meat, fish and dairy or simply trying to waste less.
As one-third of the food produced in the world for human consumption is wasted, reducing food waste is paramount to ensuring we have a sustainable food system. I was really glad to see apps such as Olio, Karma and Too Good to Go listed in Good Hemp’s sustainable food guide. Each app can be downloaded to your phone and takes a different angle to alleviate food waste; from sharing food to buying cheap surplus meals from local restaurants and rescuing surplus vegetables and fruits. I have previously reviewed some of them on the blog.
2020 has demonstrated how communities can pull together in a time of crisis. What better way to support our local communities than choosing independent and sustainable brands that strive to have higher animal welfare standards while being also environmentally and socially responsible. Where we choose to shop for food and the brands that we choose to buy can benefit our entire food system. We can help shape the future of the planet one meal at a time. Happy sustainable shopping and eating!
Disclaimer: this article is sponsored by Good Hemp. All thoughts and opinions remain my own.
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I love this food guide! During the lockdown this year, I’ve tried a number of delivery services ranging from Oui Chef to Farmdrop, and All Plants’ frozen meals really got me through those days that I didn’t want to cook. xD
I also haven’t been to a supermarket for half a year now – local fruit & veg shops for the win.