18 June marks Sustainable Gastronomy Day, an international observance supported by the United Nations, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and UNESCO. This special day highlights the relationship between food, culture, agriculture, and our environment. Additionally, this day encourages us to consider where our food comes from, how it is produced, and the impact it has on the world around us.

According to the FAO, sustainable gastronomy is cuisine that takes into account the origin of ingredients, how food is grown, harvested, or produced, and how it reaches us as consumers. It is an approach that seeks to meet present food needs without compromising the health of ecosystems or the ability of our future generations to feed themselves.

Before we proceed with this article, let’s take some time to reflect. Do we know where our food comes from? Have we ever looked at the packaging or the labels to see exactly how far the food we consume has to travel? We may be surprised to see that some of our day-to-day products are imported from not just different countries, but sometimes from different continents. One of our Global Tree Initiative community members recalls living in Germany, while seeing potatoes from Egypt in the supermarket!

A variety of local produce

According to Ayurveda, consuming local and seasonal food is considered the foundation of good health. Known as Ritucharya (seasonal routine), this philosophy teaches us that our bodies are a microcosm of nature; eating what grows naturally in our immediate environment balances our internal energies (doshas) and supports our digestive fire (Agni).

With this reflection behind us, let’s explore this topic of sustainable gastronomy in more depth.

Our human family is expected to exceed nine billion people by 2050, while natural resources such as fertile soil, forests, freshwater, and marine ecosystems are already under significant pressure. At the same time, the FAO estimates that around one-third of all food produced globally is lost or wasted. This combination of growing demand and unsustainable consumption presents a serious challenge for food security and environmental protection.

Supporting sustainable gastronomy can take many forms. One of the simplest actions is choosing seasonal and locally produced foods where possible and practical. Seasonal produce often requires fewer resources for cultivation and storage, while supporting local farmers can strengthen regional economies and reduce some transportation-related emissions. At the same time, we as consumers can also diversify our diets by including traditional and indigenous crops that are well adapted to local growing conditions.

Another aspect to consider is reducing our food waste. Planning meals, storing food correctly, using leftovers, and purchasing only what is needed can significantly reduce waste. When food is thrown away, the water, energy, land, and labour used to produce it are wasted as well. It is said that food waste sent to landfill also generates methane, a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.

“As more than one trillion U.S. dollars worth of food is thrown away each year, up to 783 million people are affected by hunger.” – statista.com

Restaurants, hotels, and food businesses can also contribute by sourcing ingredients responsibly, reducing waste, improving energy efficiency, and offering menus that make greater use of sustainably produced ingredients. Some establishments are increasingly working with local producers and adopting practices that minimise environmental impacts throughout their supply chains.

However, many current food production and consumption patterns have a negative impact on sustainable gastronomy. Large-scale food waste, excessive packaging, unsustainable fishing practices, deforestation for agricultural expansion, and intensive farming systems can all place significant strain on natural resources. Overexploitation of soils can reduce fertility, while excessive use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides can contribute to water pollution and biodiversity loss. Together, these pressures contribute to climate change, environmental degradation, and declining ecosystem resilience.

Deforestation for agricultural fields and highways in Kemaman, Terengganu, Malaysia

The effects are already visible across the globe. More frequent droughts, floods, and extreme weather events can damage agricultural production and threaten food supplies. Soil degradation reduces the ability of land to support crops, while declining biodiversity weakens the natural systems that pollinate plants, regulate pests and maintain healthy ecosystems. In this way, unsustainable gastronomy not only affects food production today; it also undermines the environmental foundations needed for future generations.

So, this Sustainable Gastronomy Day serves as a reminder that food choices have consequences beyond our dining-room table. Whether through reducing waste, supporting sustainable producers, choosing seasonal ingredients, or encouraging responsible food systems, we as individuals and businesses alike can play a role in reducing environmental pressures and helping to protect the natural resources upon which all food production depends.

Now, when we do our next shopping, we can try to bring our awareness into the shopping, and take some time to look at the origin of our products. At the same time, we can look at the packaging. Is it packed in plastic? Can we avoid this? We can consider how we transport our shopping – are we using plastic bags, or reusable cloth bags or boxes? And, we can consider where we are shopping. Instead of going to a big chain supermarket, is it possible to support a local market?

These are small things to consider that could make a big impact!

If you are interested in some sustainable recipes, check out our partner, Kind Dish from Portugal, where Kika has some delicious plant-based recipes!

A plant-based meal, prepared by Kika

We can consider the words of one of our environmental heroes, the Dalai Lama:

“The Tibetan Buddhist attitude is one of contentment, and there may be some connection here with our attitude toward the environment. We don’t indiscriminately consume. We put a limit on our consumption. We admire simply living and individual responsibility. We have always considered ourselves part of our environment, but not just any part. Our ancient scriptures speak of the container and the contained. The world is the container – our house, and we are the contained- the contents of the container.”

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References:
https://www.fao.org/sustainable-gastronomy-day/en
https://www.dalailama.com/messages/environment/universal-responsibility
https://guide.michelin.com/gb/en/article/features/sustainable-gastronomy-day—18th-june
https://environmentalalliance.org/sustainable-gastronomy-day
https://www.epa.gov/lmop/basic-information-about-landfill-gas
https://cdn.statcdn.com/Infographic/images/normal/24350.jpeg
https://www.pexels.com/photo/bird-s-eye-view-photo-of-field-1606407/
https://www.pexels.com/photo/sweet-potatoes-chillis-and-onions-on-box-2252482/

Featured image / title image:
https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-people-eating-while-talking-together-5738255/