Smart choices: A Fresh Approach to Ingredients for Food Providers

Beef

HEALTH: Beef is high in protein and very low in carbohydrates. It has no fibre and contains saturated fatty acids, but it provides iron, zinc, and vitamin B12^2.

SUSTAINABILITY: Intensive land and water use and very high greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs).¹

Poultry

HEALTH: Poultry is high in protein and very low in carbohydrates but has no fibre².

SUSTAINABILITY: Uses less land and water than cattle and produces less GHGs.¹

Fish

HEALTH: Fish contains protein and omega-3, an essential fatty acid that humans must get from food.³

SUSTAINABILITY: Wild catch is overexploited and unsustainable for the long term, but commercially farmed options have less environmental impact.¹

Dairy

HEALTH: Dairy can be a good source of protein, calcium, and vitamin D, but also contains saturated fats.⁴

SUSTAINABILITY: Dairy herds use more land and water than many crops, and there are direct methane emissions (a GHG) from cattle.¹

Plant-based

Adding more plant-based food to your menu and balancing the use of animal by-products could help people achieve more balanced diets while also working toward the world’s health and sustainability goals. To reduce your environmental impact even further, try to choose fruits, vegetables, cereals, and pulses that are locally sourced or in-season whenever possible. Meat, poultry, fish, and dairy alternatives are increasingly common and sought-after by guests.

Portions

Food waste is responsible for around 8% of all greenhouse gas emissions⁵ and focusing on portions could help prevent that waste. Offering multiple portion sizes can also help reduce excess calories, overeating and weight gain, while satisfying different appetites.