Are meal kits good for the environment?
Are meal kits good for the environment?
Meal kits have become a popular way to cook at home, and many people, including us, are wondering if they are good for the environment. Let's take a closer look at the pros and cons of meal kits to see if they are really as green as they seem.
What are meal kits and what are their main benefits?
Meal kits come with pre-measured ingredients and a set of recipes which you pick yourself ahead of the delivery. In the UK, there are a number of companies that offer different types of meals and cuisines, such as Hello Fresh, Gousto or Mindful Chef. They are great at reducing the time you spend grocery shopping and meal planning. In addition, some meal kit companies specialise in organic, sustainable or local ingredients, so you can feel good about what you're eating and where it came from. Meal kits are also a great way to try out new recipes or explore cuisines that you might not otherwise try. And finally, they're often more affordable than eating out at a restaurant and can be cheaper than buying groceries from your local supermarket, especially if you get an introductory offer.
What makes meal kits good for the environment?
1. Reduced food waste
By providing just the right amount of ingredients, meal kits are great for ensuring that you do not buy more than what you need. This is especially important when it comes to perishable items, such as vegetables. The downside of this is that you cannot use the leftover ingredients for another meal, such as lunch the next day.
2. Local or seasonal produce
Some meal kit providers, such as Mindful Chef in the UK, take sustainability seriously. They work with local farmers to reduce the CO2 emissions stemming from transporting the ingredients from the other side of the world.
3. Vegan or vegetarian menu
Most also offer vegan or vegetarian options and some providers focus solely on vegetarian or vegan meals. Depending on the provider, you can do your part for the planet by either opting for predominantly vegetarian or vegan meals or simply choosing a brand that is purely dedicated to the vegan or vegetarian cause.
4. B corp membership
Some meal kit companies go the extra mile when it comes to helping the planet as well as having a positive social impact and show this through the B Corp Certification. B Corp Certification is a designation that a business is meeting high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency on factors from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices and input materials. In the context of meal kits, this includes achieving Net Zero by 2030, using recycled packaging and paying attention to welfare and environmental considerations throughout their supply chain. Our website accounts for the environmental and social impact of UK meal kit provides by showing a Social and Environmental score for each. You can find this score next to other information about the meal kit provider on our home page. We are also planning on exploring the topic of B corp certification in a future article so stay tuned!
What makes meal kits bad for the environment?
1. CO2 emitted during delivery
Meal kits are delivered straight to your door, which inevitably leads to some CO2 emissions. However, these might be actually lower than the emissions from your local supermarket's supply chain, especially if you tend to buy ingredients sourced from far away. Some meal kit companies disclose this information and B Corp certification is also a good place to look at if you are after details statistics.
2. Packaging
Many of the ingredients that you order as part of your weekly meal kit, such as meat or perishables, need to be chilled as they are transported to you. This means that they come with additional packaging, such as insulation or ice packets. Some of the packaging might not be recyclable however we recommend you check with each individual provider as many have recently improved the recyclability of packaging materials.
So are meal kits good for the environment?
Well, that depends on your perspective. The truth is that there's no easy answer when it comes to the environmental impact of meal kits and the answer is usually relative. On the one hand, they can help reduce food waste and save energy by not requiring you to prepare more food than you need. But on the other hand, their packaging can be difficult to recycle and they often require refrigeration. At the end of the day, it's up to each individual to assess how the meal kits' environmental impact compares to the way they source their food already. Still, if you're looking for an easy way to cook healthy home-made meals without spending too much time in the kitchen, meal kits are a good solution for you.
What do you think? What are some other pros and cons of meal kits?