What’s for Dinner? The Importance of Sustainable Food in Events

The importance of locally grown, organic foods and why we should be ordering them.

It is without a doubt that food plays an important role in almost every event. Food is a conversation starter and a basic necessity. So how do we keep the green and sustainable motif going when it comes to food? Well let me show you.

The Menu Ordeal

"You are what you eat! So don't be fast, cheap, easy or fake!"

The menu is what makes up the entire food portion of the event, of course, so it's important to know what you want on it. Foods who's ingredients can be grown locally are always a top choice because the food will be guaranteed fresh and sustainable. Shopping from Fair Trade certified vendors is also important, because you're buying fresh products from companies that treat all their employees with the respect and dignity they deserve.

It is also suggested from many green event planners, that you should try to have a lot of your menu items be vegetarian, both because it is healthy and fruits and veggies are easier and safer to transport. Serve fingers food as well to cut down on food waste.

Ol' McDonald said...

Support your local farmers! Look up the nearest farm from your venue and pay them a visit, they are sure to sell to you at a reasonable price for reasonable food. Here are some other benefits to shopping with local farmers:

🍃You're saving on gas emissions because the food is coming straight from the farm.

🍃You're saving on packaging that might be plastic, because you can ask that they give you the goods in wooden crates or baskets.

🍃The food is almost always in-season and guaranteed freshness.

And the fork ran away with the spoon

There are so many websites that offer biodegradable and compostable utensils and other silverware for great prices, like https://www.greenpartygoods.com/ and https://greenpaperproducts.com/ . However, if you are not a fan of the rustic silverware look, regular glass and metal silverware may still be up your alley! It just requires lots of water to wash them, just like how the biodegradable utensils require mail trucks to get it delivered to you. We have to make some sacrifices, I guess!

The websites mentioned above also sell bio-degradable and eco-friendly containers, which are extremely important for when guests or workers want to take home food!

Be Our Guest!

As great as it may sound, sometimes, guests will insist that they get the menu they want; especially if it's a traditional one. So sometimes, you have to deal with it, but that doesn't mean you must give up on being green and sustainable! Always remember the four L's to food service: ethical, local, natural and seasonal. Try to make sure that the food is grown locally, it is au natural, the ingredients are seasonal and that whoever you are buying from follows ethical practices...and let that guide you!

Sources:

Green Event Planning Guide: Keeping It Green When You Plan Special Events. americarecyclesday.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Green-Events-Planning-Guide-20111.pdf.

“Green Events Guide.” UW Sustainability, green.uw.edu/green-events-guide.

Green Party Goods. “Green Party Supplies | Green Toys & Games | Eco-Friendly Toys, Gifts & Tableware at Green Party Goods.” Green Party Supplies | Green Toys & Games | Eco-Friendly Toys, Gifts & Tableware at Green Party Goods, www.greenpartygoods.com/.

“Green Paper Products, LLC.” Green Paper Products, greenpaperproducts.com/.