Food Dishes for Sustainable Development: A Swedish Food Retail Perspective.

Linn Torstensson,Cecilia Mark-Herbert,Rebecca Johansson

doi:10.3390/foods10050932

Linn Torstensson, Cecilia Mark-Herbert + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10050932

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Abstract

Current dietary patterns contribute negatively to greenhouse gas emissions and to the increased prevalence of non-communicable diseases. Earlier research on sustainable food consumption mainly focuses on diets, rather than single meals. Diets are difficult to measure, which is usually executed through self-reporting. This paper aims to identify frequently prepared dishes in a home setting through sales statistics, and how they can be altered to reduce climate impact and increase nutritional value. Commonly prepared food dishes in a home setting among customers of a major food retailer in Sweden were identified through sales statistics. The dishes were altered to reach nutritional and climate impact guidelines. Commonly prepared food dishes exceeded goals for climate boundaries by more than threefold and were not in line with nutritional guidelines. The content of fat, including saturated fat, was too high. Vegetables, fruits, wholegrains and fiber need to be increased. To reduce climate impact and increase nutritional value, the amount of animal-based product need to be reduced and/or exchanged to plant-based alternatives. This research contributes empirically to understandings of how portfolio management decisions influence food consumption based on sales statistics and how nutritional and climate impact guidelines can be applied from a single meal perspective.

Highlights

The largest cause of global environmental change is food production [1], which is responsible for up to 30% of global greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions alone [2]
Swedish residents are consuming too much added sugar, saturated fat and sodium, and not enough fruit, vegetables, wholegrains or fibers [6]. These dietary transitions are responsible for contributing to environmental degradation [7]; they are increasing the incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, cancer, Type 2 diabetes and stroke, causing premature deaths and lower global life expectancy [8]
The empirical results are discussed in relation to different protein choices, a plant-based transition, climate impact, nutritional values and the integration of sustainable development in portfolio management

Summary

Introduction

The largest cause of global environmental change is food production [1], which is responsible for up to 30% of global greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions alone [2]. Despite awareness of sustainable development challenges, the average Swedish diet exceeds the global planetary boundaries for GHG emissions [3]. Swedish residents are consuming too much added sugar, saturated fat and sodium, and not enough fruit, vegetables, wholegrains or fibers [6]. These dietary transitions are responsible for contributing to environmental degradation [7]; they are increasing the incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, cancer, Type 2 diabetes and stroke, causing premature deaths and lower global life expectancy [8]. NCDs are contributing to major economic pressure in society [9]

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