Sustainable Indulgence: Tips to Dining In and Out Responsibly in Singapore

When it comes to diet, it’s often making the right choices for our health that takes the front seat. But what if we want to go a step further and extend that focus to our planet as well? Like healthy eating, sustainable eating involves assessing the impact of our food choices and adopting the practices that do the least harm. Luckily, both concepts appear to have a lot in common, making it possible to kill two birds with one stone. Let’s explore sustainable eating and how you can dine responsibly in restaurants and at home.

What is Sustainable Eating?

Sustainable eating refers to the act of prioritising environmental health, animal welfare and social equity in your food choices and dining practices. In terms of food selection, it takes into account the impact of their production on life including the damage they may cause to our bodies. 

Sustainable eating is one of the easiest ways to champion sustainability, primarily through individual choices. By embracing sustainable eating, you don’t have to engage in extreme lifestyle changes. You simply care for the Earth by starting with small, everyday actions. 

According to the Food Standards Agency, about 54 percent of consumers have shown interest in improving their diet to make it more sustainable. 

Dining Out Responsibly

It’s common to fall under the impression that eating out means less control over your food choices and environmental stewardship. However, this isn’t necessarily true. Here are three ways you can make more eco-conscious decisions while dining out. 

Selecting Sustainable Restaurants

Look for establishments that prioritise locally sourced ingredients, organic options and sustainable practices. Doing some research before visiting a restaurant can ensure it aligns with your values. Additional clues that indicate a sustainability-minded restaurant include seasonal menu items, plant-based options and eco-friendly packaging. A commitment to minimising food waste, recycling, reusing materials, and transparency in their sustainability efforts are also key indicators.

Ordering from the Menu Mindfully

We’re often compelled to order what attracts us most, but as much as we enjoy indulging, being intentional about our menu selections is crucial to supporting responsible dining. Eating more plant-based foods and reducing our consumption of animal products can help us conserve resources and restore ecosystems, while diversifying our diet contributes to protecting biodiversity and food security. Additionally, food waste — which is responsible for one-third of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions — can be minimised by simply ordering what we can finish.

Practising Eco-Friendly Habits

You can avoid a lot of waste by bringing your own containers and bottles for leftovers. You can also request no disposables, such as single-use straws, cutlery or even napkins when dining out. Generally, dining in is more environmentally friendly than takeaway since it eliminates the need for packaging. If takeaway is necessary, opt for compostable packaging as the next best option to reusable containers.

Eating In Responsibly

Eating healthily and sustainably is much easier at home, where you have more freedom and flexibility. You can save money and reduce your carbon footprint by getting only what you need and using it efficiently. 

Planning Your Meals

Meal planning not only makes healthy eating easier but also helps cut down on food waste. Without a plan, it’s easy to forget what you actually need and end up scrambling to squeeze in preparation time (and fridge space) for impulse buys. Opting for locally grown, fresh produce can further reduce your carbon footprint. Plus, by planning ahead, you can be more intentional about adding more greens to your meals rather than assigning it as an afterthought.

Doing Your Shopping Thoughtfully

Ultra-processed foods, such as ice cream, sausages, mass-produced bread, breakfast cereals, and instant soups, contribute up to 45 percent of diet-related biodiversity loss. Put down these items, which are harmful to both the environment and your health, and opt for whole foods that have a lower environmental impact and are more nourishing. Since many of us aren’t growing our own produce, consider turning to local farmers instead. Their fruits and vegetables are often in-season, use less packaging, don’t travel long distances, require less energy to produce, and are typically fresher!

Managing Your Waste

The waste you discard may end up in a landfill, where it rots and releases methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that’s the second-largest culprit behind global warming. One of the first steps you can take to minimise your impact is to store your food properly to extend its lifespan. Moreover, kitchen scraps don’t have to go into the bin. Consider composting, a natural process that breaks down organic material into fertiliser, to help reduce waste, enrich soil and support healthy plant growth.

Promoting Socially Responsible Food Consumption

Along with doing your part to practise sustainable eating at home and when dining out, you can help encourage others to consider the ethical, environmental and social impacts of their food choices. Simply sharing information about these important issues can raise awareness about how we can better care for our environment and bodies. You can spread the word by sharing this post, or the tips we’ve provided here — whether it’s choosing vegetarian or vegan options or buying more from local farmers.

Final Thoughts

What you choose to eat affects the environment more than you probably realise. At Daily Ground, we acknowledge the consequences of the ingredients and techniques used in beloved dishes, even when they come from traditional recipes. We take pride in blending the best of both worlds, offering guilt-free meals that nurture your body, support the planet and delight your taste buds. 

Discover how we do it by taking a quick trip down to our café at 619D Bukit Timah Road #01-01 Singapore 269724.