When trying to live more sustainably, what’s on our plates matters. Food production accounts for over a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions, and a third of this food ends up going to waste. Although this is a systemic problem that requires widespread action, considering what we eat and where it comes from as individuals is a crucial first step. As busy students with small budgets this may seem daunting, but eating sustainably can actually be quick, affordable, and delicious.
Shop zero-waste.
Nestled between the Student Union and Manchester Academy, Want not Waste is a student-led zero waste shop with affordable sustainability at its heart. For as little as 20p per 100g, fill your containers with pantry staples like grains, nuts, herbs, and spices while avoiding the wasteful packaging. Pop in from Monday to Friday 10am-4pm to shop, but also be sure to check out their Instagram, @wantnotwastemcr, as the shop often runs sustainability themed talks and events.
They also offer a teracycle scheme, where you can drop off food packaging that can’t be recycled at home such as snack wrappers and ring carriers.
Similarly, just off Withington High Street you’ll find Lentils and Lather, an eco-friendly and ethical store with zero-waste dispensers and plenty of fresh, sustainably sourced products available. They have a great range of pantry staples as well as organic fruit and veg, fresh bread and oat milk.
Eat more plant based.
The science is clear, cutting down your meat intake is good for the planet. In fact, a recent study found that a vegan diet results in 75% less climate-heating emissions, water pollution and land use than diets featuring meat. Though shifting away from animal-based foods is a great way to protect the environment, for some, this also requires a big life change.
If becoming vegan, or even vegetarian, overnight doesn’t feel realistic for you, why not consider gradually making some small swaps? Changes like going meatless before dinner, cooking veggie for one or two meals a week or even swapping your milk to a plant-based alternative are great steps in the right direction. Eating more plant based is also a great way to discover new foods and flavours, and a whole foods-based approach is often much cheaper than eating meat too.
If you aren’t much of a chef, Manchester is brimming with delicious meat-free food, from the plethora of vegan restaurants across the city to the option to veganise your lunchtime meal deal on campus.
Rescue meals using food waste apps.
With just a few taps, you can enjoy restaurant quality food for a fraction of the price, whilst also doing your bit to prevent waste and reduce emissions. For example, in 2023, food rescue app Too Good to Go reported avoiding nearly 100 billion litres of unnecessary water being used. The best part of this particular app is that many food outlets on and around campus are part of the scene, such as Pret a Manger, Greggs and Café Nero, and food is always priced at less than half of its real value.
Similarly, Olio is an app that allows users to trade unwanted food with others in the community, items are given a second life and not thrown away. You can buy, sell or trade perishable goods for a small price or even for free, making it a cost-effective solution too.
Next time you’re on the way to the supermarket, check if you can instead do your bit to prevent food waste and save some money by rescuing surplus from local restaurants or neighbours.
Help yourself from the Community Fridges.
Do you want a fresh, free meal on campus? Head to the University’s community fridges to rescue a leftover lunch without spending a penny. Help yourself to a salad, wrap or sandwich from the marked fridges located in the Hive (first floor of the Student’s Union) or on the ground floor of University Place. The fridges also cater to a variety of dietary requirements.
The scheme was introduced last year with the hopes of combatting food waste and keeping food costs down for students and is open to everyone, no questions asked. Simply help yourself and enjoy.
Use everything up.
No matter how sustainably sourced your food is, it is not environmentally friendly if it ends up rotting at the back of your fridge and being thrown away. Avoiding this can be especially challenging for students, as using up produce effectively while cooking for one can be complicated.
Firstly, have you considered sharing groceries or cooking with your flatmates? This won’t work in all cases, but if you’re lucky enough to get on well with who you live with and share the same tastes, sharing food and making meals together can be a great way to reduce waste. It means you can use up larger amounts of fresh produce, don’t have to buy much individual packaging, and saves on cooking and washing up time as you can share tasks out.
If you live alone or don’t fancy group dinners, meal preparation is also a great way to reduce waste on a budget, as well as save plenty of time during the week. I usually take Sundays to plan my weekly meals, do one big shop and prepare as much as possible. This allows me to only buy what I need and make sure I use up everything before it goes off, as well as saving time during the week as all I need to do is reheat my dinner.
Using your freezer is also a great way to prevent food waste and save money, as food can be preserved for much longer and you’re not limited to short sell by dates. Research which foods can be frozen to ensure you maximise the lifespan of what you buy and minimise what ends up in the bin.
Visit Veg Box People.
Veg Box People have been providing Mancunians with seasonable fruit and vegetables that are organic and locally grown since 2015. The scheme works by ordering a box of fresh produce online, then picking it up from one of the many collection points across the city. There’s even a collection station on campus every Tuesday, meaning you can avoid the chaos of the supermarket shelves and instead pick up a more sustainable alternative between lectures.
This is a great way to support local farmers, reduce the air miles of your food and eat produce that is fresh and in season. Find out more and order your box here: https://vegboxpeople.org.uk/about%20
Learn how to effectively recycle.
Did you know that in the UK, statistics have shown that over half of us miss the opportunity to recycle suitable items, or that 84% of us attempt to recycle things that aren’t actually recyclable? However, disposing of food waste and packaging through recycling doesn’t have to be complicated. There are plenty of resources online to help, which you could implement by labelling your bins with suitable items, sticking the information on the fridge, or bookmarking the webpages to refer back to.
Recycle for Greater Manchester offers an online search tool where you can look up any item and find out how to recycle it, covering everything from foods, to packaging, to equipment. ttps://recycleforgreatermanchester.com/recycling-guide/
Manchester City Council also offer a free green food waste bin, which can be ordered online. This allows households to recycle food products such as raw and cooked food, tea bags and egg shells, even providing an access scheme for free compostable caddy liners to go in it. https://www.manchester.gov.uk/xfp/form/2155