OPINION: If we all modified our eating habits, we could cut agricultural greenhouse gas emissions by 15%, avoid 15 million preventable deaths a year and provide a healthy diet to the entire global population, now and in the future. It’s relatively simple, too.
The key principles are to consume a variety of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, legumes and nuts, while limiting meat, dairy products, added sugars and salt. The key word is “limiting” rather than “eliminating.” The planetary diet is designed to be adaptable to culture, health conditions and dietary preferences. That means it has to be flexible.
But of course, we are all constrained by what the supply chain makes available, whether in grocery stores or the dining hall. So, how realistic is it to eat a planetary diet at York Dining? I gave it a try.
To the skeptics, I say it is possible. York provides vegan and vegetarian options, so there are ways to consume key nutrients while limiting meat and dairy. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of fruit and vegetable options. For whole grains, there was always quinoa in the salad bar. While bland on its own, it was great mixed with soups, stews and sauces.
After trying this for a few days, I can say that some of the meals were great, while some were not. The most challenging part by far was choosing non-meat protein options. The black bean burger, tofu and impossible beef tacos all contained ingredients I couldn’t pronounce — dimethylpolysiloxane, soy leghemoglobin, methylcellulose and calcium propionate.
According to Stanford Medicine, you can typically tell that something is ultra-processed if it has ingredients you wouldn’t find in a home kitchen. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I’ve ever been in a kitchen that has Dimethylpolysiloxane. High consumption of ultraprocessed foods is associated with heart disease, cancer, depression and obesity. In short, they aren’t good for us.
While these non-meat alternatives are still usually better for the planet than meat, the planetary diet recommends a different protein source — legumes like beans, lentils, peas and chickpeas. York Dining usually has at least one of these, but they rarely look appetizing, unless they are mixed into another dish.
Realistically, if the planetary diet is going to be widely consumed, it can’t be a sacrifice in flavor. The Lancet study, which proposes this diet, specifically states that the planetary diet should be more “available, affordable, convenient, aspirational, appealing and delicious” than the unhealthy options. If it’s too painful to follow, then very few will eat this way.
York and Hilltop Dining should invest in making the planetary diet a delicious choice. The vegetables, in particular, can be very hit or miss, often overseasoned or tasteless. The french fries, burgers and chicken nuggets may not be healthy, but they are reliably tasty. Imagine how much better it would be for us and the planet if we could say the same about whole-grain, legume and vegetable-based meals at the dining halls.
Both dining halls could also do more to make the environmentally-friendly choice convenient — I conducted a scavenger hunt in all corners of the dining hall because I was motivated to try this. Not everyone is, and certainly not every day. If the main courses always contained vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains, then both motivated and unmotivated students might make healthier choices. The best way to encourage students to make the environmentally responsible choice is to make it the easiest choice.
This is an exciting opportunity. Not only do the dining halls serve thousands of people every day, but they’re also exposing students to new foods that they might then learn how to make for themselves. The dining halls could introduce many people to an environmentally friendly way of eating. They should focus more attention on minimally processed, local, delicious and plant-forward meals.
And students, if we want to eat this way, should change our daily dining habits, even if it requires some creativity. More importantly, let’s make our voices heard whenever the dining halls ask for feedback. This is the diet of a healthy, sustainable future for us and the planet — let’s start now.
