Celebrating Sustainable Gastronomy Day

Photo by NipananLifestyle.com: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-matcha-drink-on-a-wooden-tray-1581484/

On June 18, we celebrate Sustainable Gastronomy Day. Why? Well, because we are committed to eating food crafted in a way that considers where ingredients come from, how they are produced, and who is responsible for the cuisine making its way onto our plates. 

Sustainable Gastronomy Day was declared an international day by the United Nations in 2016. At this moment, the international body acknowledged “gastronomy as an expression related to the natural and cultural diversity of the world.”

How can Gastronomy be Sustainable?

Imagine a world where you enter into a relationship of reciprocity with the land with every bite of a meal. You consume a rich natural and cultural history with each ingredient and flavor. That is the world where sustainable gastronomy is the norm. 

Eating and cooking sustainably mean not being wasteful. It means being conscious of the resources and the fragility of nature.

The social side of sustainable gastronomy

 Sustainable gastronomy and social gastronomy, in many ways, are interconnected. Eating local foods that are sustainably produced also has a positive impact on livelihoods. Sustainable consumption is one of the many ways that you too can use food as a tool for social change. 

By celebrating locally sourced ingredients, you also celebrate the lives and dignity of those who produce them. You support local farmers and fishers and exchange a sense of gratitude with each recipe. By buying something that was grown close to home, you also help to boost the economy and care for the community. 

In addition to helping to boost dignified opportunities for all, eating conciously helps to preserve culture, culinary traditions, and indigenous knowledge. 

If you are here reading this article, it’s likely because you are passionate about food. Maybe you celebrate Sustainable Gastronomy Day every day. That said, not everyone is afforded the opportunity to make sustainable food choices. Focusing on food access, local relationships between producers and consumers, and nutrition education are some of the many ways that organizations part of the network are working toward more sustainable gastronomy. 

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