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Farm to Plate: How to Reduce Food Miles

Ever wondered how far your food has travelled to get to your plate? Spoiler alert: it might be a lot more than you think.

From globe-trotting grapes to jet-setting avocados, food miles are racking up behind the scenes - and they can have a big impact on the planet. But don’t worry, we’re here to break it down and help you eat more sustainably (without giving up the good stuff).

Let’s dive into the delicious world of local eats and easy wins!

What Are Food Miles?

Let’s start with the basics: what are food miles? In short, the definition of food miles is the distance your food travels from where it’s grown or made to where you eat it. So those Peruvian asparagus or the South African grapes you’ve seen on the supermarket shelves, they’ve racked up some air miles.

It’s not just about distance - it’s also about how the food gets to you. Air freight is the most carbon-intensive, while sea freight and trucks are a bit less damaging (but still add up). The bottom line? The more miles, the more emissions.
 

Why Do Food Miles Matter?

Food miles are about more than just distance - they’re a big part of your food’s carbon footprint.

Every plane, truck, and ship adds emissions to your dinner plate. The longer the journey, the bigger the environmental impact. Cutting down on your food miles is one easy way to make your meals more sustainable without giving up the stuff you love.

Plus, reducing the mileage often means fresher food, better flavour and more support for local farmers. So really, everyone wins.
 

How to Reduce Food Miles in Your Daily Life

We know the question on your mind— ’how can I reduce my food miles without making life complicated?’. These simple swaps can make a big difference.
 

Shop Local and Seasonal

Eating with the seasons and buying locally-grown food is one of the easiest ways to slash food miles. It also means your fruit and veg haven’t been stored or flown halfway across the world. Fresher, tastier, greener - what’s not to love?
 

Grow Your Own Food

No garden? No problem. Herbs, salad leaves, and even cherry tomatoes can thrive on a sunny windowsill or balcony. Home-grown food = zero food miles!
 

Get Veg Boxes Delivered

Local fruit and veg boxes deliver seasonal produce straight from nearby farms. That means fewer miles, less packaging and surprise vegetables that challenge your cooking skills (nice to meet your Mr Kohlrabi).
 

Buy in Bulk and Reduce Trips

Items bought in bulk often means less packaging involved. Plus, it means fewer trips to the shop - which could for some people also mean fewer impulse buys (no judgement!).
 

Choose Minimally Processed Foods

Whether it’s canning, freezing, drying or refining, whatever production your food has gone through, it’s likely ingredients have had to travel to a factory to be processed. Overall it’s better to stick to whole, simple ingredients.
 

Eat More Plant-Based Meals

Meat and dairy take a lot more to produce. From feeding the animals to getting the product on shelves - think extra water, energy, and transport at every step.

That doesn’t mean you have to give them up, but mixing in a few more plant-based meals could be an easy way to lighten your footprint.
 

How to Find Low Food Mile Options at the Supermarket

The supermarket might feel like a food miles minefield, but there are ways to shop smarter.
 

What’s The Average Food Miles for Supermarket Produce?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but here are a few examples. Assuming you are living in London and these food products are also coming from the countries’ capitals, this is what you could expect the amount of food miles to be:

  • New Zealand apples: 11,000 miles
  • Spanish strawberries: 787 miles
  • UK locally grown carrots: under 100 miles

Look out for the country of origin on the label. Local produce usually has fewer miles, and seasonal items are often grown closer to home. You can also look up a food miles calculator to help you figure it out.

 

Reducing Food Miles When Dining Out

Eating out can be a bit tricker, however, here’s a few tips for helping to reduce your miles.

  • Look for restaurants with local or seasonal menus
  • Support farm-to-table spots when you can
  • Ask the chef or waiters where the ingredients come from

 

The Final Word on Food Miles: Small Changes, Big Impact

Let’s wrap it up. Reducing food miles doesn’t mean becoming a full-time forager or giving up avocados forever. It’s about small, thoughtful swaps that add up.

Check the labels, shop seasonal, support local, and try your hand at growing something (even if it’s just basil in a jar). Every step you take helps shrink your food’s footprint, and makes your meals that little bit kinder to the planet.