Few people know this: this is how you can eat healthy, sustainable and cost-effective at the same time

(Photo: Rama)

Rama’s research revealed that among consumers in Hungary, price is the most important consideration when buying food, while sustainability is not a determining factor for the vast majority of customers. But do you really have to choose between the two?

It is not necessarily expensive that is sustainable

It is a misconception that a sustainable diet means vegan dishes made from exotic ingredients that are unaffordable and difficult to prepare. In fact, if we look around, we can find easily available and less expensive ingredients in our country at all times of the year, from which we can prepare delicious, familiar-tasting, yet plant-based dishes. The place of origin is also worth highlighting because, contrary to popular belief, not all plant-based food can be considered to have an equally modest environmental footprint: it strongly depends on where and under what conditions it was grown. Unfortunately, this is especially true for the very popular avocado and cashew, as they are not an extremely climate-friendly choice.
Seasonality is the key to finding a balance between sustainability and price: let’s try to choose ingredients that are grown in Hungary and are still available, as this not only saves our wallet, but also does good for our environment. In November, for example, we can prepare exciting vegetables, one-dish dishes, creams, and soups from pumpkin, beetroot, spinach, or chicory, but dried legumes are also always available.

The focus is on variety

It is important to point out that just because something is plant-based, seasonal and grown nearby, it does not automatically make it healthy. Because we can eat a lot of fried vegetables and sugary vegan cakes, this will obviously not make our diet more optimal. It is also important that, although a significant consumption of vegetables and fruits can have many positive effects, the more diverse foods are excluded from the given diet, the greater the risk of developing malnutrition with regard to certain nutrients. Proteins are, for example, such a critical nutrient, but with conscious food selection and a varied diet, we don’t have to worry about this: legumes, soy products, oilseeds, cereals and meat substitute products consumed regularly and in larger quantities can ensure adequate protein intake.

How to switch?

If we want to eat more sustainably without compromises, instead of making drastic changes, let’s start with small steps: this can include having several meat-free days during the week (even with meat substitutes), or if we try to replace dairy products with plant-based solutions when preparing meals. The 100% plant-based Rama butter alternative, for example, can be used for baking, cooking and making sandwiches in the same way as butter, while having a 50% smaller carbon footprint. It is also important to know our own limits. If we are open to, for example, more exotic tastes, then we should familiarize ourselves with the vegetarian dishes of Indian cuisine, which offer many variations. If, on the other hand, we prefer the classic flavors, we should not take away our own pleasure from plant-based dishes by forcing ingredients that are foreign to us. Let’s try to transform our favorites, but we can quickly realize that many classic dishes, such as lentil stew, mushroom and pepper soup, or tomato soup are basically made from plant-based ingredients, or can easily be transformed into them.