Eating More Sustainably Can Be Easy—If You Follow These RD-Approved Tips

You've committed to using reusable tote bags and sworn off plastic straws, but now that you're trying to make what you actually put on your plate more sustainable, you're struggling.

Sure, you've heard that giving up meat can do some serious good for the environment, but what if you're not ready to live a life without bacon-wrapped Brussels sprouts? In the latest episode of You Versus Food, Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, RD shares her tips for starting to eat sustainably—whether or not you're ready to take the plant-based plunge.

“A big component of eating for the planet is being conscious about buying brands that are doing their part to operate as sustainably as possible," Beckerman says.

“A big component of eating for the planet is being conscious about buying brands that are doing their part to operate as sustainably as possible."

To help you scout out those brands the next time you want to stock up your snack cabinet, Beckerman shared the ones that earn an A+ in her book, including ZENB, which makes its handy, plant-based snacks using the entire vegetable (from stems to seeds).

"They make it easy to get a cup of veggies with more nutrients and all the fiber," Beckerman says. "And their unique approach to plant-based eating is taking some serious steps to promote food waste reduction."

By opting to eat more plant-based foods (#MeatlessMonday, anyone?), Beckerman shares that we could reduce the equivalent of up to 8 gigatons of carbon dioxide emissions per year, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. All from switching to oat milk lattes and skipping the fried egg on our avo toast? Maybe it is easy being green.

Watch the video above for the rest of Beckerman's tips on how to eat sustainably.

Sponsored by ZENB