Tips for ensuring your Thanksgiving dinner is as conscious as it can be. 

No matter who sits down at your Thanksgiving dinner table – the gluten intolerant, the semi-vegetarian, the raw foodist, the vegan, the grain-free, the passionate Paleo, the lactose avoider – you want to have some options. This is 2013 people, and if you think you can get away with turkey and green beans, think again.

1. If you’re serving a turkey, know where it comes from.

The list of problems related to the hundreds of millions of factory farmed turkeys raised for Thanksgiving is quite long. From sexual abuse to crippled feet and swollen joints, the factory farmed turkey industry is a nasty one. If you’re going to eat a bird, make sure you know where it comes from and how it was raised.

2. Make easy, versatile dishes

If you are stressed about accommodating a variety of dietary restrictions, pick a few dishes that will work for most people. Roasted vegetables, a bowl of marinated olives, fresh salad, a Spicy Pumpkin Hummus perhaps?

3. Think about your waste

Last year Americans wasted over $282 million of turkey; and that’s only the meat part of the meal. Take a look at who’s coming to dinner and how much food you really need to make, then get creative with your leftovers. There’s no need for food waste.

4. Offer a variety of drinks

You may have thought about the gluten-free pie and the vegan Thanksgiving side dish, but did you consider whether or not you have any guests that have knocked alcohol off their list of consumables?

5. Go for nut-based crusts

This will make the gluten-free and Paleo crowd happy. Try a walnut crust for starters. Other good nuts to make crusts with are pecans and hazelnuts.

6. Serve a substantial, plant-based main

Just because you’re not serving turkey, doesn’t mean you need to put Tofurky on the table. Come up with a delicious plant-based main instead, like stuffed squash or a hearty vegetarian casserole. The New York Times has an excellent database of vegetarian recipes for the holiday.

7. Don’t be afraid to ask

Have some dietary restrictions that you’re nervous about catering to? Ask your guests to bring their favorite dish. This makes the meal more communal anyway, and you’ll learn about a new recipe in the process.

Related on EcoSalon:

Vegan Pumpkin Pie

Thanksgiving Dinner: The Glossies vs. Real Life

Image: The Sporkful

The post A Conscious Thanksgiving Dinner: 6 Tips for Hosting a Successful Meal appeared first on EcoSalon.

Everything you need to eat and cook consciously in the new year.

Our exclusive EcoSalon shopping must-have, the curated eco product assortment known as The Box, is back. We’re offering $500 worth of holiday eco-goodies for just $99 and these won’t last. That’s a guarantee.

It’s one month into 2012; how are those healthy resolutions going? Hopefully well, but if you need an extra boost of support in eating better this year, look no further than our Conscious Food Box. It’s packed with goodies that are good for you and the planet. From gluten-free cake mix and a cookbook to reusable produce bags and coffee mugs, we hope this Conscious Eating themed box inspires you to live by our Food section motto, “good food, from good places with good people.”

(If you do miss out this time around, our friends at Foodily are hosting a giveaway for the last remaining Entertainment Box standing. Head on over to their site and register to win!)

Cooke Ceramics handmade heart shot glass

An EcoSalon Exclusive shot glass (or espresso cup) handmade by Laura Cooke of Cooke Ceramics will hold the winter libation of your choice. With our heart logo on the front and a red interior, it will warm you up no matter what you put in it.

(Retail value of $15)

Flip & Tumble produce bags

This set of 5 reusable produce bags from Flip & Tumble has everything you need to keep track of your organic produce, without having to get one of those pesky plastic bags every time you go grocery shopping.

(Retail value of $11)

100 Gluten Free Recipes for Your Vegan Kitchen

If 2012 has you thinking about making a serious change in your diet, 100 Gluten Free Recipes for Your Kitchen could easily become your Bible. The cookbook has a diverse selection of completely vegan and gluten free goods, with everything from Pad Thai Salad to Chunky Peanut Butter Cookies.

(Retail value of $14.95)

KeepCup reusable coffee cup

500 billion disposable cups are manufactured globally every year. That’s why your morning americano tastes so much better when it’s served in something reusable. Welcome the KeepCup, the size and shape of regular disposable coffee cups so they fit under espresso machines. BPA-free, dishwasher safe and splash proof, you’ll wonder what you ever were doing with the paper and disposable plastic lid situation.

(Retail value of $12.20)

Home Made by Yvette van Boven

“This year I will make more of my own food.” You may have made the resolution, but are you living up to it? Home Made gives you step-by-step insructions for a plethora of foods that you really can make at home. Your own cheese? Ice cream without a machine? It can all be done with the help of this book.

(Retail value of $40.00)

Upcycled Green Glass tumbler

A used Perrier bottle never looked so good. This tumbler is made from the classic sparkling water bottle, and keeps the used bottles out of landfills. Bright and fun, you’ll want to make this your daily water glass.

(Retail value of $9.00)

Kishr drink

Kishr is like a cup of chai on steroids. It’s a tea-like infusion made from the dried coffee cherry and a blend of Saigon cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom. The beverage is actually an ancient wellness beverage that has more antioxidants and less caffeine than green tea, so just add hot water and drink up.

(Retail value of $13.99)

Assorted Luna Bars

Made with organic ingredients, Luna Bars are the perfect way to fuel up. This bundle of 3 assorted bars, will let you try a few flavors and figure you your favorite one.

(Retail value of $4.17)

Lunchbots reusable container

This reusable container does it all. Salads, sandwiches, lunches to go, leftovers… the list goes on. Made with stainless steel, the Lunchbots container is BPA-free and easy to clean. Virtually indestructible, take it with you wherever you go and you’ll cut disposable food containers out in no time.

(Retail value of $19.99)

ECOBAGS® Organic Cotton Lunch Tote
Simple and straight to the point, this is a no frills organic cotton lunch tote. With a velcro closure and completely machine washable, you’ll soon find that it’s an everyday essential for the working girl that’s making sure she’s packing her own healthy lunch.

(Retail value of $5.99)

Mum’s Original Slow Roasted Hemp Hearts and Culinary Coconut Sugar

Mum’s Original produces a variety of nut-free, gluten-free super foods, and here is your chance to check out two of them. The Slow Roasted Hemp Hearts have are exclusive to Mum’s, have a superior taste and are perfect for stocking up on your daily protein and essential fatty acids. With a taste similar to brown sugar but with twice the iron, four times the magnesium and over 10 times the amount of zinc,  this low-glycemic Coconut Sugar is an excellent sweet alternative. You’ll get a bag of each, and we’re sure you’ll put more on your shopping list.

(Total retail value of $15.98)

Strawesome Glass Straw

Cut the plastic and use one of these striking Lifetime Guaranteed Strawesome Glass Straws as a drink accessory. Handmade in Michigan, these straws are just as much works of art as they are functional drinking essentials. We have an assorted selection of straws that vary in decoration and color, so be excited to be surprised!

(Retail value of $10.99)

Fresh Wave Crystal Gel Deodorizer

If it’s time to freshen up the kitchen, this crystal gel from Fresh Wave should be your first step. A natural odor eliminator, it gives you with the all natural solution for getting rid odors by using a blend of plant oils and water; no harsh chemicals or masking fragrances. Overpowering compost? Gone. Smelly kitchen trash bag? No more. Simply place it where odors abound and let it works its magic.

(Retail value of $14.99)

San-J Organic Tamari Travel pack

If you’re gluten intolerant, you know how hard it is when it comes to eating soy sauce. Now you can stop carrying around that big, bulky bottle of gluten-free soy sauce with you when you’re on-the-go! These travel packs of organic tamari sauce are the solution. You’ll get 20 travel-sized sachets in one box, ready to be stashed in your bag or purse for your next eating adventure out.

(Retail value of $4.19)

Betty Lou’s Just Great Stuff Bar

An organic bar that’s perfect for chocolate lovers and high in antioxidants. Made with carrot juice, spinach, kale, broccoli sprouts, raisins, dates, and dried bananas you’ll know you’re eating something good for you before the first bite.

(Retail value of $2.19)

Laundress Kitchen Soap Bar

Kitchen and hand friendly, The Laundress Kitchen Soap Bar will do a number on your dishes but not on your skin.  A 100% vegetable soap, it’s made with saponified coconut and palm oils, vegetable glycerin, olive oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, wheat bran, oatmeal, almond flour, apricot seed, coconut husk, ground coffee, white tea leaves and buttermilk.

(Retail value of $8)

Core Bamboo Salad Servers

Take it up a notch at your next dinner party with these bamboo salad servers from Core Bamboo. They’re big enough to not be overwhelmed by a huge bowl of leafy greens, so whip together all your favorite produce and serve in style.

(Retail value of $18)

33 Cups of Coffee Book

If your coffee drinking ventures are a blur, it’s time to jot them down. Just like a good wine journal to keep track of your favorite vineyards and vintages, this pocket sized coffee journal lets you remember all the important parts of your coffee drinking experiences, from the roaster to the taste. Just make sure your java is organic and fair trade, so it matches the ethos of this journal, made with 100% recycled papers sourced in the Pacific Northwest and printed using US-grown soy-based inks.

(Retail value of $4)

Matiz Organic Chestnuts from Gilt Taste

Gilt Taste is a purveyor of pretty much all good things when it comes to food, and these organic chestnuts are no exception. The chestnuts are sourced from small farms across Galicia, Spain and already peeled and cook, which makes your job easy.  From salads to soups to dessert, they’re the perfect addition to many dishes.

(Retail value of $12.50)

Assorted Remakes placemats

Keep your kitchen table clean! Made with reclaimed billboards and movie posters, Remakes placemats give your table an edgy and urban look and protects it all at the same time.

(Retail value of $15.99)

Wholesome Chow Gluten Free Vanilla Cake Mix

Having a hard time with gluten free baking? Maybe it’s time for a mix. Wholesome Chow’s Organic Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake Mix is easily prepared in less than 40 minutes. It’s moist, fluffy, delicious and perfect for every occasion.

(Retail value of $4.99)

Mrs. Meyer’s Basil Liquid Soap

Pots and pans have nothing against this stuff. Made with naturally cleaning Soap Bark extract, it’s a powerful cleanser and degreaser with plenty of essential oils. Your sink dishes will thank you.

(Retail value of $3.99)

eSutras Organics Cocoa Vanilla Sugar

Putting regular sugar to shame, this organic cane sugar with vanilla and cocoa is perfect for sprinkling on brownies, ice cream, cake, or anything else you want to sweeten up a little.

(Retail value of $5.00)

Nature’s Path Love Crunch Granola

This bag of Dark Chocolate and Red Berries granola will sweeten any mood. Beyond the organic Italian chocolate, it also has flax seeds for essential fatty acids, so kick off your day with a bowl of love.

(Retail value of $4.49)

Sorry: this box is now sold out!

The post January Food Box: The ‘I Will Eat More Consciously’ Edition appeared first on EcoSalon.

In Britain, the amount of yearly food waste can fill London’s Wembley Stadium.

Here’s something humiliating.

I’m a Brit. (That’s not the humiliating bit. Bear with me). We’re so careless with our groceries that we throw away around a third of them each year – at a total cost of $20 billion. Appalling, dreadful and…unreal. Yes, that’s the word. Look at that figure: $20 billion. Try to imagine it for a second, there in the room with you. Bet you can’t. I’ll bet even the Donald would struggle with it. It’s an abstraction that means nothing except to economists and…well, that’s about it.

What’s so may-the-ground-swallow-me-up humilating is this: the people of WRAP’s Love Food Hate Waste campaign just made that number real. In a number of events across the north of England over the last six months, they’ve  taken the amount of food the average British household tosses away in one year, cooked it up, and fed it to 1,000 hungry students. Of course, even students would draw the line at eating that banana I threw away in January, so this food was donated by regional food distribution charities like Food Aware and Real Aid, and the chosen menu focused on big, hearty dishes like vegetable curry and rhubarb crumble. Think Jamie’s School Dinners and you’d also bag the educational side of it – each event featured demonstrations on ways to turn limp leftovers into full-flavored feasts.

Back to $20 billion. How much food is that? Well, you can’t fit it into one room. In fact, you’ll need to fill London’s Wembley Stadium.

…8 times.

That’s a lot of food.

Images: Cushdy, mhaller1979.

The post What Does $20 Billion In Wasted Food Look Like? appeared first on EcoSalon.

ColumnIt’s only April, but 2011 promises to be a big year for food issues in the news.

We’re not talking about big food (so long, Supersize). But food is big this year. From longtime recipe columnist Mark Bittman of the New York Times switching to a food issues beat, to the USDA’s approval of genetically modified alfalfa, to the possibility that foodies might save the green movement, edible stories early this year indicate big changes on the horizon in the world of food.

Foodies Might Save the Green Movement

As movements go, the food movement has relatively quickly become a mighty force that is both decentralized and diverse. According to Bryan Walsh, in a much discussed article in Time, this force might just save the environmental movement because the good food movement, which is about both pleasure and health, speaks to a broad swatch of Americans. How does activism around better, healthier food have anything to do with the environmental movement? Because the way we grow food is environmentally disastrous and resource intensive. Reforming and revolutionizing our agricultural practice in the service of better food can go a long way toward breathing new life into the environmental movement.

Mark Bittman Ends Minimalist column and Takes up Food Issues

After 13 years of writing a column aimed at making cooking more accessible to more people, New York Times columnist and cookbook author Mark Bittman throws in the ladle and starts a new column that focuses on food policy, environmentally sustainable eating, and diet and health issues.

This shift did not come as a surprise to those of us who have followed his personal journey from a rather standard meat-heavy diet to a way of eating that considers both the environmental and health costs of a meat-centric diet. But it’s huge news signaling that The Times is taking food issues very seriously. And that means readers are, too.

USDA Approves Unregulated GM Alfalfa

Earlier this year, the USDA approved the unregulated planting of GM alfalfa. Since alfalfa is an important feed source in the organic dairy industry and there is a high likelihood of contamination of non-GM crops,  this move could kill the organic label, putting many organic farmers out of business. Expect to see more action in the courts around this issue and increased calls for testing and verification of non-GMO foods.

Tomato Pickers in the Spotlight

Early this year, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW), finally won an extra penny per pound for tomato pickers in Florida, a fight that has gone on between the CIW and growers and retailers for years. Journalist Barry Estabrook was nominated for a James Beard award for his work highlighting the plight of these tomato pickers in a famous story in Gourmet Magazine, and now he is about to release a book on the subject called Tomatoland. The plight of farm workers in America could be the next issue for ethical consumers and forward-thinking businesses. On Cesar Chavez Day, food service provider, Bon Appétit Management Company and the United Farm Workers of America (UFW), released an inventory documenting the laws and protections relating to farm work in America.

FDA to Reconsider Warnings on Artificial Food Dyes

Following years of studies indicating food dyes might cause or exacerbate behavior problems in children, the FDA is finally considering warning labels, something the food industry does not want to see. But many consumers and consumer groups like Center for Science in the Public Interest do want to see. Will the FDA follow the European Union’s lead and place warning labels on foods containing artificial colors? We will wait and see.

This is the latest installment in Vanessa Barrington’s weekly column, The Green Plate, on the environmental, social, and political issues related to what and how we eat.

Image: Skånska Matupplevelser

The post The Green Plate: Food Is Big in 2011 appeared first on EcoSalon.

The explosion of movies and books detailing the problems within our food system seems to be having an impact on mainstream consumer attitudes about food. And this new awareness is starting to impact buying behavior.

I’m talking about the movies Food Inc., The Cove, and Supersize Me, movie and book, Fast Food Nation, and Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma, and so many more.

According to Adweek, ethical eating has gone mainstream.

Recent survey data shows that ethically produced food is no longer a niche preoccupation but has become a mass-market phenomenon.

From a consumer point of view, what is ethically produced food? The most important attribute of ethically produced foods (cited by 9 in 10 respondents in the survey) said the product must avoid harming the environment. Ninety-three percent thought it must meet high safety standards. Ninety-two percent thought it must use environmentally sustainable practices. Avoiding inhumane treatment of animals was important to ninety-one percent as was the requirement that the food “be produced to high quality standards.”

Yet numerous surveys have also shown that consumers are confused and skeptical about green claims in general. Seems like we need to fill the gap between intention and action.

Luckily, there are tons of tools that consumers can use to find out which restaurants and grocery stores sell ethically produced foods and more are coming on line every day.

9 top tools (+2) that can help you find food that satisfies your conscience as well as your hunger.

Humane Animal Products

1. Brought to us by the World Society for the Protection of Animals, Eat Humane is a fairly new online tool that allows users to search for grocery stores and restaurants that sell humane meat, eggs, and dairy. It does a good job of ranking labels by Good, Better, Best. It also has a handy downloadable pocket guide with some of the labels to look for and info on how they stack up.

2. Confused about the difference between Certified Humane, American Humane Certified and other labels? Farm Sanctuary breaks it all down for you so you know what each label really means. You’ll also find out which terms are regulated by the USDA.

Sustainable Seafood

3. Fish to Fork was brought to us by the activist folks from the movie End of the Line. Among other things, the site allows you to search for your favorite restaurant and find out if establishments are fish-washing.

Since the site is also user-driven you can submit complaints, or pat a chef on the back for swapping out the monkfish for sablefish. Restaurants can choose to fill out a questionnaire detailing their sourcing practices or contributors to Fish to Fork can go with the information provided on menus, which doesn’t happen very often. Restaurants that are transparent fare best. Fish to Fork can be a very powerful tool for sparking change by shaming some of the finest restaurants in the world into doing the right thing. If you watch the blog, you’ll get to read about restaurants that improve their practices once they become an object of focus. Fish to Fork is also a great place for reading news about endangered species trade agreements and more.

4. Seafood Watch, a project of Monterey Bay Aquarium, is one of the best known tools for helping consumers learn more about sustainable seafood choices. Seafood Watch seems to innovate every year. They update the guides often, offer downloadable pocket guides by region, a sushi guide and mobile phone apps. Every year they put on a celebration of sustainable food called Cooking for Solutions, where chefs from all over the country share their cooking skills and passion for sustainability.

5. Blue Ocean Institute’s Seafood Guide

This guide is also a great resource which is downloadable and available for sushi. Blue Ocean Institute spearheads a number of worthy educational programs for both chefs and school children.

Green Dining

6.Dine Green is a searchable guide put out by the Green Restaurant Association. Users can search online for certified green restaurants nation-wide. Buyer beware. The certification talks a lot about cleaning products, takeout containers and energy and water use, but very little is said about the food. Restaurants must serve certified organic food but there isn’t much mention of endangered seafood, humane animal treatment, treatment of farm workers or other farming practices.

General

7. The Eat Well Guide is a nifty, robust search engine with seriously high standards that lets you search for stores, bakeries, coffee shops, creameries and many other types of businesses that serve local, sustainable, organic fare.

You can also search for farmstands, education centers, CSAS and coops. Perfect if you’re planning to relocate or head cross-country on a road trip. The advanced search lets you search by product, category and production method. For example, you can search by area for butchers who sell grass-fed beef, or B&Bs that serve vegan, organic fare.

8. Sustainable Table is actually the parent of the Eat Well Guide. The Table provides lots of videos and stories from across the country of the sustainable eating movement. Also home to The Meatrix, the classic animated short about factory farming. Sustainable Table’s Twitter Feed is a great way to keep up on sustainable developments everywhere.

9. The Good Guide goes beyond food and lets you compare rankings on toys, personal care products and household chemicals, as well as food. Rankings are comprehensive including ingredients, toxicity, customer satisfaction, numbers of female/minority board members, labor practices, biodiversity, and water use.

Narrow Market Focus Two more worthy of inclusion though they are not for general audiences.

Heavy Table ranks restaurants in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area on wide ranging criteria that hit all the ethical buttons, including use of tap instead of bottled water, sustainable seafood, fair trade coffee, living wage, composting and more.

Shalom Veg is an online community for Jewish vegans, vegetarians, activists and curious omnivores. Features include learning pages, profiles, networking tools, recipes and activism.

Want ethical food? You’re now equipped with all of the tools you need to find just what you’re looking for!

This is the latest installment in Vanessa Barrington’s weekly column, The Green Plate, on the environmental, social, and political issues related to what and how we eat.

Image: zenera

The post 9 Top Tools (+2) for Ethical Eaters appeared first on EcoSalon.