Can we eat well – and save some money and ‘save the planet’?

Sidmouth is seen as an ‘affluent town’ – especially when compared to other similar towns:  Townscapes_Englands_Health_Inequalities_May_2020.pdf

However, there is clearly poverty in this part of the world: Gulf between rich and poor widening in 10 areas of Devon – Devon Live

The Sidmouth Food Bank was set up way back in 2012 and has now, unfortunately, become a regular feature of life in the Valley: About the Food Bank – Sid Valley Food Bank

And late last year, warm hubs were created in the town, again because there are people at the heart of our community who are struggling: Warm Welcome Spaces – Sidmouth Town Council

There are many groups in Sidmouth which are there for us all in these really difficult circumstances – with the Sid Valley HELP acting as an essential hub for what’s out there: The Champions Awards 2021: a profile of Di Fuller and Sid Valley HELP – Sustainable Sidmouth Champion Awards

The VGS and the Champions Awards are trying to contribute – by highlighting the fantastic work being done in the Valley, where people and organisations are trying, despite the odds, to save a little money whilst also keeping an eye on taking care of our fragile planet.

And it is possible to both ‘save money and save the planet’.

We looked recently at energy: How to save energy – Sustainable Sidmouth Champion Awards

Here we look at food.

WHAT WE CAN DO NOW TO EAT WELL, SAVE MONEY AND SAVE THE PLANET

Food has become incredibly expensive: BBC iPlayer – Panorama – Why Is Food So Expensive?

Here’s a matching recent comment with suggestions on how to manage on our local social media: 

I believe there is a food crisis coming – there will of course still be food but it will be expensive. I would advise people to grow what they can, reduce their meat and dairy consumption and shun pre packaged food. This will hit the poorest hardest as ever. Do we need a modern day dig for victory campaign? We certainly need to be supporting our local growers and farmers. Its challenging times ahead. (20+) Facebook and Food and drink prices to rise higher, grocery forecaster warns | Harwich and Manningtree Standard

And here’s a post with suggestions from the other side of the world: yes, in New Zealand, they’re having exactly the same problems: It’s Frugal February: Try these hacks for saving money while also saving the planet | Stuff.co.nz and Cheap eats: Mum shows how to make school lunches for less than the cost of a bakery sandwich and Super delicious meals from ugly, boring and cheap foods

We shouldn’t be too scathing on the actions of supermarkets: Supermarkets helping out with food waste – Vision Group for Sidmouth and ‘I paid £3.30 for a mystery Aldi order and came home with over £12 worth of food’ – Bethan Shufflebotham – Manchester Evening News

But there are some great bargains coming from local smaller outlets too: Sustainable, local food deliveries – Vision Group for Sidmouth

Local producers don’t have to be ‘expensive’: Fresh and Green Vegetables | Facebook and In My Back Yard – East Devon On-line Farmers’ Market

Meanwhile, food waste means wasting money: Reducing ‘the mountain of food thrown away’ – Vision Group for Sidmouth and Good reasons to cut food waste – Vision Group for Sidmouth

WHAT WE CAN DO LONGER TERM TO EAT WELL, SAVE MONEY AND SAVE THE PLANET

If we are going to move on from our current crisis management, we need to be looking to the longer term – in other words, to be thinking about a ‘sustainable food system’: How to create a sustainable food system: an analysis – Vision Group for Sidmouth

And there are lots of great ideas out there which could be applied to the Sid Valley, for example: Food forests and forest gardens – Vision Group for Sidmouth

An initiative which started in Todmorden is very inspiring indeed: The Incredible Edible Network: growing food locally – Vision Group for Sidmouth

And so many of these initiatives are about community – which was really shown during the pandemic: Local community support through food – Vision Group for Sidmouth

But we do need to be having proper conversations about food and farming: 100% organic could mean 70 % increase in food emissions – Vision Group for Sidmouth and Will meat-free save the planet? – Vision Group for Sidmouth and Avocados vs Monarch Butterflies – Vision Group for Sidmouth

Because the Sid Valley is also a farming community: How well is the Sustainable Farming Incentive going in Devon? – Vision Group for Sidmouth and Innovative ways ahead for farming – Vision Group for Sidmouth and Sheep and turkey farming in the Sid Valley – Vision Group for Sidmouth

ANY MORE IDEAS?

If you have any more ideas around food, why not enter them for a Sustainable Sidmouth Champions Award 2023?

It’s all about doing real practical and helpful stuff on the ground – whether cooking or shopping or gardening tips – and sharing it!

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