Food

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Planting Seeds: Begin offering vegetarian options at community meals

Suggested Practices and Examples for Implementation:

  • While it is fine to continue serving meat at community meals, make sure to also include at least one vegetarian option that has substantial protein
  • Plant protein is abundant in beans, lentils, nuts, soy, grains, certain seeds, and a variety of vegetables, so get creative with your meals and use these protein sources instead of limiting your options to meat
  • Announce to your community that you will have more vegetarian options at meals, and spread the word about why you are doing so and how it positively impacts the environment and makes dining experiences more inclusive
  • Learn who is vegetarian or vegan in your faith community and ask them what meals they love or if they have tips and suggestions for incorporating more plant-rich options into meals
  • Beginning eating lower on the “carbon food chain” when you do eat meat, by decreasing your beef and pork consumption and eating more chicken, fish, etc.

General Information Related to this Strategy:

Nurturing Growth: Provide and promote plant-rich or meatless meals regularly

Suggested Practices and Examples for Implementation:

  • If you have Wednesday night dinner, consider making at least one Wednesday each month completely meatless
  • Encourage members of your faith community to implement Meatless Mondays, and talk about the environmental benefits of decreasing meat consumption, even if only by a little
  • Hold events that promote a plant-rich diet and emphasize the positive impacts of doing so
  • Have sustainable potlucks and green gatherings that uplift the value of decreasing meat consumption
  • Create posters, flyers, or other communication methods that share information about how plant-rich diets are healthier for the people and the planet

General Information Related to this Strategy:

Deepening Roots: Purchase locally grown and/or organic produce and meat when available

Suggested Practices and Examples for Implementation:

  • Support local farmers and shop at farmer’s markets, or source produce from your own or a neighboring community garden
  • Take a trip with your faith community to a local farm, meet the farmers,  listen to their stories, and begin to build a meaningful relationship
  • Look into local food cooperatives in your community
  • If you’re area doesn’t have local farmers markers options, host a farmers market with local farmers on your congregational property after worship
  • Look for USDA Organic labels on products at grocery stores
  • Learn what produce is in season at different times during the year, and have meals that include more seasonal fruits and vegetables to decrease demands on production and transport of produce
  • Join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), paying shares at a local farm to receive regularly delivered in-season produce in return

General Information Related to this Strategy:

Available Resources in Western North Carolina:

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