We all want our groceries to be healthy, but we also need to think about sustainability. That can be hard to do when you’re buying from the grocery store. Luckily, plenty of items on Amazon will help you buy healthier food in bulk. In this article, I’ll share with you some of my favorite healthy and sustainable groceries on Amazon that can be delivered straight to your door.
Why are packaged foods bad for you?
When you think of packaged foods, sustainable and healthy aren’t usually the first two words that come to mind. That’s because most packaged foods contain unhealthy, chemical-heavy ingredients and preservatives, making them anything but natural and healthy.
The food industry is a thriving business with an estimated annual revenue of $10 trillion.
There is something to be said about the convenience of buying packaged food, especially when you’re on the go or if you live in an area without many healthy grocery stores.
The problem with packaged food is that it generally takes a lot of resources to produce, package, and ship them.
But there are plenty of options for sustainable and healthy packaged foods, and you can find a lot of good buys on Amazon. I will show you how!
The Importance of Convenience
Consumers are looking for convenience in every aspect of their lives. In the last decade, we’ve seen a rise in the popularity of healthy food delivery boxes with frozen meals and organic foods.
In this rise of convenience, we have also seen a rise in obesity, autoimmunity, and chronic illnesses. Finding healthier options is absolutely necessary if we want to keep in good health.
These options are more sustainable than other healthy packaged foods because they’re typically made with fewer ingredients produced from sustainable farming and agriculture.
Organic frozen meal delivery services offer meals to heat up or eat cold. These sustainable packaged food brands offer meal kits that include everything you need to make a dish in one box:
- The main ingredient (such as chicken).
- Some side dishes (such as rice).
- Spices and condiments.
- Even instructions on how to cook it.
They also come with biodegradable containers, which makes them more sustainable than using Styrofoam containers for takeout food.
Why You Should Buy Better Groceries from Organic and Sustainable Brands
Sustainable living is so essential right today. We must be careful not to waste natural resources, protect the environment, and be mindful of our health by consuming nutrient-dense foods.
Achieving all three goals can be done with less food packaging by choosing sustainable frozen meals or snacks that are organic and gluten-free (to reduce consumption of conventional mono-crops like wheat).
Buying organic and sustainably made products supports sustainable agriculture. We rely on agriculture to feed the world, and agriculture relies on sustainability. Conventional farming is not going to last forever. Read more about how soil health affects climate change.
It can be challenging to know what to buy when browsing the grocery aisle, but there are a few simple questions you can ask yourself to help you make a more informed decision.
First, ask yourself: Do I care about sustainability? Do I care about my health? If the answer is yes, look for organic and sustainable brands offering healthy packaged foods. You’ll find delicious snacks like organic chips, gluten-free snacks, and frozen foods with no added sugar or unhealthy fats.
Can Shopping on Amazon Actually Be Sustainable?
Sustainable shopping choices and “Amazon” don’t mesh well. It is true. Everyone concerned with the environment looks elsewhere for better options.
However, most of us must use the modern conveniences of online ordering and front porch delivery. It saves time and money.
Amazon Fresh Grocery Delivery may not be the most sustainable choice in grocery shopping, but there are some things that I can vouch for.
For instance, many small eco-friendly businesses and organic farms rely on Amazon to help sell their goods.
Tips for Sourcing Sustainable and Healthy Groceries On Amazon
First, you will need to make a few simple changes to the way you search Amazon.
Enter in the search box what you are looking for. Example: “organic bulk foods.” Next, click the box that says Climate Pledge Friendly. Learn more about Amazon’s climate pledge friendly category.
Then, narrow your search by clicking one of the boxes on the left under “Specialty.” This will give you better results to look through.
Also, you can click “All” from the top left corner and narrow your search even farther to small and medium-sized businesses. From here, you can look for small businesses in the search results. I always buy in large quantities from small organic farms, so I make fewer purchases, which means fewer deliveries.
Ordering dry beans, grains, flours, seasonings, and other staples this way saves so much money in the long run, too. It also saves the environmental cost of packaging and logistics. And a family farm will thank you! Sometimes even with a nice handwritten note.
One Last Tip for Sustainable Grocery Shopping on Amazon
Another way to buy the most sustainable foods on Amazon is to buy as many products as you can from one business before you fill your cart full of items from many different places. This will result in fewer deliveries and boxes.
More Sustainable Food Choices You Can Make
If you’re looking for a more sustainable choice in packaged foods, organic packaged foods are a good option.
Organic food is grown without pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, irradiation, or genetically modified organisms. This means that organic packaged food comes with many benefits:
- Organic packaged food doesn’t contain hormones or antibiotics, which can cause health problems.
- It is grown in the ground, which improves air quality compared to other farming methods.
- Salsas and pasta sauce generally have no or little added sugars.
- Most items are made with fewer ingredients and have no unhealthy and unnecessary additives.
