Beverages and snacks
Why
They can be easy, accessible sources of nutrition to provide sustenance between meals. Beverages and snacks can complete your clientele’s nutritional needs for the day. However, these foods provide little nutritional value and require a lot of energy to produce. In addition, they are often individually packaged in plastic, which is a large source of waste. Switching to more sustainable snacks and beverages that are sourced and served in bulk could not only allow for nutritional satiety, but also reduced environmental impact.
How can I change?
The sustainable choice is often the healthy choice: for example, raw, seasonal fruits and vegetables have minimal packaging and provide good nutritional value. Ideally, a sustainable snack or beverage can be a source of protein along with fibre (if tolerated) to sustain clients until their next meal. It is easy to introduce new kinds of vegetal protein as snacks, which can help reduce the quantity of protein you need to provide in main meals.
List of possible food substitutes options (first half)
List of possible Food substitutes options (second half)
Beverages

Prepare
Avoid single-use individual plastic and cartons. Instead of serving plastic bottles, fill a pitcher or dispenser with tap water.
Choose
- Look for labels such as Canada Organic or USDA organic, which guarantee that the product is organically produced.
- Sugar should not be the main ingredient, and salt should not be among the main ingredients.
- Beverages that use whole ingredients.
Did you know
Simply cut up local fruits or vegetables such as strawberries, watermelons, cucumbers and place in a large water dispenser. Sliced oranges, lemons and limes are other good options.
Snacks

Prepare
Serve in bulk. When possible, buy in large quantities and serve in smaller portions on re-usable serving trays.
Cook
Add protein to increase the nutritional value. Prioritize plant-based sources of protein, such as soy powder, nuts and seeds. This will sustain your clientele until their next meal.
Choose
- Products made with whole ingredients.
- Avoid products that contain unsustainable oils. Palm oil is particularly damaging for the environment.
- Avoid 0% fat products. Fat-reduced products usually contain additives such as thickening agents, artificial sweeteners, and higher amounts of salt and sugar to enhance flavour.
Did you know
Dips are relatively simple to make: this allows you to control the nutritional content and reduce plastic waste.
For instance, mix yogourt with herbs and spices (such as dill, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper) for a quick and easy dip.
Toolbox
See our appendices for more information on the beverages and snacks chapter
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Choose sustainable beverages & snacks
Download Chapter 10: Beverages and snacks