You want to eat ice cream sustainably? Then you've come to the right place! A refreshingly cool ice cream activates the pleasure centers in the brain and makes us happy. In fact, we Germans enjoy an average of around eight liters of ice cream per year.₁ Unfortunately, ice cream consumption is not without consequences for the environment. So this is a good time to take a look at the background and develop ideas for enjoying your favorite flavors more consciously.
Whether strawberry, lemon, chocolate or stracciatella - in this article I would like to introduce you to some tips and tricks for eating ice cream sustainably. I'll also explain the main motives for doing so in advance. Let's go!
You can find a brief overview here in advance:
- Prefer water ice instead of dairy ice cream
- Buy ice cream from regional and seasonal ingredients
- Enjoy ice cream from a cone instead of a cup
- Take a reusable spoon with you
- Treat yourself to ice cream on site at local ice cream parlors with a heart
- Pay attention to the certifications and seals
- Avoid toppings on your ice cream
- Just make your own ice cream
- Give ice cream styles or sundaes a second life
- If waste is produced, dispose of it properly
Advantages: Why should you eat sustainable ice cream at all?
Before we move on to the tips for eating sustainable ice cream, I would like to briefly introduce you to the most important benefits. Let them motivate you to really enjoy your ice cream in this environmentally friendly way in future:
Protecting the environment and natural resources
Eating sustainable ice cream means, to dispense with packaging materials or at least drastically reduce them. The conserves natural resources in everyday life and protects the environment from human and non-biodegradable waste.
Promotion of fair and environmentally friendly agriculture
By choosing sustainable ice cream, I often support farmers who practice environmentally friendly farming methods. This not only benefits the climate, but also promotes fair working conditions and Preservation of biodiversity.
Pleasure with a clear conscience
Eating sustainable ice cream allows me to enjoy my favorite dessert with a clear conscience. I know that by conscious acting protect the environment, fair traded products and at the same time advocate a healthier diet decide.
Protect animals
Eating sustainable ice cream also means that I consciously choose products that made without animal suffering become. By choosing vegan ice cream, for example, I am setting an example against Factory farming and promote more ethical food production.
10 tips: How to eat ice cream sustainably?
Now that we've discussed the benefits of eating sustainable ice cream, it's time to move on to the practical tips. Here are 10 simple but effective tips to help you make your ice cream consumption more environmentally friendly and therefore actively contribute to the protection of our planet simply by following your heart.
1. prefer water ice instead of milk ice
If you're in the mood for an ice-cold refreshment, go for water ice rather than milk ice. This is because water ice has a lower ecological footprint, as fewer resources required for production be
Milk ice cream contains mostly animal ingredientswhich requires more energy and water to produce. Water ice is also usually vegan and therefore a tasty, more environmentally friendly alternative to ice cream made with dairy products. However, there are now also ice cream varieties based on oat milk!
Tip: In another article, I will explain my personal Reasons to go vegan. I'm sure you would underline many of them. So please take a look.
2. buy ice cream from regional and seasonal ingredients
Make sure your ice cream is made of regional and seasonal ingredients is produced. For example, ice cream flavors with coconut or palm oil should be avoided. With your conscious consumption, you support local agriculture and reduce CO2 emissions from the transportation of ingredients. What's more, ice cream simply tastes better with fresh, seasonal fruit!
So when buying ice cream, just ask specifically about the origin of the ingredients and prefer ice cream parlors that focus on regional and seasonal products.
3. enjoy ice cream from the cone instead of the cup
Whether cones or paper towels around the waffle, umbrellas, wooden style or the cup - the same applies to eating ice cream, Avoiding disposable waste. Completely in the sense of the Zero Waste Lifestyle even.
An environmentally friendly alternative to the plastic cup is, of course, the waffle. It is not only Biodegradablebut also edible. If you eat your ice cream from a cone, you avoid unnecessary packaging waste and do something good for the environment at the same time.
But check with your ice cream shop beforehand to see if the waffles are vegan. Otherwise, it is definitely worth a bring small canning jarin which the ice cream vendors can place the scoops. That actually always works 🙂
4. take a reusable spoon with you
Another idea! Instead of using a disposable spoon every time, simply pack yourself a small, reusable one. Stainless steel spoon in your pocket! With it you make your Life even more plastic freeas you no longer need a disposable spoon. There are even practical, foldable spoons or such stainless steel spoons* that hardly take up any space in your bag!
If you are bothered by the sticky ice drops on your hands, you can also use a Cloth handkerchief take with you to Avoid disposable napkin, which is often wrapped around the wafer.
5. treat yourself to ice cream on site at local ice cream parlors with a heart
Instead of buying industrially produced ice cream from the supermarket, support local ice cream parlors that make their own ice cream. They often use higher quality and more sustainable ingredients and avoid unnecessary additives. So you can not only enjoy a delicious ice cream, but also do something good for the environment.
If you don't want to eat it in a waffle, then eat your ice cream best directly in the ice cream storeso that you can easily save packaging material.
6. avoid toppings on your ice cream
Toppings such as sprinkles or chocolate sauce may make your ice cream even more tempting, but they also cause additional packaging waste and pollute the environment. By avoiding toppings, you are contributing to a much more sustainable enjoyment of ice cream. And since often artificial colorants in the colorful sprinkles, you also protect your health.
7. pay attention to the certifications and seals
How can you recognize sustainable ice cream? Just look out for the usual certifications and seals that guarantee sustainable and fair production conditions. For example the Fairtrade seal, the Organic seal or the EU organic logo. By these signs you can recognize products that are good for both nature and the people who are involved in them.
Tip: By the way, I've written you another article with sustainable Heat tips for hot summer days written. Incidentally, ice cream is not one of them. Be sure to take a look!
8. make your own ice cream
Why not just get creative yourself? By making my own ice cream, I can decide exactly which ingredients and how much packaging material I want to use. Whether fruity, chocolaty or nutty - There are no limits to my imagination.
It also gives me control over the quality of the ingredients, for example by on organic products and regional, seasonal fruit set. Give it a try - it even works without an ice cream maker!
9. give ice cream styles or sundaes a second life
Nobody is perfect! If disposable waste simply cannot be avoided, then think again for a moment about how you could still use it.
Popsicle sticks are ideal, for example, as plant labels for the garden, as a craft material or as an aid when making silicone joints.
Also Sundae can be used in a variety of ways - as small storage boxes, flower pots or for waste separation. This way, you avoid unnecessary waste and set an example for more sustainability.
10. if waste is produced, dispose of it properly
The resulting waste cannot be reused and is ready for the garbage can? Then we should at least dispose of it properly. For example Plastic ice cream cups and lids in the yellow bag or the yellow garbage can. Pure paper packaging and paper towels may be disposed of in waste paper.
And very important: if you are out and about and can't find a garbage can, simply take the garbage home with you and dispose of it there.
Additional Tip: To get your Reduce food wasteof course, you should only eat as much ice cream as you can or will actually eat. Ultimately, this attitude can also reduce the amount of waste produced.
Eating ice cream sustainably, made easy!
How can you eat ice cream sustainably and help protect the environment at the same time? From regional and seasonal ingredients and vegan water ice to eating ice cream at fair and local ice cream parlours: with the tips in this article, you are now well equipped to make your ice cream consumption more environmentally friendly.
"Be the change you wish to see in the world."
Mahatma Gandhi (more at Environmental protection quotes)
Simply try to integrate them step by step into your sustainable everyday life to integrate. But also remember that sustainability is an ongoing process and no one has to be perfect. ?
Do you have any questions, suggestions or other tips for sustainable ice cream? Then I look forward to your comment.
Stay cool and sustainable,
PS: In line with the ice cream I have also given you an article with the best Tips for a sustainable summer made available. Be sure to take a look!
References:
₁ Statista GmbH: Per capita consumption of ice cream in Germany in the years 2001 to 2021 (as at 31.01.2023), available at https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/20152/umfrage/entwicklung-des-eiskonsums-in-deutschland-seit-2001. [04.04.2023].
