Sustainable nutrition in everyday family life

Many wish to make their family life more sustainable, but how can this be reconciled with the hectic everyday life? Very important: everything doesn't have to change all at once! Gradually, it's not so difficult to make more environmentally friendly choices. LILLYDOO mom Miriam shares her tips for a sustainable diet.

Sustainable family shopping

What do you value in terms of sustainable nutrition?

When it comes to my diet, I make sure to buy as locally and seasonally as possible. I love nutritious and healthy food and can feel how it benefits me and gives me energy. If unhealthy foods appear on the menu three or four times a month (hello, PMS ;)), I feel more tired, sleep worse, and have digestive problems.

I prefer to go to the market on Saturdays and buy fruit and vegetables directly from the farmer I trust. My tip: I often ask for orchard fruit that costs a fraction but is perfect for making mash or canning. When the shopping isn't enough and we need more during the week, I like to go to the organic supermarket or sometimes to the "regular" supermarket, where I shop as package-free as possible – that's my compromise since the nearest organic store is unfortunately far from us. Because we all travel by foot or public transport, shopping there with a baby doesn't always work.

We also buy as much as possible so that we eat everything and don't have to waste any food. Since we've had a dog, we've been even better at it. ;) And if we do have too much, I pass it on to friends or put a box in the stairwell for the neighbors (or for all non-Austrians: staircase ;)), where they can help themselves.

Tips for introducing solid foods

What advice do you give to parents who want to teach their child sustainable food habits starting with complementary feeding?

We are at the end of the fourth month with homemade mashed parsnips started with solid foods - Mikkel loved it. Gradually, we introduced other vegetables. Fruit was only given from the sixth month onwards, as we wanted him to first learn to eat the local vegetables tried and learned to love in Austria.

To allow Mikkel to see how his food is prepared, I let him watch while cooking and sometimes stir or wash vegetables. So he doesn't see the food only when it is prepared and on his plate. As a small ritual before eating, we also wash our hands and thank nature for the meal. It is not a given that we are blessed with such nutritious and healthy fruits and vegetables and that we can afford them.

What are your best practical tips for sustainable complementary feeding?

Sustainable is such a thing... I think it's important to do your best, but not to stress yourself out more and run from market to market or stand in the kitchen all day. It's the healthy middle ground that counts. I cook most of Mikkel's food myself, but I also occasionally buy jars, paying attention to environmentally conscious brands.

In the first few months since starting solids, a steam cooker with a mixing function really helped me to cook myself without having to spend too much time in the kitchen. With it, I often entire meals pre-cooked, the finished porridge (without oil) frozen and reheated , when I needed it. On the go, I almost always have fresh fruit and vegetable sticks in the bamboo container. You never know when hunger will strike. ;)

My tip regarding food shelf life: Mikkel loves the rolls from our favorite bakery, which still bakes in a very traditional way using the best grains. If we don't eat the rolls on the same day, I simply lightly moisten them the next day and briefly put them in the oven – then they are as fresh as when they were just baked. As for bananas, I recommend keeping an eye out for ones that are already slightly brown. They have three advantages: they are often cheaper in the supermarket, taste deliciously sweet, and are super healthy.

Compatibility with family life

How can a sustainable diet be combined with the often hectic family daily routine?

Currently, I am still on parental leave and I don't know yet how it will be when I work part-time. But our fixed market day on Saturday will remain. In the meantime Mikkel almost eats everything we eat and I think it's great that I no longer have to cook two different dishes. Currently I like to cook ahead for two days at a time to save time. – I simply season my dishes only after I have removed Mikkel's portion. We moms also take advantage of the rescued food offers from restaurants, especially after a stressful day.

Thank you very much for the insight into your family life and your tips on environmentally conscious eating, dear Miriam! Is there anything else you would like to share with other parents regarding sustainability?

Many of us do our best to pay attention to nature and protect it. There are so many areas in everyday life where we also
we can still improve ourselves, whether it's in doing laundry and cleaning , in body and baby care, fashion, mobility, and, and, and. But we have also learned that sometimes you have to make compromises.

Mikkel, for example, loves avocados, and when he goes through a phase where he doesn't want to eat anything at all, I buy him one and make sure to be more sustainable in other areas of life. At first, this used to upset me, but now I know that especially with a child, you sometimes have to make compromises, and it's perfectly okay not to be perfect all the time.

Learn more about Miriam, Mariana, and Mikkel on Miriam's Instagram channel .

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