What will we be eating in ten years' time?

As part of the opening event of the Bern Sustainability Days on September 10, 2022, we discussed the question of how we will be eating in ten years' time with the following guests:

• Sonja Schönberg, nutritionist & research assistant at the Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH), Department of Health, Division of Nutrition & Dietetics
• Annekathrin Jezler, environmental engineer, project manager at OGG Bern (Ökonomische Gemeinnützige Gesellschaft Bern) & foodwaste.ch, part of GartenNetzBern
• Lukas Aeschlimann, co-founder of Bern Unverpackt & board member of Gassenarbeit Bern

Climate-neutral city of Bern by 2045 - what measures are needed in the food system to achieve this?
A lot of voluntary work is currently being invested in sustainable food projects. The city should offer better platforms for existing initiatives and more networking opportunities. For example, the city could offer a store such as a sustainable market hall at favorable rental conditions. In addition, around a third of food is thrown away in private households - so the city's population can also contribute to a sustainable food system. Awareness-raising campaigns by the city of Bern should support this. Such campaigns are also needed for the sustainable consumption of animal products, especially meat. Compared to plant-based products, these cause far higher greenhouse gas emissions. At around 50 kg/year (approx. 1 kg/week), per capita meat consumption in Switzerland is currently well above the global average. What would climate- and health-friendly consumption look like?

White, red or "substitute" meat?
The so-called Planetary Health Diet (PHD), which aims to ensure a healthy diet for the entire world population, does not set a specific figure for meat consumption. However, a framework is proposed: 0 to max. 300 g of meat per week & head - with white meat, often poultry, being preferred. Poultry has the best ecological footprint and is also very low in fat and healthy. However, broiler chickens are often fed with maize or wheat, so feeding chickens is in direct conflict with human nutrition. This means that red meat also has its place, especially in Switzerland, where the many grasslands are best farmed with cows.

What needs to change to reduce this problematic meat consumption? Why is it so difficult to give up meat?
Consumers need to be sensitized and motivated. It takes certain skills to be able to cook with plant-based proteins. This is exactly where Bern Unverpackt comes in, for example: Customers receive information on nutrients and preparation tips for the (protein) products on offer, such as tempeh bolognese made from organic soy.

In addition to imparting knowledge, the appreciation of food is also a key point: in Switzerland, we spend less than 10% of our household budget on food. That's why urban gardening in Bern enables the city's population to gain experience of natural processes and understand everything that goes into the production of our food.

Another approach is to use the whole animal wherever possible ("nose-to-tail"). The advantage: if not only the fillet pieces but also other parts of an animal are used, fewer animals are needed for the same amount of meat. This was the norm 100 years ago, but today hardly anyone knows how to prepare tasty pieces of kidney, for example. However, the additional time required should not be underestimated.

A vision for our nutrition in ten years' time
Meat consumption is being reduced, and tofu as a meat alternative is great: soy is nutritionally very valuable because it is very protein-dense. What's more, the soy for tofu bought here (even today) mostly comes from Europe. The fact that the soy for tofu comes from so-called "rainforest cultivation" can generally be ruled out.

In ten years' time, the importance of regional projects and products will be high and the individual players will see themselves more as complements than competitors - more collaborations will be launched, e.g. between unpackaged stores, cafés and market stalls. Bern Unverpackt aims to offer an even larger platform for regional products and improve accessibility, e.g. with the help of home deliveries.

The FoodTalk is jointly organized by Crowd Container, Bear hunger, BENE - Association for Sustainable Development at the University of Bernthe Nutrition Forum Bern and the BFH-HAFL - School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences.

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