At least three times a day you complete the act, but how often do you think about it?
Food – frequently thought about throughout the day and often dreamed about at night. But times are changing: no longer are our thoughts about food solely limited to what we would like to eat next. Now, we often think about how we will obtain said food and how we can reduce its environmental impacts. Here are four of the biggest food trends that are currently happening in Ontario.
Convenient Grocery Shopping
Our lives are only getting busier – and grocery stores have noticed. From online grocery store ordering and pick-up service to independent grocery delivery services, no longer does grocery-shopping need to be a time-consuming process.
Eco-Conscious Food Packaging
Canada’s largest food bulk retailer, Bulk Barn, promotes a zero-waste lifestyle by offering a Reusable Container Program that provides discounts to consumers who opt to bring their own containers into the store.
Reducing single-use plastic has grown in grocery stores, too, where consumers now frequently use their own shopping bags – including reusable fruit and produce bags. Waterloo-based Fenigo and Kingston-based BOHO & HOBO are two of many companies that offer sustainable, eco-environmentally-friendly products suited for these purposes.
For environmentally-friendly, on-the-go food storage solutions, Hamilton-based Mind Your Bees sells handmade wraps that can be washed and reused – a great alternative to single-use plastic bags and saran wrap.
Food Delivered to Your Door
No longer do you need to rely on specific restaurant delivery staff to bring food to your door! Now, a range of companies including Skip the Dishes, Uber Eats and Door Dash deliver your favourite restaurant to you – and fast. With mobile apps and often no minimum order amount required, these food delivery services make it easy to enjoy your favourite restaurant without leaving your home.
Buying Local
With more and more education about how we can reduce our environmental impact as humans, local food is no longer a trend; instead, it’s now often a customer request.
From grocery store displays to restaurant menus to farmers market stalls, sourcing local food has grown in popularity and is not going anywhere anytime soon. And it’s no surprise why: buying local provides a range of social, economic and environmental benefits, including creating a lighter environmental footprint due to a reduction in “food miles” – or how far your food has travelled to reach you. Local food is also celebrated for being fresher and more flavourful.
Even if you’re visiting from outside of the city, it’s easy to enjoy local food when you choose to stay at Platinum Suites. Each of these furnished apartments in Mississauga feature a full kitchen with an oven, fridge and dishware. Platinum Suites also offers insurance housing in Mississauga. They’re also conveniently located within walking distance to numerous restaurants that source local ingredients. Learn more about our short and long-term rentals today!
By Sarah McKenzie