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  • Page | Last updated: 11 Apr 2025

Food-Based Dietary Guidelines - Guidance on sustainability

Health Promotion Knowledge Gateway

Summary of FBDG guidance on sustainability for the the EU, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom

Due care was taken to ensure factually correct information. Food groupings and food group names differ across individual FBDGs; the ones used here are a compromise to present the information in a structured way. Differences such as those in number of portions and portion sizes were kept unaltered. The original country FBDGs and the responsible national public health authorities remain the only qualified points of reference.

Country

FBDG guidance on sustainability

BelgiumChoose fruit and vegetables according to seasonal availability. Replace meat at least once a week with legumes, which have a low impact on environment. Eat oily fish once a week but in moderate consumption also for the sake of environmental protection.
BulgariaChoose fresh vegetables and fruits according to the season
Czechia-

Country

FBDG guidance on sustainability

DenmarkTo protect the environment: Eat plant-rich, choose seasonal fresh produce and minimise food waste. F&V, legumes, cereal products are among the food groups with the lowest climate footprint. Rice may have a larger climate footprint than other cereals. Introduce meat-free days and cut down on meat in your meals. Meat, especially beef and lamb, has a high climate footprint. Poultry, pork and eggs have a significantly lower impact on the climate than beef and lamb. Eat different vegetables and fruits, different cereal products, different types of fish etc. Different types of fish have very different climate footprints. When buying fish, it is important that you go for the environmentally friendly choices. Find out more about environmentally friendly choices of fish at https://altomkost.dk/. Different types of beverages have different climate footprints. Water from the tap is the most climate friendly choice. Food waste contributes to the climate impact. Reduce waste by planning your shopping, storing the food at the right temperature and paying attention to the ‘use-by’ and ‘best before’ dates. Avoid food waste by using leftovers for packed lunches or in other dishes.
GermanyEat healthy and colourful food and protect the environment at the same time. If you primarily eat fruit and vegetables, whole-grain cereals and legumes, as well as nuts and vegetable oils, you protect not only your health, but also the resources of the Earth. This also includes preventing food waste. The DGE recommendations "Eat and drink well" show a way to increase the intake of plant-based foods and lower the intake of animal-based foods to protect health and the environment.
Eat mostly plant-based foods. A healthy and environmentally friendly diet is more than ¾ plant-based and almost ¼ animal-based. The production of meat and sausage products has a significantly greater impact on the environment than that of plant-based foods. If you eat meat and sausage, then no more than 300 g per week.
EstoniaWishing to eat in a sustainable manner, follow the following principles: choose a food that is biodiverse or perhaps species-rich; choose foods that come as close as possible to local and seasonal, if available; in the consumption of meat, based on the quantities provided for in food recommendations; plan, prepare, store and consume food reasonably; avoid waste of food and reduce food waste.

Country

FBDG guidance on sustainability

IrelandPrepare your meals using mostly fresh ingredients.
Greece-
SpainOverall, the recommendations report that their aim is to prevent chronic disease but also improve the health of the planet. For each food group, there is a specific sub-section addressing sustainability (environmental impact, crop diversity, food waste, fishing and farming techniques, animal welfare). Practical advice relevant to sustainability is also provided to follow during food purchasing or when cooking.
In more detail:  
• The environmental impact of vegetables and fruits is low. It is better to buy fresh fruit and vegetables that are in season, local and minimally processed (for example, frozen) and products in bulk or in recyclable containers. Also buy those with aesthetic defects; their properties are the same. To take advantage and not waste, vegetables and fruits can be used as part of other culinary preparations, also consuming those with aesthetic defects as they retain all their nutritional properties.
• Potatoes are one of the foods with the least environmental impact.
• The environmental impact of cereals is low. The use of less common cereals improves crop diversity. It is a good adaptation measure for climate change. Choose cereals such as sorghum, millet, wheat, spelt or buckwheat.
• Legumes have little environmental impact and are affordable. To avoid waste, try to cook large quantities and freeze them and also mash leftover cooked legumes and use them to prepare other dishes such as hamburgers, meatballs, purees, etc.
• The environmental impact of nuts is variable, since some cultivation methods are not very respectful of the environment, such as almonds.
• The environmental impact of fish is variable depending on the fishing and farming techniques used and the characteristics of each species. Also consume unusual varieties to avoid discarding them when they are accidentally caught.
o Less environmental impact: wild fishing  (squid, tuna, salmon, cod or hake), that of small fish that form large schools (sardines, herring or mackerel) or some aquaculture species (salmon, trout, bivalve molluscs such as mussel, clam, oyster or razor).
o High environmental impact: non-schooling flatfish caught using trawling techniques, such as sole, and crustaceans, such as lobster and shrimp.
• Eggs are an affordable food with a relatively low environmental impact. For animal welfare reasons, if you can, use eggs from free-range hens.
• Due to the high environmental impact of dairy products, it is suggested to reduce the number of daily servings if you consume other foods of animal origin (meat, fish, eggs, milk). It is preferable to consume full-fat dairy to avoid wasting the rendered fat or turning it into butter, cream, or saturated fat that is incorporated into other products.
• The environmental impact of meat is greater than that of other types of food. Within meats, the production of beef and lamb is the one with the greatest environmental impact. If you can, choose products from farms where animal husbandry meets the highest animal welfare standards and consume all parts of the animal (including fatty cuts and offal), to avoid waste.
• With proper management, olive cultivation can contribute to the conservation of natural resources and the landscape value of the Mediterranean area, as well as to promote biodiversity.
• Always drink tap or running water. The environmental impact of bottled water is much higher than that of tap water.
• Practical advice relevant to sustainability to follow during food purchasing: use reusable shopping bags; buy in bulk, or if not possible, aim for recyclable packaging; buy fish species with less environmental impact and from sustainable fishing practices; prefer local and seasonal food; choose products of better nutritional quality, i.e. an A or a B in Nutri-score), understand the difference between expiration date vs. best before date.
• Practical advice relevant to sustainability to follow when cooking: prefer home cooking, try meal planning, freeze and store food to reduce waste.

Country

FBDG guidance on sustainability

FranceTo move towards a sustainable diet consistent with consumption benchmarks: favor the use of raw products, seasonal foods, short circuits and environmentally friendly production methods, that is to say with a limitation of inputs.
BIO is a production mode that limits inputs and is a way of limiting pesticide exposure. However, it does not completely eliminate certain contaminants present in the environment (heavy metals, dioxins, mycotoxins, persistent organic pollutants, etc.).
CroatiaPrefer fresh, seasonal and local fruit and vegetables
ItalyModerate meat consumption and replace with legumes and cereals. Include in your diet many plant- derived products (fruit, vegetables, greens, legumes, cereals). Consume milk and yoghurt that have lower environmental impact compared with other animal-derived foods. Choose fruits and vegetables of different colours, favouring seasonal ones. Implement all possible strategies to combat food waste (planning your shopping, storing food carefully, using leftovers). Choose tap water.

Country

FBDG guidance on sustainability

Cyprus-
LatviaChoose local and seasonal fruit and vegetables
LithuaniaAim to make your diet not only healthy, but also sustainable. Choose food products and their processing methods that do not require high production costs. Choose plant-based foods more often compared to animal-based ones. Choose local and seasonal foods. Reduce your food waste. Use your own bags or containers when shopping and buy weighted products instead of pre-packaged ones.
LuxembourgOpt for local, seasonal fruit and vegetables, wherever possible.

Country

FBDG guidance on sustainability

Hungary-
Malta-
NetherlandsEat less meat and more plant-based foods, and vary with fish, pulses, nuts, eggs, and vegetarian products.
Do not eat more than you need. Maintain energy balance.
Waste as little as possible.
Choose regional products and foods of the season.
Choose sustainable fish species.
Limit consumption of sugar containing and alcoholic beverages.
AustriaConsider seasonal and regional availability

Country

FBDG guidance on sustainability

PolandFor health and the environment, replace meat with plant-based protein products, i.e. legumes (beans, chickpeas, soybeans, peas, lentils, broad beans) and nuts as well as fish and eggs.
PortugalReference to buying seasonal produce, although no explicit mention of environmental aspect
Romania-
SloveniaChoose a varied diet that should contain more plant-based foods than animal-based foods. Choose locally grown and fresh vegetables and fruits.  Introduce a meat-free day once or twice a week.

Country

FBDG guidance on sustainability

SlovakiaGive preference to organic and seasonal products
FinlandNutrition recommendations aim at a healthy diet that is at the same time sustainable. Healthy choices such as vegetable-based diet and reducing consumption of red meat are also environmentally preferable. Food waste should be reduced for environmental reasons. Weight control is advisable for sustainability reasons, because overweight have greater energy needs than normal weight people. Increasing the consumption of V, root V, potatoes, berries, F and cereals (excluding rice) reduces the impact on climate and eutrophication. Choose especially domestic seasonal V. Domestic legumes are more sustainable choices than soy. Out of different meat products beef has the biggest impact on the climate change and eutrophication. Fish is a part of sustainable diet. Prefer wild-caught fish rather than fish farmed in open water. Rapeseed oil, margarines and olive oil have lower impact on the climate than butter.
SwedenHigh-fibre vegetables are an eco-friendly choice. They have less of an impact on the environment than salad greens and can be stored for longer. Ecolabelling makes it easier to find fruit and V that have been grown in eco-friendly ways. Only a very small number of chemical pesticides can be used in organic farming, and climate certification is helping to reduce climate impact. Not eating too much fish is good for the environment. Choosing sustainable fish makes it possible for us to continue eating fish in the future. Look out for ecolabels such as MSC, ASC and Krav, or use the WWF's fish guide. Cereals have a relatively small climate impact and fields aren't sprayed to a particularly great extent. Rice is one of the crops causing the greatest emissions of greenhouse gases. From this perspective, other grains and potatoes are better choice for the environment. Rapeseed oil and olive oil generally have less of an impact on the environment than palm oil, which is found in some cooking fats. Read the packaging! There are a number of accredited oil palm plantations offering more sustainable cultivation. Butter has more of an impact on the environment than oils, but at the same time it can help bring about a rich agricultural landscape and biodiversity. In organic farming only a very small number of chemical pesticides can be used. Dairy products come from cows, which release methane gas. This is bad for the environment, so it's a good idea not to consume too much cheese or other dairy products. At the same time, grazing animals can do their bit for the environment. In Sweden, for example, they help to produce a rich agricultural landscape and ensure that natural pastures are kept open. This benefits lots of species under threat. Ecolabels such as "organic" help you choose foods produced with the environment in mind. Of all foods, meat has the greatest impact on our climate and environment. This is why it's important for us to cut back on meat and be careful about what meat we do choose to eat. Poultry has the smallest impact on our climate, followed by pork. Beef and lamb have the greatest impact, but free range beef and lamb can also have positive effects. It's possible that many people don't realise that sweet things and fizzy drinks affect the environment. A bag of jelly beans actually has as much of a climate footprint as a small portion of pork.

Country

FBDG guidance on sustainability

United KingdomSustainably sourced fish
SwitzerlandRecommendations are marked with a globe if they address environmental issues.
Fill a reusable drinking bottle with tap water. Tap water is preferable from an ecological point of view. Unlike coffee or other beverages, no resources are required for agricultural production, packaging and transport by truck or car.
Seasonal, locally grown and sustainably grown fruits and vegetables are the best choice. Find out when fruits and vegetables from your region are in season. Avoid products imported by plane. Buy fresh fruit and vegetables as often as possible and store them for a short time. This preserves the nutrients and reduces food waste. If fruits and vegetables have become "older", you can creatively process them into compote, soup, baked vegetables or a casserole.
Animal foods have a greater impact on the environment than plant-based foods. Meat, fish and other animal foods should therefore be consumed in moderation. Enjoy more dishes with plant-based protein sources, e.g. bolognese with red lentils or soy granules, lentil dal, chickpea salad, hummus, fried tofu cubes. 
When choosing meat, consider the principle of variety by alternating between different types of meat (poultry, beef, pork) and different cuts of meat (“nose-to-tail” principle).
From a sustainability perspective, high consumption of fatty fish is problematic. Avoid highly endangered fish species. Among the fatty saltwater fish, smaller species such as herring, anchovy, sardine or mackerel are preferable to larger (predatory) fish such as salmon or tuna, which are heavily overfished. Give preference to fish with a label or fish from local waters.
Nuts generally do not have a good ecological balance. However, small amounts – as recommended by the food pyramid – are acceptable from an ecological point of view and bring health benefits.
Plan your shopping and use leftover food. Avoid food waste.
IcelandNutrition recommendations aim at a healthy diet that is at the same time sustainable. Healthy choices such as vegetable-based diet and reducing consumption of red meat are also environmentally preferable. By organizing food shopping and cooking, food waste can be reduced and that helps protect the environment.
Norway-