Clarissa Day

Changing my diet only took a few extra minutes at the grocery store. I checked the ingredient labels on coffee and dairy-free cream cheese to ensure they were sustainably made and did not contain palm oil. I've bought processed vegan foods in the past that have contained palm oil, and I think this is a good reason to have a plant-based diet rather than just vegan.

I switched to a plant-based diet a few months ago, and at first I was still buying a lot of processed products. Only recently did I notice that a lot of these products contain palm oil. I didn't know that palm oil had a large impact on deforestation, so I didn't think much of it. Now, I'm more conscious of the products I am buying, and I am trying to eat a more truly PLANT-based diet rather than choosing processed vegan options. I've been buying fair trade coffee for awhile, but I haven't paid attention to whether or not it is rainforest alliance certified. I am going to be more mindful of where I use products that contain palm oil, including beauty products, and whether or not the coffee I buy is rainforest alliance certified.

I was already comfortable using food past the sell by date because I figured this date was geared toward retailers to guide them on how long to keep a product on the shelf. I was more confused by "use by" and "best by" dates. I thought they meant the same thing-that you shouldn't consume the food after this date. Now, I recognize that a use by date is a clearer (but not totally clear) indicator of food safety, while a best by date is more of an indicator of food quality. I'll be sure to be more mindful of what kind of date is marked on my food and how quickly I need to use it in order to eat it at its peak freshness and safety.