How Our Food Practices Can Protect the Environment and Climate
From biblical commentary to medieval and modern discourse, voices throughout Jewish tradition call on us to be responsible stewards of the earth. Across our communal spaces today, we see this value reflected in environmental initiatives: synagogues setting up recycling and composting programs, schools reducing their reliance on single-use plastics, and organizations hosting beach cleanups and tree-planting events. These efforts mitigate the harmful effects humans can have on the Earth we inhabit and embody tikkun olam, the Jewish responsibility to repair the world.
While these sustainability efforts matter, communities often overlook one of the most impactful areas of environmental responsibility: our food practices. The future of the Jewish community and its traditions depends on the health of the planet. If we are to live by the values of bal tashchit (prohibiting waste) and shmirat ha’adamah (guarding the earth), we must rethink the way our communities approach food.
Food is at the heart of Jewish life—Shabbat dinners, holiday gatherings, synagogue kiddush, and communal events. Many Jewish institutions regularly serve food in high volumes, such as schools, camps, retreat centers, Hillels, JCCs, and elder care centers. These shared meals shape our traditions and strengthen our community. But they also connect us to a larger system: the global food supply chain, which has a profound impact on our environment and climate. As we work toward a more sustainable future, shifting communal food practices is one of the most effective actions Jewish institutions can take.
How Our Food System Relates to the Climate Crisis
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time, threatening ecosystems, food security, and the well-being of future generations. Rising global temperatures, extreme weather events, prolonged droughts, and disruptions to agriculture are already being felt around the world. When thinking of the biggest drivers of environmental devastation, food production may not be the first industry that comes to mind. In reality, our food system is responsible for 26% of total global greenhouse gas emissions, with animal agriculture alone accounting for nearly 60% of those emissions.
Intensive animal farming carries staggering environmental costs, further exacerbating the already accelerating impacts of climate change. Raising animals for food requires immense amounts of land, water, and energy. Over 70% of global freshwater withdrawals are used for agriculture, with a significant portion dedicated to growing feed for farmed animals. While the environmental toll of terrestrial animal farming is substantial, the impact of industrial practices extends beneath the surface as well—overharvesting of wild fish strains marine ecosystems and accelerates biodiversity loss, while aquaculture, often promoted as a sustainable alternative, can lead to habitat degradation, water pollution, and disease transmission. Both methods compound the global pressures of climate change.
There are many other striking inefficiencies across the current food system. While meat and dairy products provide only 18% of global calories, they require 83% of all farmland used for food production. The environmental impact of different foods varies, but on average the emissions of plant-based foods are up to 50 times lower than animal-based foods. For example, producing one kilogram of beef emits approximately 94.48 kilograms of CO2 compared to tofu, which emits 3.16 kilograms. Other animal products popular in Jewish cuisines–poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy cheese–emit fewer greenhouse gases than beef but still significantly more than plant-based foods like legumes, vegetables, fruits, and nuts.
Despite the widespread attention that environmentalism receives in many Jewish spaces, communities with dining programs often overlook food in favor of projects with relatively smaller environmental benefits: lightbulb upgrades, recycling programs, trash cleanups, and tree planting, to name a few. Yet, research shows replacing animal-based foods with more plant-based foods is one of the most effective ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, conserve water, and protect natural resources. If we are serious about tackling climate change, we must recognize the crucial role food plays in shaping our environmental future.
How Jewish Traditions Support Sustainable Eating
From embracing industrialization to incorporating diverse culinary practices and dishes from around the globe, Jewish food traditions have always evolved to reflect the realities of the world around us. The foods we eat, prepare, and serve are shaped by both our values and the circumstances of our time. In today’s world, where climate change threatens our communities and future generations, our responsibility is clear: we must adapt our communal food practices to better align with Jewish ethical wisdom.
Shifting our communal food to favor more plant-forward options does not mean abandoning tradition—it means embracing practices that align with our values. Many plant-based foods are already popular in Jewish cuisine and are inherently pareve, neither meat nor dairy, so they fit well within institutional kashrut practices. By expanding plant-based offerings, institutions promote inclusivity, as well as sustainability, while maintaining their community’s culture.
Shifting Jewish Communal Food Practices
To create meaningful change, we must move beyond individual action and focus on what we can accomplish as a collective. Implementing sustainable practices within our communal systems has a far greater environmental impact than relying solely on personal choices.
One of the most effective strategies to promote sustainability in communal dining is by flipping the default meal options so that the choice that’s better for the environment is also the easiest one. Serving plant-based meals as the standard option at events—while still allowing diners to opt into eating animal products by request, among other “nudge” strategies—has been proven to reduce overall animal consumption without restricting individual choice. A study found that a gathering that implements plant-based nudges reduces greenhouse gas emissions and water use by up to two-thirds and cuts food-related land use by three-quarters when compared to a typical gathering.
Simply reducing the amount of animal products served in communal dining settings also has a major impact. Research shows that by 2050 we could significantly reduce global environmental impacts by replacing just 50% of animal meat and dairy with plant-based foods. Subtle swaps, such as offering plant-based milk for coffee, using plant-based mayo in cold salads, or using non-dairy butter in casseroles and baked goods, can have a significant impact.
Along with shifting what food is served, shifting how our food is served can also promote sustainability. Placing plant-based options at the beginning of a buffet line or at the top of menus leads to higher consumption. Using enticing, descriptive names for menu items–like roasted red pepper hummus wrap–rather than characterizing a dish as a vegetarian or vegan sandwich–also boosts their popularity.
Implementing sustainable food practices doesn’t have to be restrictive or add costs and complexity to our dining programs–some institutions have even cut expenses significantly by making these shifts. Altering the default meal option and reordering food selections on menus and tables are subtle shifts with a large impact. When we implement positive changes at a systemic level, rather than placing the burden of creating change on individual actions, we all benefit as a community.
Our Food Choices Are Our Future
Jewish teachings impel us to care for the earth and all its inhabitants. While energy-efficient buildings, composting, and plastic reduction are important, the research is clear: food practices have a far greater impact on climate change. We are not fulfilling the call of shmirat ha’adamah, protecting the planet, if we ignore the environmental consequences of what we buy, serve, and consume.
By reimagining Jewish communal food practices, we honor both our traditions and our responsibility to future generations. Sustainable food policies are not just a choice—they are a necessity to ensure our shared tables reflect our deepest values. The Center for Jewish Food Ethics is here to support Jewish institutions in making these changes, ensuring that our communities lead by example in the charge to protect our planet and shared environment.
