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A Pocket Guide to Sustainable Food Shopping: How to Navigate the Grocery Store, Read Labels, and Help Save the Planet
Limit your waste and reduce your carbon footprint with this modern and practical guide to sustainable grocery shopping.
We all try to live more ethically in our day-to-day lives, but sometimes it’s difficult to implement all we have learned about sustainability into our hectic schedules. This is particularly true when making shopping decisions at the grocery store.
In The Pocket Guide to Sustainable Food Shopping you’ll learn the key ingredients to living a healthier and more eco-friendly life, particularly when shopping for the food that fuels you. Let this book be your supermarket companion as you roam the aisles. Including journal pages that you can tear out, this guide provides tips and advice on the best supplies to bring with you when you get your groceries. From how to read the labels to navigating the produce aisle to information on meat, dairy, eggs, and fish to the importance of packaging when buying dried goods, this book has all the answers you need to shop with an ethical mindset.
Whether you’re someone who has been making simple, effortless changes for years or someone who doesn’t know where to start, The Pocket Guide to Sustainable Food Shopping is your go-to handbook for anyone who wants to make a difference.
We all try to live more ethically in our day-to-day lives, but sometimes it’s difficult to implement all we have learned about sustainability into our hectic schedules. This is particularly true when making shopping decisions at the grocery store.
In The Pocket Guide to Sustainable Food Shopping you’ll learn the key ingredients to living a healthier and more eco-friendly life, particularly when shopping for the food that fuels you. Let this book be your supermarket companion as you roam the aisles. Including journal pages that you can tear out, this guide provides tips and advice on the best supplies to bring with you when you get your groceries. From how to read the labels to navigating the produce aisle to information on meat, dairy, eggs, and fish to the importance of packaging when buying dried goods, this book has all the answers you need to shop with an ethical mindset.
Whether you’re someone who has been making simple, effortless changes for years or someone who doesn’t know where to start, The Pocket Guide to Sustainable Food Shopping is your go-to handbook for anyone who wants to make a difference.
144 pages, Paperback
Published January 12, 2021
6 people are currently reading
3061 people want to read
About the author
Kate Bratskeir
2 books39 followersKate Bratskeir is a writer and editor based in New York. Her first book, "A Pocket Guide to Sustainable Food Shopping," will be published on January 12, 2021 by Tiller Press, an imprint from Simon & Schuster.
To learn more about Kate and her work, check out her website, katebratskeir.com.
To learn more about Kate and her work, check out her website, katebratskeir.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
April 20, 2021
I won a copy of this book from Goodreads Giveaways and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book is exactly what it says, depending on the size of your pocket. It’s an easy to read guide to making your food choices more sustainable. It has good references and room for notes. I look forward to putting some of this into practice!
This book is exactly what it says, depending on the size of your pocket. It’s an easy to read guide to making your food choices more sustainable. It has good references and room for notes. I look forward to putting some of this into practice!
August 28, 2022
I was hoping to expand what I was already doing to live more sustainably and I did not find much in this book to broaden my knowledge base. I already knew about and use tote bags and reusable produce bags at the grocery store for example. I also know that a lot of terminology in packaging is misleading or has no legal definition.
Cow’s milk has a larger carbon footprint than plant based milk and we know that, but overall which plant based option is the best? No one knows…including the author.
Cow’s milk has a larger carbon footprint than plant based milk and we know that, but overall which plant based option is the best? No one knows…including the author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 13, 2021
A really great introduction or recap on simple ways to take action today in your daily routines. This small book covers a lot of great topics concisely, with a ton of interesting new ideas or fun facts and always backed with data or science (and footnotes to check facts yourself!) I love the easy language of the author. The words and concepts are approachable and motivating enough to the reader so that they may make small decisions that make a might impact on our world. This is a great book for learning more about what we can do to not feel helpless, and once your done share your copy with a friend or family member to keep us going green - We can do this!
January 25, 2021
This book is an excellent guide on how to be a better sustainable shopper. I know I’ll re-read certain chapters again to reference labels and address questions I may still have. I often have guilt that I’m not doing enough for the environment but Kate Bratskeir does a great job acknowledging not everyone is perfect but if each of us can make simple changes to how we shop and consume, the incremental impact can better the planet. 💚
June 23, 2021
Because I wrote this book, I'm going to give it 5 beautiful and sustainable stars. ;)
February 12, 2022
Good tips and tricks to start saving the earth today!
September 4, 2020
Pocket guide to pretty much how stores and marketing lie to us on average every day. Truth hurts and it’s remarkable what manufacturers are allowed to get away with. Some interesting tidbits in here about how to really shop and ignore what stores advertise as healthy.
What did I like? Best practices were pretty eye opening. So when we buy eggs that are from happy chickens they might not be so happy....Somewhere in all this is a flawed marketing system that needs an over haul. So many people are turning to backyard gardens to produce what they need so I hope something will come about all this exposure.
Would I recommend or buy? Some of this was unknown to me so I imagine there is a sell base out there for this kind of material. It’s about a hundred pages which is pretty much sourced throughout so the information is second hand knowledge which is where pocket based probably comes in. I didn’t however agree with naming actual companies in the throes of lawsuits because of unethical practices. I believe in giving people practices to reduce their carbon footprint.
Four stars...I received a complimentary copy to read and enjoy.
What did I like? Best practices were pretty eye opening. So when we buy eggs that are from happy chickens they might not be so happy....Somewhere in all this is a flawed marketing system that needs an over haul. So many people are turning to backyard gardens to produce what they need so I hope something will come about all this exposure.
Would I recommend or buy? Some of this was unknown to me so I imagine there is a sell base out there for this kind of material. It’s about a hundred pages which is pretty much sourced throughout so the information is second hand knowledge which is where pocket based probably comes in. I didn’t however agree with naming actual companies in the throes of lawsuits because of unethical practices. I believe in giving people practices to reduce their carbon footprint.
Four stars...I received a complimentary copy to read and enjoy.
September 13, 2020
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is absolutely the best and most helpful environmental books I have ever read. Unlike other books in the same category, A Pocket Guide to Sustainable Food Shopping shows the systemic impact involved in environmentalism, but let's the reader know their efforts aren't futile. It's broken up in very consumable chapters that cover any aspect of food shopping someone could think of. It's a very unbiased book that shows evidence-based truths and pushes the author to think critically. I suggest anybody interested in sustainability and environmentalism reads this book.
This is absolutely the best and most helpful environmental books I have ever read. Unlike other books in the same category, A Pocket Guide to Sustainable Food Shopping shows the systemic impact involved in environmentalism, but let's the reader know their efforts aren't futile. It's broken up in very consumable chapters that cover any aspect of food shopping someone could think of. It's a very unbiased book that shows evidence-based truths and pushes the author to think critically. I suggest anybody interested in sustainability and environmentalism reads this book.
September 13, 2020
This is absolutely the best and most helpful environmental books I have ever read. Unlike other books in the same category, A Pocket Guide to Sustainable Food Shopping shows the systemic impact involved in environmentalism, but let's the reader know their efforts aren't futile. It's broken up in very consumable chapters that cover any aspect of food shopping someone could think of. It's a very unbiased book that shows evidence-based truths and pushes the author to think critically. I suggest anybody interested in sustainability and environmentalism reads this book.
January 12, 2021
(Received as an ARC)
I'm a long-time conscious eater, food shopper, etc. And like many people, I'm starting the year with the intent to forge new, better habits in life. I will say this book planted a few seeds in the sustainability sector of my brain. I'm looking at packaging more closely for contents, rethinking what kind of milk I put in my coffee, feeling the horror of using plastic, and appreciating that I do like oysters (which seem like a kind of miracle food in the scope of this project-- though can you eat them every day?). If you think of information as a kind of food, how is this one packaged? There is so much more information to work from here, have apps eaten the pocket guide format? (Is this printed on recycled paper?) I felt some nostalgia for those tiny Dell books my mother used to get for counting calories and exercise tips, and a contemporary sigh for the fact that bulk bins have been shut down by pandemic fears. I suppose, then, there's something to be said for having things printed and bound for self-reliance.
I'm a long-time conscious eater, food shopper, etc. And like many people, I'm starting the year with the intent to forge new, better habits in life. I will say this book planted a few seeds in the sustainability sector of my brain. I'm looking at packaging more closely for contents, rethinking what kind of milk I put in my coffee, feeling the horror of using plastic, and appreciating that I do like oysters (which seem like a kind of miracle food in the scope of this project-- though can you eat them every day?). If you think of information as a kind of food, how is this one packaged? There is so much more information to work from here, have apps eaten the pocket guide format? (Is this printed on recycled paper?) I felt some nostalgia for those tiny Dell books my mother used to get for counting calories and exercise tips, and a contemporary sigh for the fact that bulk bins have been shut down by pandemic fears. I suppose, then, there's something to be said for having things printed and bound for self-reliance.
January 28, 2021
This is a well-researched and fun read that is really easing my grocery store-related guilt. It has lots of actionable advice, some of which justifies my existing behavior (yay!). For example, I never use those thin plastic bags in the produce aisle; instead, I put my naked fruit and veg right on the conveyor belt -- and this book has my back on that! It also explores the psychology behind certain food-shopping behaviors (e.g., half of all produce goes to waste because it doesn't look "beautiful"), and gets to the bottom of mysteries such as why a whole bag of potato chips costs less than one measly potato. I know I will refer back to this book often!
February 4, 2021
This is a wonderful little book. The food industry is a mysterious and deceiving world and it can be a daunting task to try to navigate through what it all means. This book guides you through various food labels and what they actually mean (or don’t mean), compares different types of milks, advises how to cut back on waste, and ultimately how to protect our environment. It’s incredibly well researched, insightful, humorous, engaging, and never once preachy. We can all learn to make small changes in order to make a big difference, and this book will inspire you to make some.
January 18, 2021
Ms. Bratskeir has managed to distill some of the most complex debates about sustainability in food shopping to easily digestible, memorable nuggets of information that every shopper can use. I'm taking photos of so many of her tips and charts with my phone so I can always have this wisdom with me when I'm shopping. This is the perfect guidebook for anyone looking to cut back on food waste, packaging, or plastic use — even just a little, because she reminds us it's not about being perfect.
July 10, 2021
It's fine. Exactly fine. Nothing particularly bad about this book. Nothing super great. If you've had a sudden revelation that you want to use less plastic but have never thought about it before this is for you. Or maybe gift it to your parents who say they'd like to be more sustainable but don't know where to start. But if you've put much thought into it yourself you probably already do most of these.
August 3, 2021
Love how simple, honest, yet convicting this book is. This guide really helped me see just how much I waste, and the impact that has on animals, and the land. As a Christian, I’m convicted to be a more faithful steward of the resources God has given me, and a more loving partner of the animals and the land that provide for me and my family. There’s such great practical tips to be more sustainable. Not easy; but simple nonetheless.
August 23, 2023
This is a quick read, and it's mainly about ways to lessen your food waste by being more conscious of what you buy in the first place. It's not a book about nutrition, but more about being environmentally aware of how your grocery store purchases affect the planet. For me, the most interesting chapter was the one on the various types of milk now available and how each impacts the planet in a different way.
January 24, 2021
As a sustainable food shopping novice, I couldn’t put this book down. So much information packed into an easily digestible book. I read it in one sitting! Bratskeir provides tangible steps one can take to improve shopping habits and I’ve already started implementing some of them into my weekly routine. Definitely recommend!
May 2, 2021
This little book is chock full of good information. I've been on food journey for a long time now so I already practice a lot of what the author preaches but if you are contemplating trying to be more conscious in your buying and use habits this is a nice book to have. I especially appreciated the link to different regulatory websites that can help a consumer make better choices.
September 4, 2024
Really a great book.
Loads of information. If you are looking to make changes in your life and help the planet this is a really great place to start. You can also come back to it for more steps along the path to healthy and sustainable eating.
I appreciated knowing exactly what terms such as organic, free range, and cage free actually mean.
Loads of information. If you are looking to make changes in your life and help the planet this is a really great place to start. You can also come back to it for more steps along the path to healthy and sustainable eating.
I appreciated knowing exactly what terms such as organic, free range, and cage free actually mean.
January 13, 2021
Well... This little book would be good starting point for beginners. I personally didn't learn anything new. I also skipped chapters about meat and eggs since, well.. I am vegan.
But if someone is looking into more sustainable shopping, that maybe this guide would be useful.
But if someone is looking into more sustainable shopping, that maybe this guide would be useful.
April 28, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. It is very quick to read. My favorite section is on labeling. She is educating people to be very wary about label claim and what they really mean. I recommend this book.
Thank you to Kate Bratskier and Goodreads for this book.
Thank you to Kate Bratskier and Goodreads for this book.
October 12, 2022
Loved it. It made making sustainable choices seem easily attainable and less overwhelming. The author gave easy to obtain goals and examples that I can put into my daily life! A fun, easy, and important read!
March 14, 2024
This was a book I picked up at a thrift store. It's a quick read about how to shop better keeping sustainability in mind. It also talks about the labeling: organic, natural, healthy, etc.
Every little bit we do helps, and I plan on passing this on so they can help too.
Every little bit we do helps, and I plan on passing this on so they can help too.
June 9, 2025
As the day's of simply choosing whatever is on the shelf at the supermarket is quickly drifting away, I wanted to be more knowledgeable regarding how to read labels and perhaps save the planet along the way.
January 17, 2021
Great little book with lots of helpful ideas & tips.
August 22, 2021
This book gave me a lot of information without being overwhelming
October 10, 2022
Loved it! Lots of great ideas and even more to think about next time I shop.
July 20, 2025
a great quick read to remind and educate one about shopping environmentally consciously.
October 6, 2025
Love this book! So much useful information in really attainable ways.
September 18, 2020
Publishing to my blog at release: Nonstop Reader.
A Pocket Guide to Sustainable Food Shopping by Kate Bratskeir is an interesting, passionate, and accessible guide to minimizing our environmental footprint, consuming less, buying more wisely, and understanding the food delivery networks and marketing to avoid as much waste and packaging as possible. Due out 12th Jan 2021 from Simon & Schuster on their Tiller Press imprint, it's 144 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.
This is a really well written guide full of tips and background info. The author is quite honest about the fact that an individual consumer's impact is negligible but that our collective influence is undeniable. The layout is logical and progresses from the general (problem categorization and beginning to make changes) to the specific (buying meat, eggs, milk, seafood, and navigating package free/bulk options). The book also includes template pages for note-taking and shopping lists, as well as an index.
Our current path especially in the west is a direct line to catastrophe. We simply cannot keep living like this and have a planet left for our children and grandchildren. It's literally unsustainable. This book provides some concrete methods of examining our own individual lifestyles and making changes in our personal consumption.
Five stars. There were some good tips here which I hadn't considered, and we tend to be fairly "green" already, but this book helped.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
A Pocket Guide to Sustainable Food Shopping by Kate Bratskeir is an interesting, passionate, and accessible guide to minimizing our environmental footprint, consuming less, buying more wisely, and understanding the food delivery networks and marketing to avoid as much waste and packaging as possible. Due out 12th Jan 2021 from Simon & Schuster on their Tiller Press imprint, it's 144 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.
This is a really well written guide full of tips and background info. The author is quite honest about the fact that an individual consumer's impact is negligible but that our collective influence is undeniable. The layout is logical and progresses from the general (problem categorization and beginning to make changes) to the specific (buying meat, eggs, milk, seafood, and navigating package free/bulk options). The book also includes template pages for note-taking and shopping lists, as well as an index.
Our current path especially in the west is a direct line to catastrophe. We simply cannot keep living like this and have a planet left for our children and grandchildren. It's literally unsustainable. This book provides some concrete methods of examining our own individual lifestyles and making changes in our personal consumption.
Five stars. There were some good tips here which I hadn't considered, and we tend to be fairly "green" already, but this book helped.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews