Accounting for increasing energy use by the US food system

What we eat matters. Non-essential foods — alcoholic beverages, baked goods, snack foods, and pet foods — accounted for the biggest component of the increase observed between 1997 and 2002. The amount of energy used to get fresh fruits and vegetables to our plates also increased as we opted for pre-cut portions and convenience packaging.

The report notes that we can save energy by choosing fish over red meat, but cautions that our fisheries may not be able to sustain a large-scale increase in fish consumption. If aquaculture becomes increasingly necessary to satisfy demand for fish then much of the energy savings associated with wild-caught fish will be lost.

The report calls for food prices to accurately reflect energy consumption throughout the supply chain, to signal consumer choices that reduce energy use as energy prices rise.

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