Is Your Dinner Saving the Planet or Just Your Conscience?

Eating out the ultimate escape from cooking, doing the dishes, and trying to make something edible from whatever’s left in your fridge. But wait! Before you order that organic, free range, chemical free, guilt free meal, let’s talk about what “eating out sustainably” actually means. Because, spoiler alert: it’s more than just choosing the restaurant with the most coconut shell decor and an “eco-friendly” signboard.

A truly sustainable meal isn’t just about what’s on your plate it’s about everything from where it came from to what happens to it after you leave half of it uneaten because, let’s be real, the portions were made for a Kerala sadhya(a traditional, multi-course vegetarian feast, typically served on a banana leaf).And while Kerala-style beef fry is legendary, let’s be honest meat production guzzles more water than your longest bucket bath. No one’s asking you to go full vegetarian (unless you want to), but maybe swap that kozhi varuthathu(chicken fry) for a nice plate of thoran (dry vegetable dishes) once in a while?

Here’s a fun fact: about 30-40% of food in India goes to waste. Now, multiply that by every restaurant that insists on giving you five types of chutneys with your dosa when you only needed one. Restaurants love serving massive portions because it makes them look generous, but unless you’re competing in an eating challenge, maybe ask for a half plate or take leftovers home. And actually eat them this time. 

You know that suspiciously cheap meals at some fast-food joints? Someone, somewhere, is paying the price. Whether it’s workers being underpaid, farmers being exploited, or forests being cleared, there’s no such thing as a ₹99 unlimited sadya without consequences. If a restaurant claims sustainability but doesn’t pay its staff fair wages, that’s not sustainable , that’s just marketing. That “eco-friendly” burger from a global chain? Probably not as ethical as the local thattukada(small, wayside eatery) sourcing vegetables from the nearby market. Fast food is fast, but sustainability takes time. If your Swiggy order arrives in 10 minutes, imagine how little thought went into its sourcing.

Eating out sustainably isn’t about being perfect it’s about being aware.Because real change? That starts with us one puttu(steamed rice cake), one meal, one conscious choice at a time. So, what’s for dinner?