Living on a small island, you might think that your food choices are limited to whatever is available at the nearest supermarket or fast-food outlet. But there is a whole world of delicious and diverse food waiting for you to discover! By exploring these food options, you can make more sustainable choices, and by eating this way, you join your fellow island dwellers and many around the world in helping to mitigate the effects of climate change.

My journey began with Slow Food, a movement that celebrates good, clean, and fair food for everyone. Slow Food was started in Italy in 1986 by Carlo Petrini, who was fed up with the invasion of bland and unhealthy fast food in his country. He decided to create an alternative that would preserve the rich culinary traditions and local food systems of his region. Since then, Slow Food has spread all over the world, reaching more than 160 countries and millions of people.

Slow Food is especially relevant to Small Island Developing States (SIDS), which are a group of countries that face unique challenges due to their small size, isolation, vulnerability to natural disasters, and dependence on external markets.

SIDS are particularly affected by climate change, which threatens their food security by causing all kinds of trouble like sea level rise, coastal erosion, droughts, floods, storms, and changes in temperature and rainfall patterns. These impacts can ruin crops, harm fisheries, and increase pests and diseases.

Moreover, SIDS often relies on imported food products that are pricey and have high carbon footprints. This makes them more vulnerable to price fluctuations and trade disruptions.

Sounds familiar right? We face all of these issues in Trinidad & Tobago.

So what can we do about it?

Well, one thing we can do is eat more sustainably. Sustainable food is food that is produced and consumed in a way that protects the environment, supports local communities, and enhances human health.

It is a concept that challenges the dominant model of industrial agriculture and fast food culture, which often have negative impacts on biodiversity, climate change, water resources, and food security.

By eating more sustainably, we can enjoy many benefits for ourselves and our islands by enhancing our resilience and self-reliance. Some of these benefits include:

–   Preserving local biodiversity and genetic resources that can adapt to changing environmental conditions.

–   Supporting local farmers and fishermen and women who can provide fresh and nutritious food for their communities.

–   Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and waste generation by minimizing transport distances and packaging materials.

–   Promoting cultural diversity and identity by celebrating local cuisines and traditions.

–   Improving health outcomes by reducing obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and other chronic diseases associated with processed foods high in fat, salt, sugar, or additives.

Sounds great. But how do we eat more sustainably?

Well, it’s easier than you think.

Here are some simple tips to get you started:

–   Shop locally: Look for farmers’ markets or community-supported agriculture programs where you can buy fresh produce directly from local growers. You’ll get better quality and more diverse food at lower prices while supporting your local economy. Bonus points if you bring your reusable bags!

–   Cook seasonally: Use seasonal ingredients that are grown locally or organically. You’ll enjoy more variety and flavor in your diet while reducing your environmental impact. Plus, you’ll save money by avoiding expensive imports.

–   When eating meat, choose quality over quantity: We believe having less of something you’ll enjoy, is better than having more of something that was just a bit meh. At Del Mano, we use meat from animals that have been humanely raised on family farms without the use of antibiotics. Some of these farms also practice regenerative agriculture. Equally important to us, they taste better! You can also try having one meat-free day a week. Meat production does contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, so eating less of it will help reduce your ecological footprint.

We source as many of our ingredients as possible from local farmers who share our values of good, clean, and fair food. We want them to be fresh and wholesome; no additives here!

We make our sausages in small batches using traditional methods and re-imagined some flavours that reflect our culture (Geera pork anyone?).

We sell our sausages directly to our customers through our online store, in many of our well-known retail outlets, and at our local farmers market where we can share our story and passion with you.

That’s how we make our sausages at Del Mano, a small island business that aims to be as sustainable as possible.

By making sausages with care, choice, and time, we hope to inspire our customers and others to join us on the journey of improving Trinidad & Tobago’s food sustainability and food security. We believe that by eating more sustainably, we can all enjoy better food, better health, and better lives and preserve our precious island home for our children and their children to come.

So what are you waiting for? We’ll see you at the market!