4 Practical Green Dining tips to eating in and out - with a green conscience.

Picture this: a slice of homemade chocolate cake perched on a biodegradable tray-plate in front of you. Beside it, a recycled paper menu resting on an organic cotton table cloth.Mmmmm. Finished? Off you go to an ultra low-flow toilet to wash up!

Judging from the growing number of restaurants, hawker centres, supermarkets and pasars, food ranks high on the hierarchy of needs for most Singaporeans. Food isn’t just for consumption; it requires preparation as well – and hence “greening” the entire meal involves choosing eco-friendly utensils, washing and cooking methods too! Here are 4 ways to make your dining experience in Singapore “guilt-free” and more sustainable. Bon Appetit!

1. Gorge on your (organic) greens
Planning a meal or preparing a salad? Go green by choosing, as far as possible, ingredients sourced from organic and bio-dynamic farms. Both types of farming eschew the use of hazardous synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, genetic engineering or irradiation, while the latter also incorporates traditional farming practices such as the use of animal manure fermented in special ways.

Organic food isn’t all about your veggies and fruits. It includes organically grown meat, eggs, juices, rice and even beer and wine! Those with green thumbs can visit Bollywood Veggies (100 Neo Tiew Road) to source for fresh organic produce, all proudly grown in their 10-hectare farm. You can bring home their specialties “fruit-vegetables,” such as ladyfingers, corn, longbeans, cucumbers, bittergourd and pumpkins. Organic food followers also have L’organic (Blk 18 Unit A Dempsey Road) on their speed dial. This mother of organic grocery stores boosts over 60 varieties of vegetables and anything from pasta to baby food.

To save the hassle of traveling, head down to naturally marketplace by Cold Storage (#01-23B, Vivocity). It stocks an eclectic line of more than 1,000 organic products which are also sensitive to dietary requirements, such as lactose intolerance (unable to drink milk) and celiac disease (unable to consume products with gluten, such as wheat and rye).

2. Eat out = eat eco
If you are too tired (or lazy) to whip up a dish, fret not. A growing number of organic restaurants sprouting across the island are throwing the spotlight on the use of organically cultivated ingredients in their wholesome cuisine. Most of the organic farms and grocery shops mentioned above come with their own in-house cafés and delis, which feature their own products in their menus.

The health conscious can also check out vegan social-enterprise café Food #03 (109 Rowell Road), which serves delicious fusion treats such as tempeh burgers, spring rolls and banana pancakes (the famous “banana cow”!). Organic café Green Connection (5 Angus Street, Merchant Square) serves a wide range of healthy salads (topped with enzyme dressing to help digestion!) and local treats, such as tasty tom yam soup with brown rice bee hoon. For a slightly more upmarket night-out, there is also The Garden, The Sentosa Resort and Spa, Singapore (2 Bukit Manis Road, Sentosa), offering a contemporary dining experience centred on wholesome organic food.

3. (Re)Use paper and more
Paper and food frequently come together: the ever-versatile paper can be used as serviettes, plates, trays and utensils. If you’re having a party or picnic, try using non-disposables (i.e glass, plastic plates and cups or metal utensils). If not, opt for chlorine-free, recycled, bio-degradable alternatives. The more courageous diners could also use recycled paper—recognized by its coarse, sandpaper-ish texture and light brown tint.

Branch Homes (www.branchhome.com) supplies unbleached bagasse plates made from compostable sugarcane fiber, a by-product of the sugar refining process. The entire cutlery set, including bowls, forks, spoons, trays, platters and knives, can also be made from potato starch. Other utensil alternatives include bioplastic plates and plates made from the leaf of the Areca tree. Closer to home, 12X12 café (#01-002, Suntec City Galleria) serves food on 100 per cent biodegradable trays, made from potato starch and palm husk—don’t eat the trays, though. Over at Fresh Origins (#01-01, 1 George Street), gorge on greens from their takeaway boxes made from 100 percent recycled paper.

4. Light up your life
There is no need for a sequel of Earth Hour by eating in near darkness. You can go eco-friendly without risking primitive candles.

When shopping for light bulbs, look for SOFTONE Standard eco-light bulbs (also known as compact fluorescent bulbs) by Philips. Glare-free, they emit warm-white lighting for great ambience. These light bulbs also use up to five times less power than conventional bulbs, and are available in 20W, 16W or 12W options. These bulbs can be easily found at most departmental or convenience stores in Singapore, such as Best Denki and Harvey Norman.

With so many green options laid out on your dining table, from planet-friendly utensils to organic cafes, dining in green has never been more easy and accessible. Now, you can tuck in peacefully, knowing that every mouthful of food chewed goes a long way in saving the environment.