In recent years, Epicurious embedded sustainability into COOK90, its meal‑plan challenge—eliminating beef, lamb, pork, poultry, and minimizing dairy to create plant‑heavy menus. The goal: reduce greenhouse gas emissions and resource use tied to animal proteins. According to Richard Waite of the World Resources Institute, embracing plant‑based meals and cutting food waste are crucial pathways to reducing environmental impact .
What Does “Sustainable Cooking” Mean?
At its simplest, sustainable cooking involves preparing meals with minimal environmental impact—whether by choosing low‑emission ingredients or reducing waste in the kitchen. Home cooks can influence the climate by making mindful choices at the grocery store: selecting local, seasonal produce over heavily processed, resource‑intensive items.
Why Beef Is a Particular Problem
Livestock production accounts for nearly 15 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions—of which beef alone accounts for roughly 61 percent (Green Queen). Cattle are markedly inefficient: they require far more inputs per pound of edible protein than beans or poultry. For example, beef is about 20 times less efficient to raise than beans and approximately three times less so than poultry or pork .
Experts at the Natural Resources Defense Council note beef impacts climate in three major ways:
Fertilizer and pesticides for feed crops are fossil‑fuel-based.
Cows emit methane—a greenhouse gas roughly 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide—via digestion.
Manure, whether stored or spread as fertilizer, adds nitrous oxide and more methane to the atmosphere .
Epicurious’s Policy Shift
In response, Epicurious implemented a policy—starting publicly in April 2021—to stop introducing any new beef recipes, articles, or newsletter content. Beef no longer appears on the homepage or social media feeds. However, existing archived beef recipes remain accessible .
This move was framed not as anti‑beef, but pro‑planet: a conscious editorial decision to allocate resources toward more climate‑friendly foods. Epicurious sees this shift as a way to inspire home cooks toward more sustainable choices.
What the Research Supports
A University of Michigan study that gained attention in 2021 showed that reducing beef intake by 90 percent could cut dietary emissions by around 51 percent (Snopes). Waite highlights bivalves (like mussels and clams) as among the most sustainable animal proteins—especially when harvested responsibly—and notes that while poultry and pork are less carbon-intensive than beef, plant-based foods still remain far superior on emissions metrics .
Practical Steps: From Waste to Plate
In addition to reducing meat, sustainable cooking also means minimizing food waste. Two‑thirds of U.S. food waste occurs at home—much of it ending up in landfills where it releases methane. Reusing produce scraps for stocks, carefully planning meals, and buying only what you need are simple yet powerful steps .
Epicurious also rolled out animated tips illustrating ways to cook more efficiently: boil pasta in its sauce with less water, substitute mushrooms for beef in burgers, or broil instead of roast to cut electricity usage by 60 percent .
Reception and Criticism
While many readers applauded Epicurious for taking a stand, others criticized it for overlooking sustainable beef practices and small-scale farmers. Some argued the platform could instead elevate regenerative agriculture instead of removing all beef content. Chefs and readers alike voiced concerns that the decision oversimplified the complexities of sustainable farming .
Why It Matters Now
Although U.S. beef consumption declined over past decades, it began creeping back upward in recent years. Epicurious positioned its decision as amplifying the broader conversation around sustainable cooking—a contribution meant to resonate beyond recipes and into the food system at large .
The rationale is straightforward: home cooks wield collective influence when they choose less carbon‑intensive foods. As Eater put it, “Every time you abstain from beef at the grocery store or a restaurant, you send a signal”—not just to the marketplace, but to peers and the culture at large.
In Summary
Sustainable cooking means reducing emissions through ingredients choices and reduced waste.
Beef is exceptionally harmful—a major agricultural greenhouse gas offender due to inefficient feed conversion and methane production.
Epicurious has removed new beef content to prioritize climate‑friendly meals, while preserving archived recipes.
Alternatives like poultry, pork, seafood, and plant‑based proteins vary in environmental impact—with bivalves and plants ranking best.
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