All of the Sweet Tomatoes and Souplantation locations have worked with the Green Restaurant Association (GRA), a national non-profit, to earn GreenPoints™ across the six environmental categories of food, water, waste, energy, chemicals, and disposables. About a quarter of the chains’ GreenPoints™ have been earned by sourcing sustainable ingredients that are organic, vegetarian or vegan. By taking the following four environmental steps to create a lower-impact menu, Sweet Tomatoes and Souplantation are satisfying diners’ demand for sustainable food options, while helping the environment.
|
Sample Steps to Provide Sustainable Food |
|
| Environmental Step |
GreenPoints™ |
| Certified Organic Items |
5.6 |
| Vegetarian Purchases |
12.6 |
| Vegan Purchases |
13.05 |
| > 30% of Main Dishes are Vegetarian |
5.0 |
| Total GreenPoints™ |
36.25 |
The vast majority of Americans have clearly stated that they don’t want toxins to be a part of our diets. In fact, 89% of Americans favor organic food that is free of toxic chemicals and genetically-modified ingredients, according to the 2011 NPR-Thomson Reuter Health Poll. Organic farming practices benefit both our health and the environment by keeping harmful pesticides out of our bodies and out of the ground, while further preventing soil erosion and conserving energy. Given this demand, restaurants across the country are incorporating organic food into their menus. At Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes, about 6% of purchased food is organic.
Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes also realize that vegetarian and vegan ingredients put less strain on the environment. After all, food that is not meat-centric requires less of the environment’s resources and can further feed more people. For example, it takes the same amount of land to produce a single pound of beef as it does to produce 120 pounds of potatoes! Knowing that vegetables and grains are more sustainable food options, Sweet Tomatoes and Souplantation locations across the country stock their kitchen with many meat-free food items. In fact, 30% of the restaurants’ food purchases are vegan products, while 42% are vegetarian. Plus, 30% of the menus offer meat-free main dishes!
Sweet Tomatoes and Souplantation have demonstrated environmental progress across its operations, and have made sustainable food a priority by offering less toxic, locally-grown ingredients that are low on the food chain. By reducing the environmental impact of their menu, the restaurants attract sustainable-minded diners, support local farming communities, and help protect our planet’s resources.
For more information about the environmental accomplishments of Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes, please visit www.dinegreen.com
© 2009 Garden Fresh Restaurant Corp.
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
I each at Sweet Tomatoes regularly. I love the fresh salads, pastas and the soups are always so fresh and delicious. My little boys always love to go and we have a little song: what to you boys want… One potato… Two potatoes… We are going to Sweet Tomatoes!!! I also take my work staff there regularly: Jack, Mike and Terry and they talk about it every week… So where do we go for the best tasting salads the freshest corn bread and the most delicious soups – The Boynton Beach Sweet Tomatoes.
Sincerely,
R. Howard
Please go 100% non gmo!! These GMO’s are killing us, literally!
Yes please go GMO free. I ate there today and unfortunately I found out that souplantation uses a lot of corn starch in the soups and canola oil in various menu items. Both non organic so very very likely to be GMO. The small amount of research we have on GMOs- mostly animal studies- link GMOs to all kinds of health problems including infertility. Love the concept of Souplantation and thank you guys for trying. But please get rid of the GMOs. I know it’s hard but it’s the ethical thing to do!
I agree! GMO free & Organic is where me & my family eat and so far the only place I eat out anymore is Jasons Deli. But that was such a great thing to point out… its not just linked to fertility but also tumors in lab rats… which kinda makes so much sense that in the US we have high cancer related issues than anywhere else on the planet… not to mention also the dangers to our health due to too much exposure to Fluoride in our public water supply, bottled waters, certain foods & toothpaste!
I love sweet tomatoes, I hope there is no residual pesticides and has strict guidelines.
My kids and I love and enjoy sweet tomatoes. I can’t help but think it would be perfect if we knew that everything offered were certified organic and non-GMO. I was also wondering about the rinsing protocol. Everything seemed clean and tasted good last time we visited. I’m just meticulous about such things. Thank you.
So, when will your rest. chain announce that they are GMO free & certified Organic?
Because once you do, I’ll be eating there with my family!
Please Please Pleas provide us customers with healthy GMO FREE foods.
Many countries have already banned GMO’s as they have been linked to many serious health problems for all of earths inhabitants as well as the earth itself and I seriously hope to see ST step forward and show they care what they serve!
Thanks
I heartily agree with the removal of GMO foods from your menu. You have gotten this far with wonderfully fresh vegetarian options. And your recipe development is amazing! Love everything on your menu!! The reason some of us remain gluten-free is do to the GMOs now in our grains. As mentioned above, cornstarch (corn) canola oil, now soy and flour with the addition of many vegetables are laden with pesticides and GMOs. I would pay more for a meal knowing it was from GMO and pesticide free sources.