When we think about climate change, office lunch might not be the first thing that comes to mind. But the food we eat—especially at work, every day—carries a measurable environmental cost. From what’s on the plate to how it got there, your lunch has a carbon footprint.
With companies increasingly focused on sustainability, it’s worth asking: What’s the climate cost of an average office lunch? And more importantly: What can we do to reduce it?
A carbon footprint measures the greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) generated by a product, service, or activity. In food, that includes everything from:
Farming and fertilizer use
Land-use changes (like deforestation)
Transportation and refrigeration
Packaging and food waste
Cooking and preparation
All of these emissions are typically measured in kilograms of CO₂-equivalent (CO₂e), a standard unit for comparing the warming impact of different gases.
Let’s break down the estimated emissions of common lunch meals:
| Lunch Item | Estimated Emissions (kg CO₂e) |
|---|---|
| Beef burger with fries | 5.0 – 7.0 kg |
| Chicken burrito | 3.0 – 4.0 kg |
| Cheese sandwich | 2.0 – 3.0 kg |
| Veggie stir fry with tofu | 1.0 – 1.5 kg |
| Lentil soup and salad | 0.8 – 1.2 kg |
Average office lunch (mixed meals): ~2.5 kg CO₂e per person
That may not sound like much. But consider this:
A team of 100 people eating 5 catered lunches a week = 1,250 kg CO₂e per week
That’s roughly the same emissions as driving 3,000 miles in a gasoline car
Over the course of a year, those lunches emit more than 60 metric tons of CO₂e
Multiply that by a few office locations, and the climate impact of lunch becomes very real.
The ingredient choices in a meal account for the majority of its emissions. In particular, animal proteins—especially beef and lamb—are among the most carbon-intensive foods on the planet.
| Ingredient | Emissions (kg CO₂e/kg) |
|---|---|
| Beef | 60 |
| Lamb | 24 |
| Cheese | 21 |
| Chicken | 6 |
| Eggs | 4.5 |
| Tofu | 3 |
| Lentils | 0.9 |
| Potatoes | 0.3 |
(Source: Our World in Data, Poore & Nemecek, 2018)
By simply reducing beef in your office catering menu, you can cut emissions significantly— without removing protein, flavor, or satisfaction.
Beyond ingredients, the way food is packaged and transported also adds to the footprint.
Single-use containers (plastic, styrofoam, even compostables) require energy to produce and often end up in landfills
Individual packaging for every meal creates unnecessary waste and carbon
Delivery by car adds emissions—especially for offices getting multiple small deliveries each day
Serving food family-style or via on-site catering teams drastically reduces the emissions from packaging and transportation.
The average catered event throws away 17% of the food prepared, and in some cases, it’s as high as 30%.
Food waste generates emissions before and after it’s thrown away. That includes:
Emissions from growing, transporting, and cooking food that’s never eaten
Methane emissions from organic waste in landfills
Solutions like accurate portioning, menu forecasting, and daily food donation programs can eliminate unnecessary waste—and the emissions that come with it.
Reducing the environmental impact of your lunch doesn’t require going vegan overnight. Small changes, scaled across a team, add up fast.
Here’s how companies are making their workplace dining more climate-friendly:
Offer delicious meals that center plants, legumes, grains, and vegetables. Even cutting red meat 1–2 times per week can slash emissions.
Choose a corporate catering provider that measures the carbon footprint of each menu item. Transparency builds awareness and guides better choices.
Skip the individual packaging. Bulk service reduces container waste and shipping volume—plus it creates a more communal experience.
Partner with local nonprofits to donate uneaten meals safely. You’ll reduce waste, support your community, and avoid landfill methane.
Menus designed around local produce reduce transportation emissions and support regional growers.
Look for catering partners that design kitchens to eliminate pre-consumer waste. Smart prep + composting = dramatically lower impact.
At Sifted, we're working to make workplace meals satisfying and sustainable. We are intent on creating food programs that minimize enviornmental impact and some of the ways we do that are:
Plant-forward menus that prioritize low-emission ingredients
Reduced food waste with accurate forecasting and portioning
Daily leftover donations to local community partners
You may not think of lunch as a climate lever—but it is. A single office lunch emits 2–3 kg of CO₂e. Multiply that by hundreds of employees, five days a week, and the impact is massive.
Sifted helps teams serve smarter, more sustainable lunches—without sacrificing taste or experience. If you’re ready to reduce your carbon footprint one meal at a time, we’d love to talk.