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One Fork Kids mascot: a superhero chick wearing a leaf capeONE FORK KIDS

Where does food come from?

Nothing appears in a shop by magic. Pick a food and watch its whole journey.

  1. 1. Farm

    Seed planted in spring

  2. 2. Processing

    Pods grow and dry

  3. 3. Transport

    Harvested

  4. 4. Shop

    Dried or cooked and tinned

  5. 5. Kitchen

    Shop

  6. 6. Plate

    Your kitchen

Comparing foods fairly

Two foods can look the same on a plate and have completely different journeys. To compare them fairly, scientists count everything: the land, the water, the feed, the fuel and the waste.

That's why one farm's tomatoes can have a bigger footprint than another's — and why "it depends" is usually the honest answer.

Animal foods take a detour

Foods from animals have an extra loop: crops are grown first, then fed to animals, and animals turn a small part of that food into meat, milk or eggs. That's why they usually need more land and water per meal.

See the numbers at Planet Station →

Showing the journey of Chickpea: Seed planted in spring Then: Pods grow and dry Then: Harvested Then: Dried or cooked and tinned Then: Shop Then: Your kitchen