Food and Drink
If you've been thinking about making more sustainable choices for the food and drink you consume, then you may have considered some of the following: locally sourced, seasonal, plastic-free, organic, plant-based, reduced food waste...the list goes on! There are so many different ways of approaching this challenge, so we've put together a summary of local outlets and resources which you may find helpful.
Plastic-Free
There are an increasing number of options available locally for zero-waste shopping:
Honey and Bamboo is a fantastic zero-waste shop in Ewell, stocking a wide range of store cupboard items, cleaning products and toiletries. Bring your own containers to refill. You can also find them on facebook.
The Floating Refillery, various locations in Epsom & Ewell
The Floating Refillery is a zero waste refill shop on a refurbished milk float.
They stock a range of cleaning and bathroom products as well as dried store cupboard foods such as pasta, pulses and dried fruits. Bring your own containers to refill!
Check The Floating Refillery facebook/ @the_floating_refillery instagram pages for details on where to find them as times and locations may change.
Current locations:
Wednesday 10.00am-1.00pm - Old Moat Garden Centre, Horton Lane, Epsom, KT19 8PQ .
Thursday 10.00am-1.00pm - Old Moat Garden Centre, Horton Lane, Epsom, KT19 8PQ .
Saturday 10.00am-2.00pm - Old Moat Garden Centre, Horton Lane, Epsom, KT19 8PQ .
Every 3rd Sunday, 10.00am-3.00pm - Epsom Vegan, Re-use and Recycle Market in Epsom Market Square.
Just outside of the Borough, Greenwise in Ashtead sells a wide range of packaging-free products. They also have a branch in Fetcham. Bring along your own containers to refill.
Other stores and market stalls
Many other local outlets will allow you to bring your own containers to be refilled. You might already take your own coffee cup to be refilled but do you also take along reusable boxes or bags for bakery items, fruit and vegetables, meat and fish? Waitrose will accept your own container to fill at their meat and fish counters. If you're not sure if they will be accepted then make sure you ask and be prepared by taking your refillable containers on your next shop!
Refill
Refill connects you with places to eat, drink and shop with less waste. There is an app you can download which shows you where you can get your water bottle refilled for free, where you can use your own coffee cup and lunch box and where you can shop plastic free.
Vegetarian and Vegan diets
It is now well known that the production of animal-based foods is associated with higher greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than plant-based foods so reductions in meat consumption lead to reductions in dietary GHG emissions, with the greatest reduction in dietary GHG emissions achieved by those following a vegan diet. If you are considering changing your diet to reduce your environmental impact then there are some great resources online:
Happy Cow - this website shows the location of vegan and vegetarian friendly restaurants and cafes around the UK
Epsom's Vegan Market run by Ethical Vegan Events takes place on the 4th Sunday of the month in the market, selling a range of vegan food, drinks and other products. More details can be found here.
Locally sourced
Sutton Community Farm - veg box scheme
If you want to buy locally grown fruit and vegetables we think this might be the closest you can find! Sutton Community Farm deliver veg boxes to the Epsom and Ewell area and also have pick up points you can collect their veg boxes from - in Epsom this is the Jolly Coopers Pub. For more details check out their website: http://suttoncommunityfarm.org.uk/
Pick Your Own
The nearest Pick Your Own farm is Garsons, Esher. They grow a large range of vegetables and fruit that you can pick.
Grow Your Own
Please see our Gardens and Green Spaces page for more information about growing your own fruit and vegetables at home and on allotments in the Borough.