Sustainability Scoring Matrix

As parents, we want to pass on to our children a collection of delicious, healthy, good-for-the-planet recipes that also save time and money

So we created a sustainability scoring matrix to take an honest look at each meal we make. 

This is our matrix for determining how sustainable each meal is:

  • Time to make 
    • 1 = 3+ hours
    • 2 = 1-2 hours
    • 3 = <1 hour
    • Servings 
      • 1 = <4 servings
      • 2 = 4-6 servings
      • 3 = lots of leftovers
    • Cost per person 
      • 1 = >$20
      • 2 = $5-20
      • 3 = <$5
    • Deliciousness 
      • 1 = inedible
      • 2 = decent meal
      • 3 = when are we having this again?
    • Environmental impact 
      • 1 = wowzers (endangered/imported)
      • 2 = moderate impact
      • 3 = minimal damage
    • Nutritional value
      • 1 = eat rarely (high sugar/fat)
      • 2 = healthy-ish
      • 3 = optimal nutrition


    Each factor is scored 1, 2, or 3 according to how long it takes, how much it costs, etc. Then the scores are all added up to get the overall sustainability score, which has a maximum of 18.

    Anything that scores over 15 goes into our family favorites cookbook.

    249 thoughts on “Sustainability Scoring Matrix”

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