The Complementary Role of Dairy and Plant Foods in Sustainable Diets

The transition toward more sustainable food systems requires consideration of both environmental performance and nutritional adequacy. In its February 2026 publication, The Complementary Role of Dairy and Plant Foods in Sustainable Diets, the European Dairy Association explores how dairy and plant-based foods can contribute together to diverse and balanced dietary patterns.

The publication challenges the idea that sustainable diets should be viewed solely through the lens of individual food categories. Instead, it emphasizes the importance of evaluating overall dietary patterns, taking into account nutritional value, environmental impacts, food availability, cultural preferences, and the resilience of food systems.

Dairy foods provide important nutrients, including high-quality protein, calcium, iodine, vitamin B12, and other essential micronutrients. Plant-based foods, meanwhile, contribute fibre, vitamins, minerals, and a wide variety of bioactive compounds. EDA's position is that these food groups can complement one another within diverse diets.

The publication also addresses the importance of considering the nutritional quality of foods when assessing sustainability. A food's environmental footprint should be evaluated alongside its contribution to dietary requirements and health outcomes, rather than considering environmental impact in isolation.

EDA highlights the complexity of food systems and the need to account for differences in agricultural practices, production systems, geography, resource availability, and consumer diets. The environmental performance of both dairy and plant-based foods can vary significantly depending on how and where they are produced.

The publication advocates for a balanced and evidence-based approach to sustainable diets. Rather than positioning dairy and plant-based foods as mutually exclusive alternatives, EDA emphasizes their potential to work together as part of varied dietary patterns.

For policymakers, food industry stakeholders, nutrition professionals, and sustainability leaders, the publication provides a perspective on how dietary recommendations and food-system strategies can better integrate nutrition, health, sustainability, and consumer choice.

The central message is that the development of sustainable diets should consider the full complexity of food systems and recognize the complementary contribution that different food groups can make to healthy and sustainable dietary patterns.