This technical note outlines the methods used by World Resources Institute (WRI) to identify a set of Coolfood Meals on a food provider’s menu. Drawing on the calculation methods established under the Cool Food Pledge.
To be designated a Coolfood certified meal, a dish on a food provider’s menu must meet two specific criteria:
- Low Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions: The meal’s per-serving GHG emissions must fall below a maximum threshold, as calculated using the Cool Food Pledge methodology and based on recipe data.
- Nutritional Quality: The meal must also meet a minimum nutritional standard to ensure a high-quality offering.
By identifying and publicly recognizing these meals, the program helps food providers showcase their climate-friendly options, which in turn guides consumers toward more sustainable choices and accelerates the broader transition to a low-carbon food system.