Ethics of Spaghetti Dinner
There is some lively historical debate about the origins of a popular dish. Legend has it that the explorer Marco Polo discovered noodles in China on an exploratory trip in 1275, and brought them back to Italy. But, historical records from the region of Sicily, notably the Book of Roger, mention long, thin noodles made from hard wheat, dating from at least a century earlier. It is doubtful that pasta was unknown to the region before Marco Polo. But one thing can be sure, with the addition of New World tomatoes in the 18th century, a famous pairing, pasta with tomato sauce, was born. The modern entree, spaghetti and meatballs, was invented by Italian immigrants in New York City in the 1880s, and the dish is now available all over the world.
With the convenience of jarred sauces, spaghetti dinner has become one of the most common meals made at home in North America. Spaghetti sauces are also among the most versatile ingredients, serving as the base for casseroles, soups and goulashes, as well as topping many shapes and sizes of pasta. Cooks from beginners to gourmets rely on jars of spaghetti sauce as a kitchen staple, and the variety of brands and flavors is almost endless.
These days when you reach for a convenient jar, you might be wondering if there are any ethical concerns to take into consideration. Who is profiting from big sellers like Ragù, Classico and Primo? As usual, it helps to look behind the brands.
Classico spaghetti sauce is made by KraftHeinz, one of the least ethical of the major grocery manufacturers. KH has a long rap sheet at The Ethical Consumer. Their offenses range from the environmental, like ownership in fossil fuel plants and buying palm oil with links to deforestation, to their weak record on animal rights. Wherever possible we recommend you steer clear of KraftHeinz brands like Classico.
Another big seller you may wish to pass on is Hunt's, which today is owned by Conagra. According to a company assessment by Shop Ethical, Conagra does fairly well on some measures, getting an A- on key factors like Climate Change and Water Security. But, like KraftHeinz, Conagra fairs poorly on the Palm Oil Scorecard, and in particular received a D grade for plastic pollution.
While it is not currently being sold in Canada, if you are in the U.S., you are likely to encounter Ragù spaghetti sauces. One of the earliest commercially available sauces, this company was founded in the 1930s by a couple making sauces in their kitchen and selling it from their front porch. While this revered brand has been a hit with consumers ever since, it has also been a hit with investors - Ragù has been repeatedly acquired, first by Lipton, then Best Foods, then Unilever, and most recently by Mizkan, a Japanese maker of condiments. Right now limited information is available about the ethical practices of this company, so to Ragù we can give neither a thumbs up nor thumbs down. Our investigation continues.
Another sauce brand you are likely to see on shelves and shop sites in the U.S. is Prego, manufactured by Campbell's. This 152-year-old, household-name soup company has a great reputation, having been named "#1 Most Reputable Company in America" in 2018, and honored more than once as "one of the world's most sustainable companies." Campbell's does not rate perfect on every guide; according to Shop Ethical, they only received a "D" grade for climate change mitigation from CDP, a world-wide organization that measures environmental impact. But Campbell's does appear to be making a strong effort to be ethical and accountable, in ways from combating food waste to ensuring diversity in hiring. Among the ordinary U.S. brands, Campbell's stands out for social responsibility, making Prego a more ethical choice of spaghetti sauce.
One younger entrant into the sauce market you could encounter in the U.S. or Canada is Newman's Own. This company was founded in 1982 by famous actor Paul Newman, with the express purpose of being a non-profit, socially responsible source of revenue for charity. Since the 80's this company has generated over $550 million for causes that support children, including a system of summer camps for kids with serious illnesses. This makes Newman's Own another great choice for ethical sauce.
If you are in Canada, you may be familiar with another major entrant in the spaghetti sauce market. The popular chain store Loblaws manufactures the in-store brand President's Choice. Loblaws gets a pretty decent score of 13 from the Ethical Consumer (compared with KraftHeinz for example which only scores a 1.) This makes President's Choice a decent selection for Canadian ethical shoppers.
Finally, among the major spaghetti sauce brands available in the U.S. and Canada, Barilla stands out as one of the most ethical brands. This Italian-based company has adopted a "Good for You, Good for the Planet" strategy, with initiatives in ethical sourcing, healthy products and diversity and inclusion, and alignment with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It's hard to measure just how well they are expressing these stated values, but Barilla is one of the few companies to receive no demerits on Shop Ethical's company assessment. For now, this makes them our top recommendation for ethical cooking.
Brands and flavors of spaghetti sauce abound, each with its own character, and chances are, there will be times when you want the convenience and economy of choosing a standard brand in a jar. Luckily, there are some obvious differences which make choosing a little more palatable.