Why and How to Eat Local Food
The Many Benefits of Serving Fresh, Local Food Ingredients
Switching to a diet of more local foods not only gives you fresher, heathier eating choices, but benefits the local economy and environment as well.
Maybe you've heard the expression, "Local is the new organic." But what does that mean?
It means that, in many cases, locally grown foods are likely to be fresher, healthier and even better for the environment than organic foods. That's because local foods haven't traveled the 1,400 miles or more that a typical produce item in the grocery store has. So a local fruit or vegetable hasn't spent days or weeks in transit, consuming large quantities of fossil fuels and, day by day, losing valuable nutrients.
Another plus for local foods: the money you spend on them stays in your area, supporting your local economy. And, while many local farmers might not be certified as organic (a process that can be cumbersome and time-consuming), a lot of them follow organic or near-organic practices that are much kinder to the soil, water and air than modern industrial-style agriculture.
If the idea of a more locally based diet appeals to you, here are some tips for getting started:
Find the farmers' market closest to you. The number of farmers' markets across the U.S. has exploded in recent years, rising from 1,755 in 1994 to 4,385 in 2006. To locate a market near you, check the online databases at the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Services site or Local Harvest.
Join a CSA. CSA stands for "community-supported agriculture." The concept works like this: you pay upfront for a sort of "subscription" to a local farm's products, which will vary by season and can range from basic vegetables to eggs, cheeses, honey and even meat. Then, once or month or so, you pick up (or receive by delivery) your share of fresh, seasonal foods from the CSA. To find out if there's a CSA in your area, check out one of the resources provided by Local Harvest or the USDA's National Agricultural Library.
Grow your own food. Even an apartment dweller with a small porch can grow tomatoes, strawberries, herbs and more in pots. Worldwide, in fact, urban gardens are believed to provide about 15 percent of our total food supply. And if you have a backyard – even a tiny one – you can become astoundingly self-sufficient. Following the practice of permaculture, you could grow enough food to feed your family for at least several months of the year ... no matter what your local climate is like. With a harvest like that, who needs to make a twice-weekly trip to the grocery store?
