Eating Locally: Benefits and More!

Feeling the call to learn the eating locally benefits? Look no further!

Nutrition coaches and wellness gurus all seem to agree it’s better for you, the environment and the economy. There are so many technical terms (CSA, food co-op, grass fed, oh my!). It’s enough to make your head spin and give up before you begin.

So here’s the rundown on all the fancy acronyms and jargon and where to meet your new favorite farmer.

Stick with me, friends, and I’ll have you eating local like a boss in no time.

What’s eating locally even mean?

“Eating local” basically means buying food that hasn’t traveled up to thousands of miles to get to you. The definition varies, but the one most commonly agreed upon is food that travels less than 100 miles to you. This means it’s fresher and more nutrient-packed once it hits your table.

Clementines from Spain may seem special, but imagine for a moment the time it takes traveling across an ocean. I don’t know about you, but fruit doesn’t last more than a week on my kitchen counter, so how does produce make it from country to country without spoiling? I’ll tell you how, with a little help from its chemical and preservative friends.

Mass production encourages a business model based on product uniformity and an ability for that product to last through long storage times and unknown distances. In plain English, they’re specially packed for a very very long trip. For example, by waxing and placing apples in controlled atmospheric storage, it is common for them to be stored between 6-12 months before reaching the supermarket. The same goes for lettuce, which is stored between 1-4 weeks before seeing a drop of Green Goddess dressing.

Benefits of eating locally

In contrast, local farmers often grow varieties of fruits and veggies and breed livestock with the suitability of the soil and seasonality in mind. This reduces pollution and our dependence on fossil fuels while preserving the farmlands near our cities and towns.

And when you shop locally, it’s easier to know for sure if the products are organic, pasture raised, grass fed, etc. You can just ask the farmer or baker yourself. How cool is that? If you want the 411 on those clementines though, you may need an International calling card.

So you’re ready to bite the proverbial organic apple and start eating local. High five!

But how do I find the right local farmer?

First, you need to assess what’s important to you when it comes to your food. We put so much time into deciding on our haircuts and new cars and tech gadgets, and sometimes zero thought into what we put into our bodies every single day. So make the time.

And that is what is so great about farmers markets and CSAs – they are filled with information you can access for free while building relationships with the small businesses and farms in your area.

At a farmers market, there is no middleman. You’re buying directly from the farmer, and you’re able to shake the very hand that feeds you. You can also often get a more manageable amount of food here than, say, through a CSA. And I admit, I love the variety at the farmers market. It’s a thrill to meet local cheese makers and honey farmers and sample all of the different foodstuffs.

CSAs

A CSA (which stands for Community Supported Agriculture) is more like a subscription service with local farms. You purchase a membership or a share from them, and in exchange, you receive a weekly (or bi-weekly, monthly, etc.) box of goodies grown right on the local farms they source from. The only downside is you don’t get to pick and choose; there is some customization, but your box is based on what’s in season and how much the farms have available. So it’s less of a fun Sunday experience and sometimes more of a “make it work” moment if your box comes with 4 extra eggplants.

Still, CSAs are about connecting you, the consumer, directly with the farms and owners. To find a CSA or a farmers market near you, check out localharvest.org.

Now, you may have also heard the term food co-op, and thought it was the same thing as a CSA. Food co-ops introduce one or more middlemen between you and the farm. Your food is usually sourced from wholesale distribution and your connection to the farm is pretty much the same as it is when you buy from a grocery store.

So here is a quick peak into my own shopping basket.

For me, pasture raised meats and eggs are super important as well as produce grown without pesticides. I know buying your beef local may be a new concept, but I’ve done a taste comparison and my local pasture raised meat tastes so much better!

I will still buy pasture centered meats from Whole Foods and other butcher shops, but I love buying meat from the ranchers at the farmers markets. If you need further proof of their pasture raising, you can actually see the farms and how the animals are raised!

If you’re more of a click-and-ship type of person, there are some legitimate online companies out there that provide fresh, locally-grown seasonal veggies and fruits delivered right to your door. If you’re in California, like me, you can check out Farm Fresh To You. These companies provide you with all the deets about which farms the produce is coming from and their specific growing practices.

Did this demystify the process of eating local for you? What are your favorite farmers market finds?

Let me know all about it in the comments below.

 

LOVE + a big box of veggies,

Save

Save