YouÕve already heard a lot about the benefits of eating locally Ð that itÕs better for your body, better for the environment, and even benefits the economy in your immediate area by putting more cash in the pockets of local growers and farmers.
Of course, eating local isnÕt always easy. Our modern food production system is international, and itÕs far easier to find food grown on the other side of the country, or even the other side of the world at your local supermarket than it is to find fruits, vegetables and meats sourced from local providers. Thankfully, there are actually quite a few ways that you can eat more local food every day. Below, youÕll find five of the best options.
1. FarmersÕ Markets
WeÕll start with one of the most obvious, yet often overlooked options you have available to you. Your local farmersÕ market is an amazing source of seasonal, fresh, local fruits and vegetables. However, it goes much farther than that.
Most farmersÕ markets offer a great deal more than fruits and vegetables. They carry locally sourced honey, handicrafts, and often meat raised on local farms. Chances are good that you have at least one farmersÕ market within a short drive of your home, but you may have more than one, giving you some variety.
READ MORE: Ultimate List of Farmers’ Markets in Wilmington
2. Local Restaurants
The farm to table movement isnÕt just making an impact in our homes, itÕs changing the way restaurants do things. Small, local restaurants are now making efforts to source at least some of their ingredients from the local area, and some are sourcing all of their supplies in your area.
Some of these operations grow their own fruits and vegetables while supporting local cattle ranchers, fish harve
sters and more. Make an effort to identify local restaurants that source their ingredients from their immediate area.
3. Grow Your Own
However, if youÕre pressed for space, you can start a container garden Ð herbs, lettuce, spinach, and even some dwarf fruit varieties do very well in containers, letting you grow your own and eat local.Whether you live in a rural area and have acres of arable land, a suburban area with a half-acre lot, or in an urban center with no yard at all, you can grow your own vegetables and fruits. If you have the space, a conventional garden will give you the ability to enjoy fresh vegetables, fruits, beans and other foods seasonally.
4. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Program
An excellent way to cut out most of your weekly costs at the grocery store while still eating local and supporting area farmers is to enroll in a community agriculture program. ItÕs sort of like a subscription plan Ð you pay a set amount each month, and the farmer (or farmers) delivers a weekly or monthly box crammed full of the freshest fruits, vegetables and other local foods.
WhatÕs on offer varies seasonally, but eating local also means eating seasonally and learning to appreciate the benefits of seasonal foods versus the always-available-abundance of supermarkets.
5. Contact Area Farms
If you donÕt want to go through a community agriculture program, you could contact local farms on your own instead. Most of them are more than happy to sell you what they grow. YouÕll just need to drive out and pick up your veggies. You might not even need to drive that far. Roadside stands are common fixtures during the summer growing months throughout many areas of the country.
As you can see, there are plenty of ways to eat more local foods every single day. These are just a few of your options.
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