You’ve probably heard you should buy local – but why? There are many benefits to buying locally grown food – it’s good for the economy, it’s good for your health and it’s good for the environment.
In fact, it’s fast becoming a movement and here are 5 reasons why:
It’s good for the environment
When you transport food it’s no surprise that it can get beat up along the way. All that rough and tumble activity results in some unsellable produce that has to be thrown away. When you buy local the transport time is next to none – resulting in less food waste.
In addition to this, the fossil fuels released during transportation are reduced. Food miles not only consume energy, but they contribute to pollution and air quality.
Plastic packaging is another issue that can easily be combatted by buying local. When you buy locally most of the produce has limited packaging – another environmental plus!
It’s supporting local farmers
Supporting local creates more jobs at local farms. If you’re buying from a farmers market, you are not only supporting the local economy but supporting your neighbour. You help them earn a living! It’s a huge deal to buy locally for this reason alone.
Establish a better economy
Choosing fresh and delicious local food helps to create jobs and supports economic growth. It builds a strong sense of community by supporting farmers.
When you buy local, it stays local. More jobs will be created in your area; the community will reap the benefits and people will be more connected.
You’ll eat seasonally
Eating seasonally can make you more adventurous when it comes to your food choices. You’ll find yourself trying new produce that you’ve never had before because of all the options available to you. Having new vegetables available to you will, in turn, provide many health benefits as you’ll be consuming different nutrients when switching things up. Plus, new produce equals cooking inspiration at its finest.
Fresher food
When you buy local food, the food doesn’t have to travel as far to get to you. This means it’s going to be fresher than something that has crossed borders to get to the supermarket shelves then to your table. Let’s not forget, when food is picked at its peak freshness it retains more nutrients and it looks and tastes better too!