Everyone needs to eat, and there are many ways to get food. People in the U.S. have a lot of options, like grocery stores, restaurants, fast food places, and convenience stores. You might not think much about where the food you eat comes from, but some items in the grocery store come from thousands of miles away. Products can sit on store shelves for a long time, losing their flavor and nutritional value.
Another option is to buy food from nearby farms. Doing so has many benefits for you and for society as a whole, which make it worth the time and money. Here are five good reasons to buy food from your own area.
1. It Tastes Better
When you buy from local farms, the food is fresher because it takes less time to get from the farm to your table. Unlike food from hundreds of miles away, local food is picked when it’s ripe and when it’s in season.
When a local farmer picks fruits and vegetables at their peak of ripeness, they taste better than when they are picked days or weeks after they are ready. You’ll buy things that taste good and give you the most value for your money.
The food won’t have any of the coatings that keep it safe and make it look good in stores, like wax on apples. If you can, it’s best to stay away from these unhealthy add-ons.
2. It’s More Nutritious
When food is picked after it has ripened on the plant, it has more nutrients and stays more nutritious than when it is transported. Because it doesn’t sit there for as long. The food in a grocery store won’t be nearly as fresh as the food you buy nearby.
Farmers have to pick produce for stores before it is fully ripe, which makes it less nutritious. More nutrients in food are good for your body in many ways.
3. It’s Safer
Before food travels thousands of miles to get to you, it is treated with chemicals and gases that keep it from going bad. Small amounts of this aren’t usually bad for you, but some people are sensitive, and bigger amounts are bad for you.
Less of these things are likely to get on local food. Even if they aren’t organic, small farms use less pesticides than large farms that make a lot of food. You can also talk to a grower in your area to find out what they use and what safety measures they have in place.
Pesticides harm the soil, water, and other plants, so eating food from your own area is also better for the environment. The carbon footprint grows because of transportation, which hurts the environment and makes it less healthy for everyone.
4. It Creates Community Engagement
When you buy food from a local farmers market, co-op, or grocery store, you are interacting with people in your community.
When you buy locally, you can talk to the people who are growing, transporting, and selling the food. This helps you get to know people in your community who you might see again in a different situation.
These interactions make it easier for people to work together and solve problems in the future, giving the community a sense of unity.
5. It Supports The Local Economy
In addition to making the community stronger socially, buying local food helps the economy in your area.
By giving money to local farmers, you are helping them feed their families and keeping your money in the area. It also gives them money to hire local people, grow their business, and bring in new customers.
When you buy from local businesses, you’re helping the community grow and do well. You’ll feel good about your purchase because it will make the area you live in stronger.
Go Local
At farmers markets, co-ops, and some grocery stores, you can find food from your area. If you don’t have any of these options in your town, you might be able to find food in a nearby county or state. You get fresh, healthy food and help your local economy and community grow at the same time.
