Many people take weekly trips to large-scale grocery stores to buy food, stocking up on whatever they can find that they think they may need throughout the week. However, there are benefits to saving part of your grocery list to hit some local spots, whether that be a fruit and vegetable stand or a farmer’s market. As someone who’s spent the last three summers working at a local vegetable stand in my hometown, I’ve noticed firsthand the benefits of food shopping local.
1. Local Food is Fresher
Chances are if you’re going to a supermarket, the vegetables you’re picking out have been sitting in the same packaging for a while; this means they probably aren’t fresh. However, if you go to a local stand, the vegetables have been picked more recently by farmers. There is definitely a difference in taste between a tomato from Stop & Shop and a tomato from the local stand in town!
2. Less Packaging
When you go to local stands, the produce is usually loose. So, you have the chance to bring your own bags and pick out as much or as little as you want. This means that less packaging is used, which is great for the environment; and, once again, you’re eating much fresher food!
3. Local Food Has More Nutrients
Since there is less time to go from farm to table when food is grown and distributed locally, there will be more nutrients in your fruits and vegetables compared to those from the grocery store.
4. Local Food Benefits the Environment
Buying local helps to maintain crops and farmland in your community. Since locally distributed food does not have to travel as far, greenhouse gas emissions are reduced and our carbon footprint is improved!
5. Local Farmers Can Tell You How the Food Was Grown
If you ever have questions about how the products you are buying were grown or produced, it is much easier to ask when you purchase from people who grew them directly. This can also be an educational experience that leads to a healthier lifestyle when you know more about what you are eating!