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All weekend my aunt and uncle were visiting, so as you can imagine, we ate out together a couple times. While 
restaurants can be danger zones for most dieters, I really did try my best to estimate the best options I could.
My brother and I wanted to give them a flavor of Boone, and no—just because we’re in a mountain town in the South doesn’t mean we only have fried chicken and hush puppies (though I must say, we do have among the best!).
Another part of our culture here is sustainability. When you live in such a beautiful place like the Blue Ridge Mountains, most people fall so in love that they are determined to protect the area from over-development. So for our dining pleasure this Sunday, we took our family to Hob Nob Farm Café.
Like some restaurants in the area, all the food is locally grown and supplied—and dare I say—on the healthy side (with sustainability comes the stereotype of what some people call “hippies,” but man can those hippies cook). Hob Nob Farm has strange combinations of food—but they are amazing.
My aunt had a sweet potato enchilada. I had lasagna with mushrooms, spinach and apples. Yes. Apples in lasagna. Don’t judge. It’s amazing.
It was a nice change of pace food-wise. But it made me realize that one of the main aspects of our culture in my town is completely on track with a healthy lifestyle. Sure, eating foods from local farms is part of sustainability; but according to the Jump Start Diet, it’s getting rid of the processed junk and focusing more on fresh and whole foods that leads to a healthy, happy (and most likely, long term) weight loss.
I know most of you probably don’t live in as rural of an area as I do, but when I lived in New York, I still made it a point to visit the farmers’ market at Union Square any chance I got. Farmers’ markets tend to sell produce for cheaper and honestly—the food tastes way better.
Not sure you know how to cook well enough to make shopping at a farmers’ market worthwhile? Chop up a handful of your favorite veggies and stir-fry them with a little bit of oil in a pan on medium-high heat. It’s super easy and goes great with rice, pasta, eggs or even by itself. Check out recipes from the Jump Start Diet to make your own tomato sauce.
Still not convinced? Trust me, even salads or lettuce and tomato on sandwiches tastes better when it’s farm fresh.
So I encourage you all to be daring this week. Go visit a farmers’ market and pick up some of the finest, freshest veggies you can find. Not only will you be supporting your local community, but your body will thank you as well.
Questions, comments, randomness? Post below or email me anytime at NikkiRoberti@HerCampus.com or tweet me anytime @Nikki_Roberti.