In a 2020 study published by American convenience store news company CStore Decisions, it was revealed that over three quarters of respondents ‘’would be willing to pay up to 20% more for local food’’. Reasons cited included the apparent health benefits and an effort to live more sustainably, and who are we to argue?
And argue we won’t; instead, let’s take a deeper dive into those nutritious, delicious benefits. Here are 6 benefits of eating local produce today.
GROWERS CAN TELL YOU THE ORIGINS
We’re often told we are what we eat. If so, then it makes sense to find out how the food we’re eating is grown. This is by no means an easy feat, especially if our food is made by an international producer. We’re often led to rely on what’s written on the label or a company’s website about the origins of our food, which can be hard to trace or identify when it’s somewhere far flung.
On the flip side, if you’re sourcing your food from a local supplier, then you’re able to ask questions about how your food was grown. In fact, you might even be able to go and see where it was grown with your own eyes.
If you’re considering purchasing meat from a local farmer, you’re able to ask them how the animal was reared, their diet and whether they were given any pharmaceuticals. You want to ensure that you’ve purchased high quality meat for several reasons, including ensuring the animal was healthy and looked after. You also want to make sure that what you’re eating isn’t full of chemicals or has been exposed to cross-contamination.
You can also ask about the quality of soil your vegetables were grown in and even discover the amount of water used to grow them! Knowledge is power, as they say, and a wealth of knowledge is health of knowledge, as they perhaps don’t say. But should.
SEASONAL PRODUCE
Eating local produce means you have to eat seasonally. This is no bad thing. The benefits of eating with seasonality in mind are endless. Firstly, taste. Items in season, whether asparagus in May, grouse in August or peaches in September, just taste so much better. They are bright, vibrant and more nutritionally sound. Secondly, it’s economically savvy. Ingredients at their best are plump and, pound-for-pound, tend to represent better value for money.
Many restaurants adjust their menus if they’re sourcing ingredients from local suppliers because of this very reason. This means that their menus change in accordance with what’s fresh and at its best throughout the year, which brings a different aspect to their cuisine as the seasons change. This is no different for a person who opts for local home grown produce, allowing the homecook to respond to seasonality with fresh, nutritious plates of food. Shopping and cooking this way also encourages a greater variety on the plate – everyone’s a winner!
As fruit and vegetables taste so much better in season, you’ll be moved to cook with them more, leading to a healthier diet. All in all, it’s a no brainer. Shopping with thoughtfulness to seasonality will mean you don’t buy a glut of unripe, tasteless tomatoes in early Spring or strawberries in Winter so sharp that they end up in the bin. Moreover, an obvious advantage is you’ll never become complacent with the same produce because the chances are you won’t be able to get it throughout the year – yep, we’ve all heard chefs enthusing about the shortness of asparagus season!
LOCAL PRODUCE CARRIES LESS NEED FOR PRESERVATIVES
Generally, the further away your food comes from, the more processes, preservatives and packaging it’s required to get to your home. This can have a big impact on a product’s freshness and vitality.
Commercial farmers tend to use more chemicals in their harvesting of crops, especially as they may be transported around the world and need to retain their freshness. Locally grown produce doesn’t require the same chemicals or preservatives as imported produce.
Don’t forget you can ask your local supplier about this and what type of repellant they use to deter insects or other pests that will try to feed on their produce. You won’t be able to ask questions like this about imported produce.
There are several labels and certifications you can look for to ensure that your meat, fish, fruit and vegetables have been raised, fished, grown and shipped in as sustainable a way as possible. Check out Compassion In World Farming’s excellent guide to food labelling here for more.
REDUCE FOOD MILES
Purchasing local food means less distance to obtaining the product, thus reducing the steps in the distribution chain, the air miles necessary, and ultimately, your own carbon footprint. This means there is generally less environmental waste and a lower carbon footprint to the produce which arrives on your plate. Additionally, less food is wasted because of a reduction in transportation, waiting at distribution centres or it not being purchased at your local supermarket, all of which may lead to spoilage.
FULL OF FLAVOUR AND NUTRIENTS
Locally grown food is often harvested when it’s at its most ripe, unlike imported food that has to be picked earlier to take into consideration their journey to your local supermarket. If you’re eating locally sourced food then chances are they’re often sold at markets within twenty-four hours of being picked. Due to the shorter time between harvest and sale, local produce is more likely to retain its nutrients than imported items. These are often left sitting at distribution centres after their flight and before they get to your supermarket.
Home grown produce is also more nutritious because of the relative lack of chemicals, including pesticides and herbicides, used on them.
SUPPORTS THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND COMMUNITY
When you purchase a locally sourced product, the money goes directly back into your community. You help to maintain the farming community, which includes the greenbelt and employees, helping small, independent businesses survive and develop instead of supporting multi-national companies. Check out our tips on ways to support agriculture in Britain for more, by the way.
Doing so will also ensure you’re not buying produce from companies who may underpay their staff and who could be using exploitative working practices. Check out Know The Chain’s essential resource for companies and investors to address forced labor in global supply chains, which allows users to search major food companies, wholesalers and producers and assess scores and rankings regarding how these companies ensure the wellbeing of their workers.
If you’re keen to consider this further, here are 5 IDEAL ways to eat more responsibly in 2021. Do have a look and bon appetite!