We have all heard the trendy buzz about “Eating Local” and how great it is, but do you really know why you should make the leap to support local farms, restaurants, and businesses in your community?
- Taste- Eating local means eating fresh. So, local foods taste better because they are harvested when they are perfectly ripe, in season, and ready to be enjoyed. Produce also tends to lose a majority of nutrients after being harvested during the transportation process. Eating Local means eating fresh food that provides the most nutrients to your body and best flavor possible.
- Health- Eating local also means staying healthy. Local foods do not need to be processed, preserved, or packaged the same way that imported foods do; This means fewer chemicals and fewer chances to get contaminated in the transportation process. Eating food that is in season is better for your digestion, according to many nutritionist and doctors alike.
- Community- Supporting Local Restaurants and Farms means you are directly supporting smaller often family-operated farms and non-chain family-owned restaurants. Smaller farms and restaurants provide more jobs and opportunities for people in your community. Local farmers and restaurants take more pride and responsibility in what they grow and provide to their community. Also, many city farms in Raleigh donate produce straight back to their local community charities to help out our fellow citizens that need it the most.
- Environment- Supporting local food providers means less need for transportation and packaging methods which means less use of foreign fossil fuels, less of a harmful carbon footprint, and less waste of materials altogether. Supporting local farmers and food consumption means more green lands and farmlands, which provide natural habitats for wildlife, clean air and higher oxygen levels for our community.
- Economy- The fewer hands that food has to be passed through means less of a cut on profits for the actual merchandise; allowing more money to go directly back to the farmers themselves. When local farmers are supported by their community they are able to offer healthier, higher quality food, with more variety for nutritionally packed inventive meals.
