3 Foods You Should Always Buy Locally
What's the Deal with Buying Local?
Globalization has led to a huge industry of food importation around the world. While this means we get to taste and experience foods from all over the world, it also has contributed negatively to the environment, both by polluting the seas and increasing factory farming.
When you become more conscious with your eating habits, you might begin to realize just how much of the food you buy has traveled thousands of miles to land on your plate. If you want to decrease the amount of imported food you eat and start looking locally, this blog is for you!
3 Foods You Should Always Buy Locally
Here are three foods you should always buy locally, to guarantee high quality and decrease your carbon footprint!
- Honey.
Honey is a food that so many people enjoy, because its sweet, rich taste brings delicious qualities to so many recipes. Plus, it’s a natural source of sugar that is used often as an alternative to refined sugar in both sweet and savory recipes! (This Honey Balsamic Chicken is a fave!)
Buying honey that has been imported from overseas means that you are unsure of where it has come from, the ecological impacts, and the treatment of the bees themselves. Buying Local Hive Honey gives you the opportunity to source honey from your local area, allowing you to feel confident in your purchase. Plus, you will be supporting small honey businesses that are made up of hardworking individuals who love and care for their bees.
- Meat and dairy.
Meat and dairy are a big part of many people’s diets, and unless you want to go vegan, it’s time to start paying attention to where it comes from. Unfortunately, factory farming is prevalent across the US and South America, and causes devastating impacts on the environment, as well as mistreatment of the animals themselves.
If you want to include meat and dairy in your daily nutrition, start buying them locally. Local farmers will use more sustainable practices and give the animals a happy, healthy life outdoors. Plus, local farms are less likely to use hormonal treatments and other chemicals in their farming methods, which means local meat and dairy may be healthier for you.
- Seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Seasonal vegetables are a great way to fill your plate with nutrition, and are sustainable too. Local produce also doesn't have to travel as far to get to you, which means the vitamins and minerals in the produce doesn't have as much time to degrade. So you get more bang for your nutritional buck! When you eat seasonally, you also eat vegetables and fruits that grow naturally at this time of year; you get to know which seasons are best for which produce, and tailor your meals accordingly.
By attending a local farmer’s market and finding home grown fruits and vegetables that come from your area, you can guarantee a higher quality of produce, and reduce your carbon footprint. It’s easy to forget that the plant based foods we eat still have an impact on the environment.
The Bottom Line
Eating locally is a great way to improve your health overall, as well as feeling more confident in the things you put in your body. I highly encourage you to buy these three foods locally, to ensure quality and sustainability each time you shop!
Looking for recipes to use your local ingredients? Check out these faves!
Raspberry Pineapple Smoothie Bowl
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