Ask Charles Platkin, the Diet Detective
Are Local Foods Better?
Q: I've heard a lot about food that's grown locally being better. Is that true?
A:
Local production often means fresher food, mainly because the food hasn't been trucked thousands of miles, during which time it can spoil, especially produce. But there are even more advantages to local food production: It saves on gasoline and reduces pollution from transporting food (which can help curb global warming), and in many cases, it supports smaller-scale farmers. So eating locally grown foods supports the local economy, you eat fresher, less processed foods, you think more about what’s landing on your plate, and you get to know your local growers and help the environment at the same time — not bad!
But let’s get real. Trying to eat 100 percent local can be difficult and impractical, and it can eliminate some nutritious foods from your diet, or at least limit your access to them. So try this approach: Eat local whenever possible.
And what about the cost? Typically, if you join a food cooperative or a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program (you support a local farm and get a share of the produce), the prices are very reasonable. Also, if you shop at your local farmers' market (straight to consumer from the farm), the food may be even cheaper than in the supermarket because you’re buying direct, without the middleman.
If you want to give local foods a chance, check out Local Harvest, which offers a national online directory of farmers who market their goods directly to the public. Here are some other resources to help get you started:
But let’s get real. Trying to eat 100 percent local can be difficult and impractical, and it can eliminate some nutritious foods from your diet, or at least limit your access to them. So try this approach: Eat local whenever possible.
And what about the cost? Typically, if you join a food cooperative or a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program (you support a local farm and get a share of the produce), the prices are very reasonable. Also, if you shop at your local farmers' market (straight to consumer from the farm), the food may be even cheaper than in the supermarket because you’re buying direct, without the middleman.
If you want to give local foods a chance, check out Local Harvest, which offers a national online directory of farmers who market their goods directly to the public. Here are some other resources to help get you started:
- www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets — Lists more than 4,500 farmers’ markets currently operating in the United States.
- www.sustainabletable.org — Recipes, tips, news, and information about community and food.
- www.eatwellguide.org — Find food in your neighborhood and when you travel that is healthful, humane, and better for the environment and that supports family farmers.
- www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/csa — Information about and listings of community-supported agriculture programs.
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