back to basics

If there’s ever a case for eating as few food products as possible, I think the peanut problems the US is going through right now makes the case. I know what you might be thinking, that there have been problems from produce as well…and to that I say that’s a good reason to buy local as much as you can!

Really, buying local, whether it’s produce or meat, is the best option you have. You have a chance to not only see where you food comes from, but to talk with the people who grow/raise it. And, it’s cheaper than you’d think.

Yes, if  you buy meat from a local farm (say 1/4 of a steer), your upfront payment is more, which means saving some money may be in order. But you’ll freeze everything, and in the end likely pay less per pound (or the equivalent) than if you’d bought all of that meat from the grocery store. Plus, you now know exactly what you’re getting, and there’s a lot less worry that your family will get sick.

And maybe it’s just my experience, but I’ve never heard of a salmonella or e. coli outbreak from food I’ve purchased from the farmer’s market. To really take advantage of seasonality, you could purchase a share in a CSA (community sponsored agriculture). You’ll get a weekly box of produce from a farm (some will allow you to add fresh eggs as well). You’ll have a chance to eat new foods, and you’ll really be eating seasonally based on what’s available…the way humans ate until about 100 years ago.

Don’t try to make all changes at once. I’ve been there, and it’s a little overwhelming. But, the more you try to buy foods from your area (or at least know the source), the better off your health will be, and the better for the world around you.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS