By: Faith Bentley
During the summer season, we are putting a spotlight on local foods. The warm weather
makes finding local foods easy. But why does shopping local matter?
Fresher Food
If you’re anything like me, then you like it when food tastes good! Fruits and veggies’
flavor and nutritional value peak around the time it is harvested. That’s because it is
super fresh, and the elements haven’t had time to deteriorate the produce. When we
buy local produce, the fruits and veggies are the freshest they can be because we are
getting to them sooner. The flavor is great, and you will benefit from its nutritional value!
Sustainable
Health and wellness are commonly associated with personal health. But we believe
there are five pillars involved in a healthy lifestyle. One of them is the environment.
Transporting food items around the world is super important to make food accessible to
more people. However, it comes at a cost. Transportation causes a sizable proportion of
emissions that come from the food industry. So, when we choose local it cuts down on
excessive transportation emissions and protects our planet.
Local Economy
We are always striving to be a better neighbor to our community, and this is done
multiple ways by shopping local. Supporting local farmers and retailers means
supporting your community and the local economy. These are people we may interact
with in our day-to-day lives and not even realize! Often, small companies are large
employers of people in the community. When we support them, we support the
livelihoods of our neighbors.
Here are some tips to help you find local foods conveniently in your
neighborhood. It’s easier than you think!
Tip#1 Define what local means to you
For some, local means they get their food sourced from their neighborhood. Others
consider states surrounding them to be local. Knowing what you’re looking for will make
this process much easier!!
Tip#2 Look for in-season produce
Produce grows at certain times during the year depending on the region. However, with
the demand for year-round availability, produce is often shipped from tropical regions to
make up for what’s lacking locally. Find out what produce is in season in our area now.
You can use an app like What’s in Season or google search what’s in season in your
area.
Tip#3 Check Labeling
If you go to your local grocery store, you will find labels promoting local products.
Whether on the packaging or lining the aisles, grocers proudly show their support of
local products. While easy to miss if you’re not looking for them, they are very helpful
when searching for local finds.
Below are some local farms and companies that Giant proudly sources.
For more information on all of these tips, visit www.giantfood.com/nutrition and sign up for a FREE class. Stay well!
Free Services Include:
Healthy Living by Giant podcast. Available on your favorite podcast app or here.
Para obtener información sobre nuestros servicios en español contactenos al nutricion@giantfood.com
About Faith Bentley:
Faith Bentley is currently the Healthy Living Intern at Giant Food. Working towards becoming a registered dietitian, she is studying to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Sciences at Howard University in Washington, DC. When
asked why she chose this path she will tell you she wants to be able to help people improve their quality of life in one of the ways that they have control over.
Suited for Change has partnered with Giant Food to provide our clients and other community members with a guided set of tools to lead a healthy lifestyle.
Here at Suited for Change, we emphasize the importance of having a well-rounded lifestyle: from the proper attire and job coaching all the way to health and wellness.
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