Local food diets are increasing in popularity. As people become more worried about their carbon footprint and "going green," they are rethinking their eating habits. A local food diet helps support your local economy, too. By making a few adjustments in your lifestyle and eating habits you can eat a local food diet.
Features
A local food diet consists of eating foods that are made or grown locally. Some people call themselves "locavores" and only eat foods grown within 100 miles of their home. This helps cut down on the environmental pollution caused by shipping foods long distances. The foods are also full of nutrients and flavor because they are fresh.
Locavores.com provides a lot of good information about eating a local food diet. Locally produced foods take precedence, followed by organic foods. If you don't have a local cheese maker, you can use a dairy co-op such as Cabot Cheeses, in Vermont. It's a group of local farmers who make the Cabot products. Farmers' markets should be your main source of grocery shopping. You can then supplement with items from a regular grocery store.
Geography
Many people eating a local food diet try to stick within a 100-mile radius. They buy foods from local farmers' markets and farmers.
In her book "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" author Barbara Kingsolver recounts her family's experience of growing their own food and only eating what was in season, for a whole year. You can read this book to get more ideas.
Effects
The effects of eating locally are hard to quantify. By eating local foods, there is less transportation time and costs, and also less environmental pollution. By choosing locally grown foods and local farmed meats, you help support your local economy. You basically make a statement with your spending habits. So by eating a local food diet, you are telling big business that you prefer local, organic, fresh, nutrient-dense foods.
Benefits
By eating a local food diet you will get more nutrients from your food. Fruits and vegetables will be much fresher. The colors will be different. The fruit may be smaller than what you see in the big-box stores. Conduct a taste test for yourself to experience the real benefit of eating local. Try eating a few strawberries from a local farm. Then try eating a few from a big-box chain store. The locally grown strawberries will be smaller, sweeter and taste much better. The color will be more vivid too.
Significance
If more people eat a local food diet, the price of organic and locally grown food will eventually come down. As small farmers make more money, they'll be able to bring the cost savings to consumers.
Considerations
Some people in urban areas are now participating in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). Participants pay a certain fee, then get a box of fresh vegetables from local farms weekly. They eat what's in season and learn about vegetables they may have never heard of before.
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