Top 5 Benefits of Choosing Seasonal and Locally Grown Foods: In today’s fast-paced and globalized world, we get any food item from every season and every corner. But have you ever thought how much the food that comes from thousands of kilometers away affects your health, your society and the environment? If not, then now is the time to rethink your eating habits.
Here we are talking about food that is grown in local farms and is according to the season – that is, local and seasonal food. Let’s know 5 solid reasons to include such food in your plate.
1. Reduces environmental impact
When you eat food that has been imported from a distant country, the hidden cost behind it is not just money, but also the environment.
To deliver such food to you, airplanes, trucks, cold storage and heavy packaging are required. All of this increases energy consumption and carbon emissions.
But when you buy locally grown fruits, vegetables or grains, they come straight from the nearby farms to the market or your home. This means less transportation, less packaging and less pollution. This way, you can play an important role in protecting the environment.
2. Better taste and nutrition at a lower cost
Seasonal and local food is usually plucked from the farm only after it is fully ripe. This directly affects the taste and nutrition.
Fruits and vegetables that ripen naturally taste better and have more nutrients.
Local items may seem a little expensive at times, but when you buy in season, you buy them at the peak of their production, i.e. when their supply is high and prices are low. This can help you get better, fresher food for less.
3. Support the local economy and farmers
When you shop at a local farmer or market, your money stays directly in your community.
This not only benefits the farmers who have worked hard to grow the produce, but also provides employment to local shopkeepers, transportation services, and other small businesses.
A small decision like visiting the local fruit and vegetable market once a week can boost the economy of the entire community. That’s real self-reliance—supporting your people.
4. It’s easier to know your food
Nowadays, when food crosses borders, it’s difficult to know how it was grown, whether it contained pesticides, or whether it was genetically modified.
But when you buy from local farmers or go to a farmers market, you can ask them direct questions –
“How did you grow these tomatoes?”
“Were there any chemicals used?”
This way you can know your food better and be confident that what you are eating is actually good for your body and health
5. Helps prevent food waste
You will be surprised to know that a large part of the food that is wasted around the world is lost during storage and transportation.
The crop is taken out of the field, loaded into a truck, then placed in a warehouse, then sent on a long journey – spoilage is very common in this entire process.
But when food comes from a nearby area, this process is shortened and the risk of spoilage is less. This means that we can prevent a vital resource – food – from going waste.
Bonus Tip: How to Adopt This Habit?
Now that you understand how beneficial eating local and seasonal food is, here are some easy tips you can incorporate into your daily routine:
- Check before you go to the market to see what fruits and vegetables are in season by checking websites like www.bestinseason.ie.
- Read packaging and origin labels when shopping to identify the country of origin.
- Visit a local farmer’s market to find the freshest fruits and vegetables, and direct contact with the farmer.
- Preserve seasonal produce by pickling, drying, storing, freezing, or canning – these methods can help you enjoy the flavor and nutrition all year long.
Conclusion
Eating local and seasonal food is not just healthy and delicious, it is also beneficial for our environment, economy and society.
This is a simple but powerful change that we can all incorporate into our daily lives.
So the next time you make a grocery list, think – “Can I include something local and seasonal?”
Believe me, it will have an impact from your plate to the earth.