Transitioning to More Local Foods

Our grocery shopping habits have changed tremendously over the past few years. A few years ago we were primarily budget-oriented. We shopped at Target, Trader Joe's, and Safeway for our weekly groceries. The ingredients and origin of our food never crossed our minds. But then overtime we started thinking about the nutrition behind the products we were buying. We realized the food we were buying from Target was mostly processed, brand-name products that weren't a necessity. So even though they were cheap, it wasn't food we wanted to eat anymore. Trader Joe's sells food at good prices, but the food (even the snacks) isn't as processed so we still like to shop there. 

Safeway was always our go-to store for products that Target and Trader Joe's didn't carry. About 6 months ago, we started shopping at a local co-op grocery store. It is fantastic! The first time we went to the store, we walked around for almost an hour looking at all the products. After visiting the store, we made the decision to start shopping at this store, even though most of products cost more than we were used to paying. We realized it was important to us that our products were as fresh as possible. Fresh food is important, but so is the fact that the transportation of the food has a smaller impact on the environment. Even though the grapes look good in January, we don't need to eat food that has been imported from South America. We can survive a few months out of the year without strawberries, grapes, and other fruit associated with the summer. Another benefit is that we are supporting local companies.

Since this is a new concept for us, we have decided local means within our country. If there is the option between something grown in our state and something grown 1000 miles away, we will buy the more locally grown food. Maybe someday we'll eat food only within a 100 mile radius. For now we're concentrating on making small changes, little by little.

One last thought - we live in a smaller community so Farmers Markets are not year-round here. We think they are a great option and are looking forward to visiting our local one during the spring and summer months.

Author: Cheryl