7 Reasons to Start Buying Local

If you’re looking to make a big change in your kitchen in a small way, consider if your food could have been grown in your neighbour’s yard. Buying local is one of the best ways to shake up your weekly meals, as it leaves a positive impact on your health, the health of your community and the health of your planet. It doesn’t have to be a complicated process; you can easily access your local farmers at the markets or through online suppliers. Wherever you choose to purchase, the outcome is often the same. Here are the seven things we especially love about the idea that stress the importance of buying local.

Buying Local Supports Local Farmers & Economy

There’s no denying the fact that Australian farmers have been doing it tough lately, so one of the best ways you can support them is by supporting their business. We love cake sales and fundraisers - but when the produce they offer is fresher, tastier and more abundant than at your local supermarket, it’s almost a no-brainer. One of the best things about supporting the local farmers is that you’re inherently supporting the local economy, so your money is going right back to your neighbour.

Food Miles & Environmental Impact

Right now we’re living in a world where the climate crisis is a very real concern. We’re re-evaluating the way we do everything; from the cars we buy and the flights we take, to the leaders we support and the lifestyles we want. One thing we haven’t always realised that impacts the health of our planet is food miles; the cumulative cost of the labour involved and the fossil fuels required to get the foods from the paddock to your kitchen at home. Buying local food is one way to cut down on those huge commutes for your staple ingredients.

Affordability

When thinking about the cost of your food (or anything for that matter), a good approach is to consider where each dollar goes. By supporting local food producers, you’re often cutting out the corporate middleman, which drives down the price you pay. Secondary to that, if you’re considering your food miles it costs less to transport food down the road than it does halfway around the world.

Health Benefits of Eating Seasonally

Throughout evolution, our bodies haven’t lost their innate ability to adjust to nature’s seasonal offerings. For example, in springtime, when fresh alkalising greens are in abundance, our body begins to detox from the winter months. In autumn, when starchy, root foods begin to come available, our bodies prepare for hibernation throughout cooler, less abundant times. The circadian rhythm is a marvellous thing, especially when our bodies thrive best on the foods coming straight from our gardens.

Foods Are Fresher

When food is only coming from the farm down the road, it was likely dug up from the ground only days before it’s on your kitchen bench. It’s estimated that the journey of locally grown food from paddock to plate is 2-3 days, whereas imported foods are oftentimes a week. And we all know that fresher tastes better.

Promotes Variety

Depending on where you live, and what time of year it is, you’ll have plenty of delicious produce that is available just in your region. This might include some of your favourite fruits, or it may encourage you to try a new vegetable you never would have before. But nine times out of ten, you end up loving all of the new and tasty additions to your weekly shop - which in turn bring a whole host of new, delicious nutrients.

Creates Community

In an ideal community, we all play a specific, much-needed and highly-appreciated role - we all receive and contribute equally. By supporting local farmers and suppliers, you feed directly into this relationship. Your food supplies come to know you, what you love and what you don’t, and in turn, you support them to play this role. It’s a beautifully symbiotic relationship that we can’t get enough of.

If buying local is something that you believe in, you’ll want to check out our delicious weekly produce boxes. We work with some of the best farmers on the Sunshine Coast to deliver locally grown, organic produce to your doorstep each week. You can discover all of our bestsellers and place your order today.