January 31, 2010 10:34 pm

How To Eat Local Without Bending Over Backwards

Food trends come and go, and while we're happy that we don't have to hear the word "locavore" bandied about, it is one trend that we can actually learn something from. Those who dismiss the local food movement may claim that it takes too much effort or comes across as snobby, but in reality, eating local can save you money, get you the freshest ingredients, and help out local businesses without too much extra effort. Here are some easy ways to start shopping local without sacrificing your current routine:

Read Your Labels

Simply being aware is the first step and by far the easiest way to know where your food is coming from. Just because you live in sunny California doesn't mean your oranges aren't coming from Florida. Tip, take a look at the sticker on your produce; it will let you know how far your fruits and veggies traveled to get to your supermarket. Make an effort to choose items from places closest to you; it will reduce the time the goods have been sitting on trucks traveling the country. The less time on trucks, the fresher your produce.

Explore Farmers Markets

Not everyone has the luxury of living near amazing farms or in an area that values eating local, but nearly every city has some sort of farmers market or greenmarket. The great thing about farmers markets is that nearly every product will be the freshest of what's in season from local farmers and producers. Check out Local Harvest for listings of farmers markets across the country.

Shop Smaller Stores

Shopping in specialty shops may add another step to your growing list of things to do, but smaller stores often carry fresher ingredients and products. Try your local butcher for a great cut of meat or a bakery for delicious fresh bread. Tip, keep prices in mind, you might not want to spend more on a fancy regional cheese, but an entire loaf of bread might not be that much more expensive. Keep in mind the foods you love and start with those. The difference in flavor might be enough to convert you forever.

Join CSA

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, which is essentially what the local food movement is all about. CSA programs allow you to support local farms by sharing in their growth, much like a co-op. Typical models have you paying a monthly subscription and receiving weekly or bi-weekly batches of produce from the participating farms. Tip, visit the National Department of Agriculture for a listing of CSA programs near you. Many will even ship boxes of produce to your door, so keep an eye out for programs that will work well for you.

Utilize What Is Fresh

If you are a farmers market newbie, What Is Fresh is a great resource for finding out which markets are open and which vendors will be participating when. Tip, plan your menu ahead of time and hone in on the vendor you are looking for. This way you'll stay focused, save time and avoid buying produce that you won't use.

Photo credit: localharvest.org

— Written by Elizabeth Monson

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