Eat Local

Local and regional food equates to fresh food, vibrant communities, and a strong connection between cities and the countryside. We live during a time when we can get exactly what we want, when we want it. With the ability to ship goods throughout the world, most countries have access to fruits and vegetables that they would not otherwise have. Regardless of the time of year, we can get pretty much any fruit or vegetable at the grocery store; this isn't necessarily a good thing. It is usually many days, or maybe even weeks, by the time all of these imported fruits and vegetables have reached the United States. Worse yet, most of these items are picked before they are even ripe--which makes the nutritional content inferior. Fruits and vegetables are most nutritious when picked at the peak of ripeness (of course, this is nearly impossible to do year round.)

The solution? Only eat fruits and vegetables that are in season. Being willing to eat what is locally available is the best way to save money on fruits and vegetables and is the best for you nutritionally. For me eating what is local means different things in the summer and winter. In the summer I can eat fruits and vegetables grown locally or driven within a few hundred miles. However, in the winter this simply isn’t possible (local becomes anything grown in the United States!)