Why Local Food is a Win-Win for All
While "local food" is a relative concept that individuals must define for themselves, a universal understanding is that local food:
- Comes from locations situated as close to your home as possible
- Supports your area’s farmers
- Is seasonal and offers children a taste and sense of place
- Travels a shorter distance to reach our plates, thus retaining more nutrients
- Leaves a smaller carbon footprint
Though many of the products found in our lunchrooms may be sourced locally, they have, all too often, traveled thousands of miles to reach us. Prolonged travel time means compromising nutrients, freshness and flavor, leaving a greater carbon footprint and extending less support for farmers in our communities.
Supporting local, sustainable agriculture is a win-win for all. It promotes the development of relationships with the growers, fishermen, ranchers and farmers in the area. It makes the food chain smaller for each product, thereby lowering prices. Perhaps best of all, it offers children a sense of responsibility for preserving their special role in the food chain.
Local foods are available at farmers markets, selected supermarkets and CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture). Some schools even endeavor to grow their own vegetables and fruits.
