How Long Ago Was Your Food Picked?

Fruits and vegetables in the “Fresh Produce” aisle may not be so fresh. The ripe kiwi you picked up at the supermarket, was picked weeks before maturity and shipped from Australia. If most of the produce you purchase is from a distant state or far off country, chances are your food has been sitting in a warehouse or truck for weeks before you eat it. Consider purchasing regionally grown, seasonally available produce instead.

Here are some benefits of buying regionally grown produce:
•    Tastes better – A strawberry that was picked yesterday tastes better than one that was picked a week ago and refrigerated.

•    Smaller environmental impact - In the U.S., conventionally grown agriculture uses 10 calories of energy for every one calorie of food. This is partly due to the fact that food that has traveled from faraway places requires large amounts of energy to transport, which drives up the price of food. In the past year especially, we have seen higher food prices because of rising gas prices .

Tips for buying fresh produce
•    Buy from farmer’s markets - Many towns host farmer’s markets where you can find fresh produce from farmers in your region.
•    Buy seasonally – The best tasting produce is going to be what is in season. This varies by region but generally berry season is in the late Spring and early Summer while the freshest pumpkin for your pumpkin pie will be available in the Fall.