One of the easiest and more practical ways to eat healthier is to change — or at least vary — where you normally buy your food.
Shopping local has many benefits, both on a small and large scale.
Let's take a look at some of those.
➊ It’s Better for Your Wallet
Eating food that's off-season means that you'll be paying a premium for its storage, keeping it from spoiling, extra transportation, handling, etc.
Also... honestly, it won't taste as good. So, shopping in-season will slash your grocery bill and make you experience better flavors.
➋ It's Better for Your Taste Buds
The reason why you see perfectly shaped, colored, and sized fruits and vegetables in big supermarkets, is because these are often picked prematurely — i.e. not ripe, and not at its best flavor — and then treated with preservatives, and refrigerated.
Food always tastes best when it’s picked at its peak and sold within days, which is exactly what you get in a local food market.
➍ It's Better for The Planet
By buying local you cut out travel and possible packaging or processing. Which means less fuel, energy, plastic, and industrial waste.
Plus, local farms preserve outdoor space and fertile soil, which is ideal for communities.
➎ It's Better for Your Health
Nature provides what we need for each season. It’s no accident that root veggies and potatoes are seasonal in the winter months when our bodies need warmth and substance, and lighter ones like tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and watermelon are in abundance in summer to enjoy raw and keep us cool.
The best perk about eating this way is that every season brings a new crop of clean eats, so you never tire of or overdo certain foods.
Also, by allowing fruits and veggies to go through the ripening process, its nutrients are also fully developed, meaning more good fuel for your body.