Eat Local: Farmers Markets, CSA's and Community Gardens

‘Local’ is the biggest food trend in years, according to the USDA. The number of certified organic operations in the US has vastly increased, and the natural and organic food market is set to outpace the growth of the total U.S. food market. Check out this article for more information: http://newhope360.com/agriculture/local-biggest-food-trend-decades-says-usda  

So, what does it mean to eat locally? 

- Being conscious of where your food comes from and being able to trace its origins
- Supporting local farmers, eating food that is grown or raised near where you live
- Knowing your food is grown or raised on a small-scale vs. mass produced by a large corporation

Interested in eating locally?  Here are a few ways to do it:

1) Visit your community farmer’s market. Depending on the climate in your area, the farmer’s market may be seasonal or year round. It’s a great opportunity to purchase affordable food (sometimes cheaper than your local grocery store), and meet those who are growing the produce, raising the meat, cultivating the honey, etc. In Salt Lake, the Downtown Farmer’s Market runs every Saturday from June-October, and if you don’t arrive early, you’re out of luck. Aside from the amazing fresh produce, you can find honey, a variety of cheese and meat, fresh flowers, etc. Here’s a photo of a few items I picked up last summer - plums, peaches, and a great local honey butter. I am counting down the days until the market opens this year!

2) Another option is to participate in Community Supported Agriculture or a CSA. When you participate in a local farm’s CSA, you’re investing in the farm for a season, and in return you receive a weekly bundle of fresh food from the farm. CSA’s range in cost (from $50 to $800 for a season), but the return on investment is worth it; a fresh basket of fruits and vegetables, meat and cheese - many of which are free from artificial growth hormones, pesticides, etc. You can participate in a variety of CSA’s. Here’s a great site that will connect you with a farmer’s market or CSA in your area: http://www.localharvest.org/

3) While you’re at it, why not just grow it yourself? Don’t have a yard?  Community gardens are pieces of land that are gardened and maintained by a group of people, and they're popping up all over urban settings. A great way to meet your neighbors, support the community and grow your own food at the same time. Plots are usually offered for $10-$50 for a single plot for a season. They vary in size, but you have the opportunity to plant anything you’d like...tomatos, blueberries, carrots, pumpkins. Many community gardens offer educational workshops, as well as youth programs. If you’d like to find a community garden in your area, visit: http://www.communitygarden.org.

Tell me, what does 'local food' mean to you?  And how do you eat locally?

6 Ways to Eat Healthy on a Budget!

Eating healthy can be expensive! Whether you eat local, organic, or just try to shop smart, oftentimes we're in a rush and don't have time to shop around. But you don't have to sacrifice your health to save a few dollars. If you have a little extra time, here are some tips on saving big!

1) Shop store circulars. You know...the weekly ads that arrive in your mailbox, that more often than not get thrown away with the junk. If you have extra time, and don't mind getting your groceries at more than one store, shop the ads! Flip through and mark the items that are on sale at each store. Perhaps you pick up your produce at one store, and your meat at another. Sometimes it can mean saving big bucks! Sprouts has weekly specials that come out each Wednesday, and if you shop Wednesday, you're lucky! Wednesday are promoted as 'Double Ad Wednesdays' since the weeks deals overlap...twice the bargains!

2) Coupons! You don't have to devote as much time as an extreme couponer to save some dough. Most every grocery store and market has coupons on their website. Simply select the coupons you want, and print. Some stores, like Smiths, even let you select the coupons you're going to use and digitally add them to your store rewards card. No wasted paper, ink and no messing with scissors. Just simply select and swipe. Couldn't be easier! On the same note, visit the website of your favorite product, and you just might find a manufacturer's coupon.

Sprouts: http://sprouts.com/coupons
Whole Foods: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/coupons
Smiths: http://kroger.softcoin.com/programs/kroger/digital_coupons/?campaign=DigitalCoupons&banner=Smiths
Target: http://coupons.target.com/grocery-coupons
Albertsons: http://www.albertsons.com/our-stores-2/online-coupons/
Walmart: http://coupons.walmart.com/


3) Speaking of rewards cards...GET ONE! It's silly not to. They're free, and you can save dollars on certain items. It adds up! Not to mention, stores like Smiths even give you discounts on gasoline with every dollar you spend using your rewards card.

4) Shop outside the traditional grocery store. Visit your local community coop, farmers market, or participate in a CSA. Coops purchase quality products based on their participants' requests and then sell for a discounted price based on the bulk quantity they buy in. Farmers markets are a great place to buy local, support the community, and you have the ability to bargain on goods. When you join a CSA, you're supporting a local farm for a season. You have the ability to volunteer on the land, and your share of the farm changes each week/month/season based on what's growing.

5) Buy in bulk! I recently discovered that Costco, yes Costco, has an amazing selection of organic products. Everything from fresh produce (which you can freeze if the quantity is too large), to grains like quinoa, to marinara sauce to meats to peanut butter to coffee. Every store is different, and you have to do a bit of searching, but who doesn't love cruising the aisles at Costco? Especially on a sample day! Am I right, or am I right? Feel free to reference other warehouse stores as well.

6) Grow your own! For the amount of food they produce, plants are cheap. And if you have the time and patience, seeds are even cheaper. Plant your own food garden - whether you have a large yard, or just enough room for an urban garden on your apartment balcony. Imagine the excitement of plucking your own orange off your beautiful orange tree, or picking your own peppers from the ground. Pretty rewarding, and definitely a dollar saver. Plus, you know there are no pesticides and chemicals touching your home-grown produce.

Any other ideas? How do you save money and eat healthy?

*Now You Know, Now You Grow