The title of this article “Why Eat Local Food” is quite appropriate. People in the UK have been moved to the local produce shelves, not to mention the fact that there are now many more local shops that stock not only fresh but frozen local produce. So, why is it that so many people turn to their local area when it comes to their food shopping?

Well the simple answer to that is the taste. Although we now have the option of buying tasty supermarket food, for the most part things like crisps and biscuits taste completely different from the food you would get at your local corner store. It is even true when it comes to fish. The fish that is available locally is usually better for you as it has had a longer life in the water than fish that has been brought from a long distance. So the local product is a much more healthy option and so much better for you.

Another reason is price. As I said before, our local supermarket shelves are limited so if you are looking for local food you will usually have to cook it yourself. This can be very time consuming and not everyone has the time to do this. Furthermore, supermarket fish is also full of preservatives that can cause serious illnesses. So you should really be considering eating a fish which has been caught yourself.

The final reason is availability. Obviously we want to be able to buy fresh fish and vegetables at local markets. But even year on year the local supermarket shelves are empty. When it comes to meats they are almost always sold last year! There is an increasing trend of going vegetarian and even fruits and vegetables have to be picked and shipped in season.

So these are three good reasons to start thinking about why we should eat local food. There are still many more reasons, which I shall list at a later date. But the main ones are the taste, the health benefits and the increased availability. The more we realise about the importance of eating healthy food from our own gardens and farms the more we will support these local food suppliers.

Let’s be honest, when it comes to picking fruit and vegetables off the garden it can be quite difficult. We live in a society where everything must be pretty, shiny and perfect, including our food. Eating locally grown produce can be quite hard because it isn’t seen as good value for money. But we have to look at the quality and how it is prepared and packaged and then decide whether or not it is worth it.

You can see why so many people are starting to appreciate the benefits of buying local food. It’s much healthier and usually much cheaper too. The main reason why it is so much cheaper is because there aren’t all those extra costs that are added onto the final product. We are paying for things such as packaging and marketing and the farmers obviously have to pay for seeds, fertiliser and pesticide and all the many other costs that go along with growing the food.

You know what that means? It costs more to grow the food and send it around the country. So, why is it then so much cheaper to buy it from local growers? Because they are not paying these extra costs and therefore they are able to pass these savings on to you. They are able to get rid of all the extra hassles and have their prices reduced. So next time you are out shopping, why not check out your local food supplier and pick some up.