Eat Local for a Fresh New Year's Resolution

Have you made a New Year’s resolution this year? A New Year’s resolution usually involves an attempt to break an old habit, or to start a new one. A change in any habit is difficult and all too often New Year's resolutions are broken.

Popular New Year’s resolutions are listed on the USA.gov website at: http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/New_Years_Resolutions.shtml.

The 13 item list includes getting fit, saving money, managing debt, reducing stress, quitting smoking and eating right. Most of the resolutions are about getting rid of something negative in your life; fat, cigarettes, debt, stress. But the resolution to “Eat Right” seemed more positive. The website’s list of tips for “eating right” include serious steps: cutting down on portion sizes, reducing fat intake, reading labels and choosing water over other caloric-laden beverages. All are good habits, but a more creative and fun way to eat healthy is to eat local.

Shopping at your local farmers market, joining a community supported agriculture farm, forming a neighborhood garden or cooking club are all great ways to get fresh healthy food, meet people, share nutritious recipes and try new fruits and vegetables. Shopping and cooking food can be very social events, so your resolution to “Eat Right” doesn’t have to be done all on your own, and it doesn't have to be so serious.

Making a commitment to eat local doesn’t mean you’ll never step foot in a grocery store again, but you may go less frequently. And you’ll still be faced with the same temptations of baked goods and higher fat foods, but you’ll find locally produced foods are typically processed less and can be healthier. Cookies, bread and cheeses sourced locally are often made with fresh, organic ingredients and most do not contain partially hydrogenated oils and other shelf stabilizers. Label reading of locally processed food is still recommended, and you can always ask the baker or cheese maker if you are unsure of the ingredients.

Eating local does require a bit of homework, but it's a fun activity for the whole family. Showing your kids where their food comes from is a great start to healthy eating habits. Creative ways to eat local involve family visits to farms and farmers markets, apple orchards and bakeries. How many children want to spend Saturday afternoon in the grocery store? Get them outside at the farmers market or orchard and you'll change their attitudes about food. And it’s fun for you, too. It sure beats counting calories and fat grams!

Here are some national databases to help you with your resolution to eat local food:

Local Harvest: http://www.localharvest.org/csa/
NewFarm Farm Locator: http://newfarm.org/farmlocator/index.php
Wilson College, Robyn Van En Center CSA Farm Database: http://www.wilson.edu/wilson/asp/content.asp?id=1567
The Eat Well Guide: http://www.eatwellguide.org/