Spring is a wonderful time of year. There are so many new seasonal ingredients available for us to use at Melt.
We believe in using in-season locally grown food products whenever possible. This allows us to give our customers the best quality food with the healthiest ingredients. It also allows us to support local farmers and growers.
What is Locally Sourced Food?
Locally sourced food means different things to different people. Depending on where you live, locally sourced food may have been grown in your town, county, region or even country.
The locavore movement, which has become popular the last few years, challenges people to buy food grown within a radius of where they live—be it 50 miles, 100 miles, 150 miles, or within a state’s border. Generally speaking, locavore food originates as close to home as possible.
Benefits of Buying Local
Whether it comes from a backyard garden, the farmer’s market or a locally sourced distributor, there are many factors that make locally produced food a win-win proposition for everyone.
• Cost: The cost of food is often higher if it has to travel a long way to make it onto your plate. This is because it has to be more securely packaged and will often have preservatives added to it. There is also the cost associated with keeping certain foods refrigerated during shipment.
• Quality: Local food is fresher than food that has gone halfway around the globe to reach your plate. That means it’s also a healthier option since its nutrients haven’t been compromised.
• Food Safety: The shorter the distance your food has travelled, the less likely it is to have been contaminated in the process.
• Carbon Footprint: Locally sourced food will have a lower carbon footprint attached to it. In a world that’s obsessed by all things green and organic, buying locally sourced food is something everyone can do to help the planet.
