“There is nothing like eating something fresh from the earth, whether you buy it at a local farmer’s market or grow it yourself,” says Cathy McLachlan, dietician at UHS Delaware Valley Hospital. “Local food is more delicious, healthier and more sustainable over the long term.”
With summer here, local food is bountiful. Mrs. McLachlan explains that there are many benefits to eating locally:
- It makes a smaller environmental footprint.
- It supports local farmers.
- The nutrients in local food are better preserved because it takes less time to get the produce from the field to the consumer.
- Unique varieties of foods are available, encouraging people to try new things.
- Produce that is sold locally is picked at the peak of its freshness for the best taste.
- It helps steer people’s diet toward whole foods and away from processed foods.
FIND A FARMER’S MARKET
See the Cornell University Cooperative Extension website for information on farmer’s markets throughout the region, including convenient locations at UHS hospitals.
