Whether you’re dining at your favorite restaurant or cooking at home, incorporating local produce into your meals is great for environmental sustainability and encouraged by nutritionists. If you’re wondering whether to shop for local fruits and vegetables, here are a few benefits you’ll enjoy. 

4 Reasons to Eat Local Produce

1. Fresh

Fruits and vegetables have a natural shelf life once they’re picked from a tree or pulled from the ground. By enjoying local produce, you’re guaranteed freshness as your desired products don’t have to travel miles by truck or boat to make it onto your plate. Items can be picked at the perfect time and will ultimately have the healthy nutrients necessary to maintain wellness. 

2. Seasonal 

On larger commercial farms, growers may need to utilize chemicals to speed the ripening process so that produce can be shipped on time and year-round. Farmers in your area can let these items grow organically on their own schedule. They’ll ripen on the vine to maximize flavor. Plus, it’s a great way to eat on a seasonal cycle, when certain foods are meant to be enjoyed. 

3. Discover New Varieties

Based on the climate and soil in your region, local farmers won’t be able to grow everything. Certain tropical fruits or vegetables that prefer a particular humidity level and heat won’t thrive everywhere. As a result, farmers will get creative and will plant new and unique varieties. By eating locally, you’ll discover different types of apples or leafy greens that broaden your dining horizons. 

4. Support Your Community

Best of all, choosing local produce supports your community as a whole. By making an effort to shop at farmers' markets or connect with food distributors that work with growers in your region, you’ll support and bolster the economy in your specific town or state.

If you’re looking for fresh local produce to serve to hotel guests, diners, or students in your cafeteria, Ole Tyme Produce Inc. is the perfect partner. Based in St. Charles, MO, clients throughout eastern Missouri and parts of Illinois can count on this food distributor for quality fruit, vegetables, meat, and dairy products since 1973. To discuss your wholesale needs, call (314) 436-5010. For more information on their current inventory and commitment to reliable, friendly service, visit them online.