Contemporary grocery stores represent an impressive feat—produce sections filled with a variety of fruits and vegetables all year long, with little indication of the current season or their geographical origins. Imagine finding ingredients for Greek salad in the chill of January, while fall squash remains on the shelves in spring, and spring radishes appear in fall. While this might seem practical, is it truly sustainable?
The growing awareness is that we might benefit from prioritizing local and seasonal food choices. It’s critical to recognize that a system which can deliver fresh strawberries in the depths of winter shouldn’t be considered ideal. Let’s examine some drawbacks of our current grocery model that offers everything at all times.
Distance
The travel distance for our meal’s ingredients can sometimes extend into the thousands of kilometers, like blackberries shipped from Mexico (roughly 4,500 km to Calgary) or snow peas imported from China (around 11,000 km to Toronto). Such logistics consume a vast amount of energy for transportation and refrigeration, widening the farm-to-table divide.
Fragility
Heavy reliance on imported foods makes us susceptible to disruptions in supply chains, extreme weather events affecting agricultural yields, political instability, and fluctuating energy prices. This dependence clearly puts us in a precarious position.
Nourishment
Harvesting crops before they reach their peak ripeness, often to endure long transportation, compromises their flavor and nutritional value. Simultaneously, numerous flavorful and nutrient-rich regional varieties are lost in a global food system that struggles to embrace such diversity.
Connection
When we adjust our diets to align with the local landscape and the cycles of nature, we cultivate a deep sense of connection to our surroundings—something that dissipates when time and region fall to the wayside.
Responsibility
When local farmers engage in harmful practices, such as polluting waterways or mistreating livestock, individuals are more likely to be aware of these issues compared to practices occurring far away. A sense of accountability in the community diminishes with increasing distance.
Opportunity
Our current food system overlooks numerous opportunities to invest in local economies, foster community connections, and enhance our own self-sufficiency and culinary skills.
Considering all of these aspects, it is reasonable to assume that aiming for a more regionally-sourced diet is a commendable objective. But what about regions with limited growing seasons, especially when most individuals lack the time or desire to engage in homesteading? How can we achieve this goal practically?
Check often
One effective way to maintain a seasonal and local approach to grocery shopping is to pay close attention to labels on products. The origin stickers on fresh produce, along with the details on packaging for items in bags, boxes, and cans, reveal where they were sourced, sometimes down to the regional level. However, staying vigilant is essential—what was a Canadian apple in the fall may shift to a New Zealand variety by springtime.
Try: Set your own criteria for local eating, and monitor labels accordingly. You might loosely define local to incorporate citrus from the US during winter months, but the moment oranges, lemons, and grapefruits show up from South Africa, it’s clear they shouldn’t be on your shopping list.
Put it up
Many of our ancestors managed to sustain themselves without supermarkets, using methods like canning, drying, fermenting, and storing in cool environments (like root cellars). Whether you have a home garden, a good haul from a local pick-your-own farm, or a bulk purchase from the store, employing these time-tested preservation methods, along with modern freezing techniques, can help lessen reliance on out-of-season imports.
Try: Gather the fundamental tools necessary for a preservation technique of your choice, and enhance your know-how through workshops, books, or by learning from skilled acquaintances.
Situate
What is place-based eating if we do not consider our own location and the types of food production that thrive in it? On the prairies, we might explore local grains, legumes, and grass-fed meat options, while coastal areas likely offer a variety of fish, shellfish, and sea vegetables.
Try: Discover unique regional staples such as honey, maple syrup, local fats and oils, and specific herbs, and aim to incorporate one of these items into your regular diet.
Swap out
It’s best to prepare meals that align with the season—think roasted root vegetables during fall and winter or fresh grilled asparagus in the spring. If not, we can choose to adapt recipes by substituting seasonal and local ingredients wherever possible.
Try: Winter tomatoes are often neither local nor flavorful or affordable. Look for alternatives that can mimic their bright taste and vibrant color, like oranges or pomegranate seeds (both in-season in the US), roasted bell peppers, frozen summer tomatoes, dried varieties, or even local canned tomatoes.
Take advantage
Unlike our homesteading ancestors, we have access to a multitude of conveniences designed to reduce the effort required to ensure our eating habits reflect local and seasonal practices. Many urban areas host year-round farmers’ markets with a range of products, from frozen meats and fruits to preserved goods—all ready for you without additional effort. Community-supported agriculture programs often continue through winter while multiple grocery delivery services strive to source local and seasonal products all year long.
Try: Look for local purveyors in your vicinity and reach out to them regarding winter offerings, including any discounts for bulk purchases or direct orders.
Co-author of The 100-Mile Diet (Vintage Canada, 2007), J.B. MacKinnon, along with his partner Alisa Smith, has managed to obtain around 85% of their food locally. Mackinnon states, “The food brings the greatest joy; I honestly feel like I dine like royalty.”
However, their food budget is not on par with royalty: Mackinnon claims it is a bit below the median for Canadians. He attributes this to choosing to purchase what’s plentiful and in season, preparing nearly all their meals from scratch, favoring simple recipes, and consuming less meat than the average Canadian. He argues that knowing how to cook is crucial for embracing local eating.
One of the highlights is the much-anticipated tomato season: “This time of year is a significant occasion for us—something to eagerly await. It feels like a festival lasting a couple of months.”
If cost is preventing you from buying local produce, consider foraging! Looking for wild greens, berries, and mushrooms, and subsequently preserving your finds for later use is an excellent way to cut expenses while obtaining nutrient-rich food and interacting with nature’s seasonal shifts.
This article was initially published in the December 2023 edition of Thewindowsclubs magazine.
