It may seem like a pretty irrelevant question but there are actually very many benefits (and no pitfalls) of knowing where you food comes from!

Who is farming the food that you bought this week?

1) You can calculate those food miles

For everyone who is conscious about global warming and is determined to play a role in saving the earth, knowing exactly where your food is from can help with this. If you’re unfamiliar with the term �food miles’ this is basically the distance that produce has to travel from the area of production to the consumer. The more the food miles, the more carbon emissions there are, whether it’s though air, sea or road transport. This can help you make sound decisions when purchasing produce in the future, by choosing food that has been locally produced and only picking imported foods when absolutely necessary.

2) Animal Rights

Some grocery stores claim that their eggs are from free-range chicken but how can you know for sure if you don’t know the farm that these eggs come from? It may seem needless for many to know this information but some people cannot consume any meat or animal related produce if the animals are not ethically raised or killed. Casually ask your grocer what farm your eggs come from (you could do this at your local butcher too) then simply take an impromptu visit to these farms just to see their standards and determine whether the animals are ethically raised or not. This way, you can enjoy your beef stroganoff with a clear conscience.

3) Health

Just because the kale you buy is green and leafy, doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Different factors come into play here when determining just how nutritious your fruits and veggies are. First of all, local produce is the best. This is because it has been picked within the last 24 hours and is at its freshest, meaning you will get more nutrients from it as compared to imported produce that has been sitting in a crate for seven or so days. Additionally, imported foods may contain a greater amount of chemicals due to process such as preservation for transportation, making you ingest may more chemicals than necessary. One other thing is the issue of GMOs (genetically modified organisms). These are crops that are altered to either increase productivity or enhance nutrient value. Although they may not be entirely unhealthy and some may be beneficial to your health, it is always advisable to keep them to a minimum as there is conflicting research about the exact health impacts of GMOs taken in large quantities.

4) Enhance Your Relationship with Food

Why is this so important? Well, you wouldn’t want your children to think that milk comes from the dispenser at the supermarket, now would you? Knowing exactly how your food is grown and where it comes from helps you appreciate the effort that goes into farming. This in turn makes you more conscious about food that you may have been wasting previously. It can also increase your knowledge of the different seasons and the produce available at different times of the year, helping you know when it’s necessary to pick those imported goods. If that isn’t good enough, you save tons of money because imported goods tend to be much more expensive, and you will know exactly when it’s worth it to spend those extra dollars.