Green Thread
How to be a Locavore
 

Through our Farm-to-Table Program, we're choosing to purchase local produce, seafood and other foods whenever possible for use on campuses just like yours. If you'd like to join the local movement and become a 'Locavore' yourself, here's some info on how to get started.

 
 
Local Foods Get a Week-long Spotlight
Local Foods Get a Week-long Spotlight

Beginning Tuesday, November 11th, the University of Rochester hosted a Local Foods Week, drawing over 1,300 students and staff members to educational - and delicious - locally-themed events across campus. Read more.

 
What is a Locavore?

Locavores (sometimes called 'localvores') are people who eat food grown or produced locally or within a certain radius of their homes or campuses. That can mean they get food directly from local farmers, fishermen or producers. Or it can even mean they grow, hunt or catch their own food.

Why be a Locavore?

There are many great reasons to become a Locavore. First, as anyone who's eaten a cucumber straight from the vine will tell you, fresh food just tastes better. Plus, since the food doesn't have to travel as far or last as long, the need for chemical preservatives is greatly reduced. And in addition to the health benefits of eating local, it's also good for the local community and farmers.

Being a Locavore is environmentally friendly too, because transporting foods over long distances wastes fossil fuel and other non-renewable resources.

How to be a Locavore

Decide how local you can be

Going local is a personal choice that can affect your diet in big or little ways, depending on how easy it is for you to find local foods and how you want to use them in your diet.

If you're not ready for major changes, try starting small by replacing parts of your diet at a time - like choosing to eat only the fruits you can get from your local farmer's market.

Explore your local options

Speaking of farmer's markets, you're probably wondering where you can get local foods. Depending on where you live, you could:

  • Visit the local farmer's market
  • Find a farm in your area and see if they sell food directly to consumers
  • Find a farm-share in your area - where farms let customers pay a set monthly price for a portion of whatever the farm is producing that month
  • Look for the "locally grown" logos at your campus dining locations
  • Ask the chef at your favorite restaurant which menu items use locally grown food
  • Look for "locally grown" signs at your grocery store or market
  • Plant your own fruits, vegetables or herbs - you'd be amazed how little soil you need to grow some foods

Make local foods a part of your life

There are lots of ways to be a Locavore without missing out on all your favorite flavors. All it takes is a little dedication and some clever ideas for saving and preparing all that local food.

  • If your favorite fruit is almost out of season, try buying it in bulk and freezing, dehydrating or even canning or jarring it for later use
  • Use 'buying local' as an excuse to try new foods, recipes or cooking techniques like stir-frying with a wok or making stew with a crock pot
  • Celebrate the season with a local-food-themed party or cooking competition and see which of your friends makes the best local apple pie or local tomato chili
 
Happy Bearthday Earth day
Happy Bearthday Earth day

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Whenever possible, we use soy-based ink in our ARAMARK marketing materials because it's easier to recycle the paper we print on and it's more environmentally friendly.

 

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