Making a difference with our food choices

Food is nourishment; it gives us energy, builds strong muscles and helps us think and move. The food we eat can make us belong to a place; our food choices being influenced by what is available in the environment we live in. With the advent of fast transportation and long storage we can now get anything, anywhere all year round. Food is no longer bursting with vitality, but often picked green and ripened en route missing out on the vital energy the last weeks of sunshine can provide. The resulting produce has poor flavour and is lower in nutrients than vine-ripened produce. Our taste buds are left crying out for more. More salt, more sugar to satisfy the lack of taste in our food.

Large producers under cut the small producers so they eventually can no longer compete. This has resulted in the number of vegetable growers in New Zealand dropping from 7000 to 2000 in just 5 years. While just 50 years ago most food was grown and produced in the area people lived. Produce was eaten in season when it was at its best, bursting with flavour and nutrients. We can still eat this way, even with our fast paced lives these days.

Visit a local farmers market weekly and buy direct from the grower

Farmers markets are popping up all around the world; there are 47 in New York City alone. This is an economical way to purchase seasonal produce direct from the grower, there is no middle man. Part of the criteria for stall holders is that all produce or products are produced by the person selling it; it can not be imported or sold on behalf.

Buy organic

Though organics is becoming more popular and even fashionable, it is by no means a new form of agriculture; in fact it is the oldest. An organic farmer recognizes the health of the soil is integral to the health of the produce. They feed the soil with compost and natural fertilizers such as seaweed and wood ash, practice crop rotation, companion planting and rest the soil between crops. Their knowledge has been handed down through generations, it is the way our great-grandparents grew their food. Where possible buy fresh produce grown organically.

Join an organic box scheme

Enjoy a selection of local organic produce delivered to your home each week. The box contents change with the seasons and often include recipes and news from the growers, keeping you in touch with the people who grow your food.

Purchase handmade breads, cheese, preserves, and boutique wines

Small producers have a passion and commitment to quality that can be unmatched by large food producers. They often use traditional recipes and methods handed down from generation to generation. Without our support these will eventually be lost in the plethora of commercialism upon us. By supporting these artisan producers we also contribute to strengthening the local economy.

Simple solutions - shop smart without breaking the bank;

  • Purchase dry goods in bulk from bulk food stores. This includes flour, grains, nuts and beans. This also saves unnecessary packaging.
  • Buy seasonal produce. It is not only cheaper because of lower transport costs but tastes better.
  • Purchase summer fruit and vegetables when in excess and freeze or bottle for winter meals.
  • Concentrate on foods that fill you up and provide sustained energy such as complex carbohydrates; whole-grain breads, cereals, crackers, beans… Refined foods including white bread, processed cereals, muffins, cakes etc. result in a burst of energy which is quickly followed by a low. We end up eating more but are nutritionally unsatisfied as the body searches for the nutrients that are missing in refined foods.

  

Recipe Links

Spring recipe - Easy Broccoli Soup

Summer recipe - Sweet-corn Salsa

Autumn recipe - Bircher Muesli

Winter recipe - Spinach & Lemon Risotto