Locally Sourced Lunches: Office Meals That Are Delicious and Environmentally Friendly
Posted by Amelia K. on Monday, November 10th, 2014 with 2 Comments
Have you heard of the “locavore” movement? It’s a term that refers to people who prefer to eat food that’s locally sourced from their area, instead of shipped in from anywhere around the country – or even the world. With the eco-friendly mentality shift that’s been seen across the United States as of late, it’s not a huge surprise that more consumers – and more restaurants – are bringing a bigger number of local foods and flavors into their meal options. And with the expansion of amazing farmer’s markets going from cities into the deepest depths of the suburbs, it’s never been easier for eateries and individuals alike to access food that was produced by local farmers and growers.
So if your interest is piqued and you’re thinking of becoming more of a “locavore” than you were before, we are right there with you. To help you completely understand what locally sourced means for you – and how to find it – we’ve pulled together this handy short guide to answer all of your basic questions and help you get started.
Choosing restaurants that source their ingredients locally can have huge health benefits for you and the environment – and they’re tasty, too!
Photo Credit: Flickr user pshutterbug
Local Farmers
Restaurants that source a lot of their food through local farmers see a lot of benefits, both for themselves and their customers. One, since food is grown locally, it’s always at the peak of freshness. It’s not being shipped thousands of miles away from where it was picked, meaning there are fewer preservatives used to keep the food fresh. Locally sourcing also saves on transportation and fuel costs. And where the restaurant is saving money, you’ll likely see lower food bills, too. Plus, supporting local farmers means that both your money and the restaurant’s money is going right back into your local community – and that’s something we can all appreciate!
Less Preservatives
While all preservatives used by farmers in the United States are typically recognized as being safe to consume by the FDA, foods that contain fewer preservatives tend to be less processed and are far less likely to be bad for your overall health. This includes ingredients like excess sugars, trans-fats, and excessive salt. Eating fewer processed foods and less preservatives has been linked to improved cardiovascular health. This means choosing restaurants that source their ingredients locally for your lunch delivery today can help protect your heart health tomorrow.
Environmentally Friendly
Choosing locally farmed foods does more than just affect your own body and wallet – local farmers are more likely to keep their land in better condition and are more frequently found to restrict ‘over-farming’ of their soil, which helps to prevent against erosion and can actually result in better tasting produce. Additionally, since local farmers don’t need to use as many pesticides and preservatives for transporting their goods, those harsh chemicals aren’t as likely to soak into the soil in which your food is grown – another way to prevent those harsh chemicals from entering your own body.
Finding Locally-Sourced Restaurants
When you start frequenting new restaurants or perusing menus online, many will have a notation (usually designated within the menu) regarding items that are locally sourced. Additionally, many restaurants will note within each menu item which ingredients have come from local farmers. Some even have features to highlight the local farmers that they use, which means if you like the meal you have delivered for lunch today, you can likely visit a local farmer’s market this weekend to pick up many of the ingredients included in that meal – and we think that’s pretty cool!
Choosing locally sourced options when they’re available is actually pretty easy. And once you start to become familiar with which restaurants consistently serve the best food from local farmers, it’s easy to know which menus from which to order your office meal delivery. To get started, use Waiter.com’s system to easily browse the menus of delicious restaurants near you. Once you place your order, we’ll deliver it right to your office. A locally sourced meal that’s locally delivered – now that’s brilliant!
When it comes to feeding employees and coworkers, make your company's food program really count! If your workplace dining plan needs to take it up a notch — or if you don't have one at all — Waiter.com is here to help. From Virtual Cafeteria Service to diverse menus to local takeout & delivery, Waiter.com offers customizable dining solutions for every business and budget. Contact us today to get started!
I really didn’t understand the local movement but now I have a greater understanding of it and why I should participate. I think it’s great the health benefits it can bring while helping people in my neighborhood.
It’s GREAT for your community! Thanks for commenting!