5 Benefits of Buying Your Meat Locally
March 3, 2022Sõl Kitchen
Do you ever think about where your meat comes from? And no, we don’t mean the grocery store. The original source. A lot of people seem to be taking more of an interest in where their meat comes from lately, and this certainly isn’t a bad thing. There’s nothing wrong with asking questions and doing research when it comes to your food, especially since some sources tend to offer more benefits than others. Take, for example, local meat. You may not always find it at a grocery store, but there are certain advantages to buying local that may make it worth an extra trip. Check out the following 5 benefits of buying your meat locally, and start thinking about supporting local producers in your area today!
1. It’s Better for the Environment
Have you heard about food miles? They’re essentially the distance a food product has to travel from the producer to the consumer. Since it’s typically produced and sold in your community, local meat has significantly fewer food miles attached to it than the meat that has been shipped in from out of town. This means that it requires less gas and produces less pollution to get to your fridge than what you’d typically get at the grocery store, resulting in a lower carbon footprint.2. It’s Tastier
Local farms tend to take a certain amount of pride in their meat, so they’ll often put in the time and effort necessary to produce a quality product. The industrial farms that some grocery stores like to use, on the other hand, are usually more concerned with churning out meat and making a profit than they are with taste, resulting in a subpar product.3. It’s Healthier
Since factory farms are often more focused on quantity over quality, many of them fill their animals with antibiotics, hormones, and other chemicals so they can hit their production goals. This means that the meat from the grocery store may be full of these unhealthy additives by the time it gets to the consumer, and who really wants any extra trace of animal hormones or antibiotics in their meat? Local farmers, on the other hand, don’t often have these same production goals, so they are less likely to fill their feed with these harmful chemicals. If you want to know for sure, though, you may be able to ask the farmer themselves, which is another benefit of buying local.4. It Helps the Local Economy
By buying your meat locally, you can help keep money in your community. In fact, research shows that when you spend $100 at a local business, $48 makes it back to your local economy. This is significantly more than the $14 that would get recirculated if you spent that $100 at a big box store.5. It Keeps Your Neighbors in Business
Did you know that family-run farms account for nearly 98% of BC’s total farms? A lot of farms throughout Canada are owned by families, so you’re basically supporting your neighbours by buying your meat locally. And at the end of the day, wouldn’t you rather support them than greedy corporations and factory farms? Looking to support more local businesses in the Collingwood community? Check out our menu at Sõl Kitchen, and come visit us for eat-in, take-out, or delivery today!
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