 Why Cook?
So, you have learned the benefits of eating local and educated yourself on what's in season. You have started growing vegetables in your backyard and stocked up on local food from your neighborhood farmers' market. Now what? Cooking meals with local food is a great way to meet the USDA's recommended dietary guidelines. Not only is it healthy for you and your family, it also more:
- Economical - Cooking meals at home is a great way to save money because you are not paying for someone else to prepare, package and advertise the food. You are not paying the costs of transporting the food across the globe. And, you are not paying for tips to a restaurant server or delivery fees.
- Safe - You have ultimate control over what you are eating when preparing meals yourself with fresh whole ingredients. You do not have to worry about mystery "artificial preservatives" in your food and what they might include. And, you can make local food selections to reduce your intake of food grown with toxic pesticides or raised with hormones and antibiotics.
- Fun - You can involve your whole family in cooking-related activities, from shopping at your local farmers' market to mixing ingredients. There are plenty of fun tasks that kids can complete on their own or with some assistance in the kitchen. And little compares to sharing a meal together for keeping in touch and maintaining important family bonds.
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