.— If you’re not traveling for the holidays, why should your food? The Greater Kansas City Food Policy Coalition is once again challenging the community to Eat Local for the Holidays.
The Food Policy Coalition is encouraging people to pledge online to have at least one local food item as part of a holiday meal. It could be the sweet potatoes, or the pecans in the pecan pie, or even the turkey itself. Many items used in a traditional holiday meal are raised locally and are becoming easier to find as the local food movement grows.
“We are fortunate have a vibrant agricultural community here in Kansas City,” said Beth Low, director of the Food Policy Coalition. “More small and medium-sized farms growing produce and livestock naturally and organically are popping up every season, as are outlets for those farmers to sell their food to consumers. It’s easier today to purchase local food in Kansas City than it has been for a long time.”
According to Low, buying local food is good for the economy, the environment and your health. Foods that are picked ripe use less fossil fuels for transport, are generally more nutrient-dense, have more flavor and use fewer, if any, chemical preservatives.
“We are asking people to make a small step this holiday season by adding just one local food item to their holiday table,” said Low. “It can be something as basic as milk or bread or as holiday-specific as a heritage turkey. But those small purchases can add up and support our local farmers and food system.”
People can pledge online to Eat Local for the Holidays by visiting www.eatlocalkc.net. Those who take the pledge will be entered in a drawing for local food prizes.
The website includes helpful information about what is in season in the Greater Kansas City area and where people can buy locally grown items. It also includes recipes using items that are available locally during the holidays, such as apples, herbs, pecans, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, cheese, eggs and poultry. For those who prefer to have someone else do their holiday cooking, the Web site also includes a list of area restaurants that specialize in local foods.
About the Greater Kansas City Food Policy Coalition
The Greater Kansas City Food Policy Coalition is a group of individuals, organizations, businesses and government representatives committed to ensuring there is a healthy, sustainable, accessible and affordable food system for Greater Kansas City. The coalition promotes food policies that positively impact the nutritional, economic, social and environmental health of Greater Kansas City. More information is available at www.kcfoodpolicy.org.
