Thinking about fall reminds us of the beautiful mix of warm colours, family gatherings, and the rich flavours. When it comes to fall foods, we often think of pumpkins, apples, cinnamon, and ginger as well as the variety of heart-warming dishes such as soups, pot pies, slow-cooker suppers, roasts, and casseroles on a cold crisp fall night.
Recently, local foods have been gaining a lot of attention and becoming one of the most popular ways to purchase produce. Fall is the season of harvest and also the best time to buy local foods. Zaynab Al-Nuaimi, our nutrition student, shares a few tips on how to find your local foods.
Buying local foods is beneficial in so many ways, including being good for your health, our environment, supports local farms and our economy.
4 tips to help you find local foods this fall:
- Think big: Think more than fruits and vegetables. In Ontario, farmers produce a wide variety of food including vegetables, fruit, and other products which are available all year long such as eggs, milk and beef. Want to enjoy local food more often? Check out these tips for growing, preserving, buying and cooking it all year round.
- Grow your own garden: It could range from community gardens to having your own indoor or balcony garden.
- Buy local: Whether you are looking for culturally-specific food or not, look for:
- a seasonal or year-round Farmers Market near you.
- pick-your-own farms and on-farm
- Foodland Ontario logo while shopping at your local grocery store
- Community Shared Agriculture & Food Boxes to receive fresh food on a weekly or biweekly basis harvested directly from a local garden.
- Local food recipes: The Local Dish is a collection of locally grown, seasonal
For more information:
- Connect with Toronto Public Health via eChat or (416) 338-7600
- Call Telehealth Ontario toll-free to speak with a Registered Dietitian 1-800-797-0000
