Nutritional Benefits of Local Businesses

It would be a monumental understatement to say that the dynamics of shopping have changed in the last decade or so. The biggest change is that more and more shopping is being done online, internationally, and globally. There are also many debates being waged as to whether this is a positive change or not. Some argue that the shift is positive as it gives people more choice and flexibility in the way that they shop. On the other side of the argument is that online shopping is decimating “brick and mortar” and local businesses. The reality is that both are true, and they both also apply to how people now get their food.

What Does “Shop Smart and Support Local” Mean?

While there are certainly similarities between how local retail businesses and local food businesses are being affected, they also differ quite significantly. The biggest similarity is that both local businesses are negatively affected financially. This is just the reality of the times. The biggest difference is that when local food businesses lose out to an online market, the customer is also losing out nutritionally.

This is why it is so critical to “shop smart and support local” when it comes to food purchases. Also, this means that by supporting local businesses, an individual is ensuring that their community retains access to all of the freshest foods and ingredients. They are also ensuring that money stays in the community, which can then go on to benefit local projects and entice more local businesses to locate in the area. Also, these aren’t the only benefits of supporting local businesses.

The Nutritional Benefits of Supporting Local Businesses

Now, the fact of the matter is that food loses nutritional value when it is shipped over long distances. On that note, food that travels long distances is often grown in a way to maintain its appearance. This should not be the focus of how food is grown. The focus should be on nutrition. Foods that travel distances, most often, lose that focus.

Another fact of the matter is that food that travels long distances loses its optimal flavor. For anyone who doubts this, all they need to do is taste a piece of fruit (say an orange) from a local vendor and do the same with a chain that outsources their oranges. The flavor (and nutrients) will be dramatically different.

It is also true that much of the food that is brought in from outside providers is processed. Shopping locally helps individuals avoid the temptation of purchasing processed foods, which certainly don’t prioritize the nutritional value of their product.

The Importance of Maintaining Food’s Nutrients at Their Optimal Levels

It is also true that the best local ingredients do not have the same shelf life as “big agriculture” ingredients. This is because they focus on nutrition over mass production. One way to solve this shelf life and nutrition problem is to utilize the freezing process.

All of the fresh and delicious local ingredients that make up every LifeSpring Home Nutrition meal maintain their nutrients because they are frozen at their peak freshness. This also ensures that every LifeSpring Home Nutrition meal is frozen so that it can be enjoyed at its optimal flavor and quality.

The financial and ethical benefits of utilizing local foods and freezing them also go beyond helping the community. It also helps people reduce the amount of food waste that they create. Food waste is a serious problem in the U.S. According to the article “Understanding Food Loss and Waste—Why Are We Losing and Wasting Food?” “The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) reported that approximately one-third of all produced foods (1.3 billion tons of edible food) for human consumption is lost and wasted every year across the entire supply chain.” A big reason for this is that people are not “shopping smart” and supporting local businesses. The good news is that LifeSpring Home Nutrition is shifting the paradigm for the better.

LifeSpring Home Nutrition: A Proud Family-Owned and Operated Business

Here at LifeSpring Home Nutrition, we are proud to be a locally and family-owned and operated business. We only use the freshest local ingredients. Also, we ensure that no outside entities mess with our quality and care because we do everything in-house. That means that we prepare, package, freeze, and deliver all of our meals ourselves. This is the way our family has always done it, and this is the way we will continue to do it.

The truth is that many meal-planning companies are succumbing to the system and starting to use outsourced foods and packagers. At LifeSpring Home Nutrition, we refuse to budge on this matter. Nutrition, quality, and taste matter too much to us. Our reputation matters too much to us. Most importantly, our clients matter too much to us.

It is always best to “shop smart and support local!” There are many economic and nutritional benefits to buying locally sourced foods. Here at LifeSpring Home Nutrition, we are a family-owned and operated business that always focuses on supporting the community and buying locally sourced foods. If you feel like you or a loved one may benefit from healthy, Medically Tailored Meals (MTM) with convenient home delivery at affordable prices, we can help. For more information about the fresh and delicious ingredients that make up every LifeSpring Home Nutrition meal and how food maintains its nutrients best when frozen at peak ripeness, please reach out to us today at (800) 798-5767.