BUY LOCAL SEASONAL PRODUCE

If you look at the labels on a lot of the 'fresh' produce in the market you may notice that much of it is imported. I recommend buying the freshest and most local produce that you can find. Why? There are a couple of reasons:

• Imported produce takes a long time to get to your kitchen. The less time between harvesting and your kitchen, the better. Key nutrients such as vitamins B and C degrade rapidly after harvest. When you buy imported you may not be getting all the nutrients you think you are. Having lived in five states I realize this is harder to do in some parts of the country than others but do the best you can. When you don't have local produce available, go with the closest you can.
• Produce from other countries is 3 times more likely to harbor such illness-causing bacteria as salmonella and is 4 times more likely to contain illegal levels of pesticides than their local counterparts.
• Note: Out of season produce is likely to cost 50% more than in season produce so keep this in mind when on a tight budget.

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