Farm to Table dining continues to grow in 2020. As concern for health and sustainable eating rise, so does the desire for the freshest, most flavourful, and locally grown ingredients.
There is a growing desire among restaurants and personal chefs to use locally grown and sourced foods in their cooking. In order to do accomplish more sustainable food goals the food service industry , including in home chefs, caterers, and restaurant chefs seek out close to home farms rather than looking cross country for their ingredients.
Some restauranteurs are even growing their own produce and taking local to a new level. Seasonal rotating menus are also a part of this new sustainable movement and will we will being to see more of these. Large supermarkets are even getting in on the trend and educating shoppers with information about eating seasonally and offering locally grown produce and sometimes even eggs and meat products.
Food artisans, farmers, chefs, and patrons are all becoming more interested in eating locally. Here are a few reasons this movement is becoming so important:
- Local food has to travel less distance, therefore it uses less fuel and gives off less dangerous emissions during transport.
- Less food is wasted with local transportation of food
- There is less spoilage because food arrives to the table fresher as it spends less time being transported from the farm
- Local food consumption helps the natural rotation of crops to expand, as it reduces the mass growing of one type of crop for export and encourages diversification.
- Local food boosts the local economy at all levels
- It supports community by connecting farmers, chefs, and consumers
- Local food also promotes agricultural tourism. Many people will spend a day out visiting local farms and exploring the area.
For all of these reasons, look for sustainable farm to table eateries and in home chef menus to be increasingly popular this year.