How to Be a Locavore

Locavores only eat and purchase food that is grown or produced locally. People choose this lifestyle for a variety of reasons, including supporting local farmers or the economy, reducing the carbon footprint, or for nutritional and health reasons. To begin transitioning to a locavore lifestyle, set realistic goals and decide on your specific radius for locally grown foods. When it comes to acquiring food, grow your own wherever it’s possible, buy from farmers markets, or join a community-supported agriculture group.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Taking Initial Steps toward Local Eating

1
Choose restaurants and cafes that use locally grown produce. This is a great way to try out local produce from your area. Reach out to the food outlets in your area and ask if they use locally sourced ingredients. Alternatively, contact local farmers and ask what food outlets purchase their produce so that you can support them.^{[1]XResearch source}
- You can also use a search engine to find local businesses that use locally grown food.
- Often there are also plenty of local wineries or breweries to choose from.
2
Cook 1 meal that’s made fully from local ingredients each week. Preparing a meal that is made entirely from local foods is a great way to get started slowly and to help your family and friends to get involved in the movement too. Look around at the foods are in season in your area and then pick a recipe with ingredients that match. Try to choose a certain day each week and stick to it to get into a regular routine.^{[2]XResearch source}
- It can be helpful to pick a weekend rather than a weekday because farmers markets are usually held on a Saturday or Sunday. This means that you can take your pick of the freshest local produce.
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Changing your lifestyle can be daunting and difficult at first, so it’s best to make small, manageable goals to make the process easier. Look around your kitchen and see what foods you buy often. These could be things like berries, spinach, tomatoes, meat, or eggs. Then check which of these foods are produced in your local area and swap them accordingly.^{[3]XResearch source}
4
Purchase local gifts for your family and friends. Choosing locally made gifts for your family and friends is a great way to support businesses in your community and to introduce the idea of local eating to the people you care about. Look for locally made honey, nuts, wine, or cheeses to gift for birthdays and holidays.^{[4]XResearch source}
- If possible, include the business card of the farmer or maker with the gift.
- You don't have to stick strictly to gifting food items. You can also choose locally produced soaps, skincare products, candles, or plants.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Committing to Local Eating Goals

1
Choose foods from the closest available source if you want to be a flexible locavore. If you find acquiring local foods too difficult in your area or if you have foods that you struggle to give up, try taking a more flexible approach. Opt to buy local food from within your specific radius whenever you get the chance, but if there is food that you want that isn’t produced locally, simply pick the best option. You don’t have to be a strict locavore to still make a positive difference in your community and for the environment.
- Look for foods that are as close to being local as possible or to support companies that use at least some local ingredients.
- Locally produced foods like jams, pickles, and jellies can be good options if you’re a flexible locavore.^{[5]XResearch source}
2
Investigate which foods are available at set distances from your home to set firmer limits. A big part of becoming a locavore is deciding what it means to you and where to set your limits. The radius, or the maximum distance you will accept between your home and your food sources, extends in all directions from your location. If you want to hold yourself to stricter locavore standards, aim to get all of your food from within this area. Many locavores decide on a radius of 50 mi (80 km), 100 mi (160 km), or 150 mi (240 km). Explore the food options that are available at each different limits before you pick one.^{[6]XResearch source}
- The smaller the radius that you choose, the more limited your options for food will be. However, this also means that you will be more likely to have a smaller carbon footprint and to support farmers in closer proximity to you.
3
Be prepared to make sacrifices if you’re a strict locavore. The climate of where you live determines what foods are available. This means that there will be some restrictions, which can be difficult while you’re adjusting to the lifestyle. Generally, locavores end up forgoing foods such as coffee, chocolate, olive oil, bananas, salt, spices, beer, and wheat, as these foods are only grown in very specific climates.^{[7]XResearch source}
- Making the most of and enjoying local, seasonal foods is a great way to distract yourself from any foods that you miss.
- If you find yourself getting bored or frustrated with the food restrictions, try looking for new recipes or combining different ingredients to make new flavors.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Acquiring Food

1
Grow your own produce as much as possible. Food can’t get any more local than from your own backyard! Use a search engine or visit your local library to find out what foods grow well in your area and when to plant them. Then start your own vegetable garden, grow fruit trees, or plant some herbs to get started. If you have excess produce, you can preserve it for later, swap it with other gardeners in your community, or sell it at a local market.^{[8]XResearch source}
- Container gardening is great if you don’t have much space.
- If you don’t have a garden at all, look for a community garden in your area.
2
Shop at farmers markets to connect with farmers in your community. Farmers markets are one of the best places to shop if you're a locavore! You can buy locally produced meat, poultry, eggs, produce, honey, and dairy products from farmers markets. This is also a great way to get to know farmers, to ask questions about the food, and to support local businesses.^{[9]XResearch source}
- Farmers markets are also a great way to meet other like-minded people.
3
Visit a food cooperative to find a wide range of local foods. Food cooperatives or co-ops are great initiatives that sell local food on behalf of farmers and producers, similar to a grocery store. This is a great way to access a full range of foods that are available within your local community. You can purchase seasonal produce, meat, poultry, and dairy products from co-ops.^{[10]XResearch source}
- Food co-ops are community owned and operated.
4
Join a community-supported agriculture group to receive fresh produce. Community-supported agriculture groups are initiatives where, in return for a small financial investment in a local farm, you receive a share of the seasonal produce. This is a great way for locavores to connect with local farmers and to forge relationships. Ask around in your community network or use a search engine to find a community-supported agriculture group in your area.^{[11]XResearch source}
- Some community-supported agriculture groups offer produce in exchange of a few hours of work at the farm each week. This is a great way to get involved in growing produce in your community!
Although it may take some time and patience to find locally grown foods at your local supermarket, it is worth seeing what’s available. Read the information labels on the food and the packaging to find out where the food is sourced from. Alternatively, ask a staff member what items are locally produced.^{[12]XResearch source}
6
Preserve fresh produce if you have excess. There are plenty of ways to store excess fresh produce so that you can enjoy it throughout the different seasons. Depending on the types of fruits, vegetables, or herbs that you have, you can try your hand at canning, fermenting, drying, or freezing. Use a search engine or get a book out from your local library to find out the best way to store your specific produce.^{[13]XResearch source}
- Tomatoes, cucumbers, berries, and green beans can all be canned well.
- Try fermenting cabbage, carrots, radishes, and garlic.
- Basil, thyme, apples, and apricots all dry well.
- Try freezing spinach, pumpkin, onions, and berries.
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