EAT FRESH, IT’S A HEALTHY CHOICE
Eat fresh produce for a more balanced diet and to provide the vitamins and minerals your body needs. Local food is healthier and tastier, not to mention good for the planet, good for your community, and good for your spirit.
At Viking Village, there is an abundance of fresh produce. Fresh means foods are not preserved by canning, dehydration, smoking, or freezing and no chemicals, dyes, or preservatives have been added to the food. Your freshest foods are going to be those that are local to you. This is because the produce is picked on demand and has minimal travel time to get to the store. At Viking Village, many produce items are homegrown in Wisconsin such as asparagus, cucumbers, apples, and sweet corn.
Shipping is a terrible thing to do to vegetables.
They probably get jet-lagged, just like people.
– Elizabeth Berry
WHY EAT FRESH?
Not only is buying fresh, local foods beneficial to the community, it is also beneficial to your body. Fresh foods have the best balance of water, nutrients, and fiber to meet your body’s needs. The fiber in produce will help you feeling full longer and the abundance of vitamins and minerals found in fresh produce can fight off illness and disease. Eating fresh also helps you keep your health. The nutrients in fresh food will help your skin glow, look refreshed, and energize your body and mind. There are no preservatives or chemicals that can be harmful to your body over time.
Another great benefit of eating fresh is no sodium, sugar, spices, or other condiments are needed. The flavor of fresh produce is at its peak and your tastebuds are sure to enjoy it! One of the best benefits of eating fresh and local produce is it is considered environmentally friendly. Less energy is used in transportation expenses, packaging, storage, washing, refrigerating or heating, etc. Also, money spent on local produce stays within the community.
SHOP FRESH
To eat fresh produce, it’s good to know when items are in season. The Wisconsin Produce Calendar is one resource that will help. For example, there is an abundance of fruit in the summer months due to their growing season, which usually means the fruit is at a cheaper price.
Shop the perimeter of the grocery store to find the freshest and most nutrient-abundant foods. Fortunately, Viking Village offers a great selection of fresh produce and if there is ever something you would like the store to carry, please see Customer Care with your request.
Dishin’ Out Healthy’s Health Educator – Nichelle Hoege
Find out more about the benefits of buying local. View our post: Locally Grown Benefits
