Eating Locally in Columbus

Many people have misconceptions about eating locally grown. They think it is hard to do in the Midwest. They think it is too expensive. They don't think it has any benefits.

None of these are true. Columbus has several great farmer's markets that run from May through October. These include North Market, Clintonville, Pearl Alley, and Worthington. The Worthington Farmer's Market even has an indoor winter market now, where meat producers and farmers growing cellar-able produce (apples, squash, onions, and potatoes) can continue to sell their goods.

It is not just fruits and vegetables. I can buy my chicken, pork, and beef, eggs, cheese (from Bellefontaine’s Blue Jacket Dairy, you’ve got to try their Gretna Grillin’ Cheese), and even milk (from Ohio producer Snowville Creamery, which raises pasture-fed cows given no antibiotics or hormones). It has gotten to the point where sometime the only items on my shopping list that I don’t get from a local source are cereal, pasta, bread, alcohol, and spices. If you really wanted to, locally made pasta and bread are available inside the North Market. There are also several breweries and wineries in Ohio, many of whose products are available at some local stores.

There are many benefits associated with eating local food, without even taking into account organic food. You are supporting the local economy (which is why we should eat at locally owned restaurants as well). You are helping the environment because your food isn’t being shipped across the country or halfway around the world. But ultimately, produce picked earlier that same day just tastes fresher and better than what’s been sitting at the grocery store for a week. In addition, some research has shown that organic food has more nutrients.

Buying local doesn’t always mean spending more. Sure, buying organic produce and humanely raised meat might cost slightly more. That is partly because their growth requires more human labor and care. But markets sell conventionally grown food as well. When comparing prices with my neighborhood Giant Eagle and Kroger, the farmers’ market often wins out. For example, bell peppers might be $2.99/lb, which is about 2-3 peppers. At the market, those fresh-picked peppers are often 2 or 3 for $1. A half-gallon of Snowville Creamery skim milk is $2.99; the same amount of the store-brand organic is $3.89. Tomatoes, corn, and green beans are often the same price both places.

Am I a snob about eating locally? Absolutely not! I get to the market when I can. I try to buy Ohio brands at the store and eat at locally owned restaurants (like El Arepazo, Tip Top, and Burgundy Room, my favorites). But we are all tight on time and/or money. So I have no problem grabbing a box of mac & cheese or a package of chicken breasts from Giant Eagle if I’m in a hurry. In the winter particularly, I shop at the regular ol’ grocery store guilt-free. And you don’t want to know how often my household orders pizza from national chains.

But the idea is to make an effort. If we all try to eat locally some of the time, we’ll be helping the environment, our local economy, and our bodies while we eat delicious tasting food. And that is better than not trying at all.

In addition to the farmers' market links above, which contain location and time information, here are some Columbus-area blogs that advocate cooking and dining out locally:

Restaurant Widow

Columbus Foodie

More Bread and Cheese, Please! (this is my personal food blog; although I don't constantly push eating locally, I do publish many recipes made with seasonal, locally available ingredients)

And a few more sources:

Ohio Proud (to find markets in your area)

Eat the Seasons (to find out what's in season today)