By Hancock Healthy Times staff | Experts say that being mindful of where your food comes from can benefit both your own health and the environment. Megan Carrier, a registered dietitian at Einstein Healthcare Network, explains that “locally grown” means the food doesn’t need a plane, a train, or a long-haul truck to get to the store. It usually is grown within about 400 miles of the store where it is sold.

Ms. Carrier listed several health and environmental benefits of locally grown food:

• Because it doesn’t travel very far, locally grown food reduces gasoline costs and emissions. These contribute to climate change.
• Fruits and vegetables grown nearby are fresher. When they have to travel from a far distance, they are picked early, before they can fully ripen—otherwise, they would be rotten by the time they reached the store.
• When people buy locally grown food, they are supporting local farmers.

Illustration by Vicente, 4th grade, Cole Manor E.S.