June 26, 2006
'Locavores' Prefer Local Food When Dining Out
by Eat Right Montana
We’re all familiar with the terms herbivore, carnivore, and omnivore. But have you ever heard of the term “locavore?” Well, it’s time to add it to your vocabulary, because this group is growing rapidly.
Locavore is a newly coined term to describe people committed to eating food that is grown locally. Their reasons are many, including environmental concerns, social and economic issues, sustainability, nutrition, and flavor preferences.
Locavores, like the rest of the population, also enjoy eating out. In fact, almost half of the American food dollar is spent on food eaten away from home. But is it possible to eat locally produced foods when dining out?
“Absolutely,” according to Eric Stenberg, a Bozeman resident who is national chair of The Chefs Collaborative, an organization promoting local foods and a sustainable food supply. “More and more consumers are recognizing the importance of a healthy local food supply and are, therefore, looking for these items when they go out to eat.”
The Chefs Collaborative, headquartered in Boston, has within its mission a commitment to embrace seasonality, preserve diversity and traditional practices, and support local economies.
“Eating locally produced food definitely keeps the money within the community and helps to connect the consumer to the farmer.” Stenberg said. “There is a great value in having a connection to your source of food. Local food is also fresher and very nutritious. There’s no need to harvest until the optimal ripeness since you don’t have to worry about transporting it over great distances.”
Stenberg also discussed the benefits of serving locally produced food from the restaurateur’s perspective.
“It’s pretty easy to find great sources of local food, especially meats. As far as produce goes, it does create challenges but also opportunities. You really need to think seasonally and change your menu accordingly. Changing your menu allows for lots of creativity and is good for business as well.”
How easy is it to find local food while eating out? The easiest strategy is to ask! There are also two resources that contain expanding lists of restaurants that serve local food. One is a guide developed by the The Chefs Collaborative, available online at www.chefscollaborative.org. The other is an interactive map developed by a group called FoodRoutes: http://foodroutes.org.
Ultimately, consumer demand will determine the success of restaurants committed to serving locally grown foods. With rising concerns among consumers about the globalization of the food supply, many people are expressing a desire to return to a diet of foods produced more locally. As this population expands, the restaurants responding by offering local cuisine will undoubtedly find themselves busy.
More Tips to Healthy Restaurant Meals
Here are some other tips for ensuring that your restaurant meal is a healthy meal:
- If “All You Can Eat Buffet” is the main message on the restaurant sign, proceed cautiously.
- If time constraints dictate “fast food,” look for a restaurant that offers fruit and yogurt combinations instead of French fries, or grilled chicken sandwiches instead of fried chicken.
- Is nutrition information on the menu? If not ask for it. It’s usually available somewhere in the restaurant.
- Keep healthy snacks on hand in your car so that you don’t have to make a hasty restaurant selection because you are STARVING! Dried fruit, nuts, and apples all keep well and pack a good nutritional punch.
- Select menu items carefully. How a food is prepared can determine its nutritional value. Choose steamed, grilled, poached, baked, or roasted over fried.
- When ordering salads, ask for the dressing on the side – and opt for the “lite” dressing.
- Unless the restaurant has a famous appetizer, avoid filling up on pre-meal items. The meal alone is usually perfectly satisfying.
- Need dessert? Try a selection with fresh fruit and avoid the high-fat, high-sugar options.
- Watch your portion sizes! Did you know that the size of dinner plates in this country has increased over the past 40 years in order to accommodate our expanding portion sizes? Ask whether a restaurant offers half-size portions. If not, ask for a to-go box and save half of your meal to enjoy the next day.
(Eat Right Montana is a coalition promoting healthy eating and active lifestyles. Sponsors are the American Heart Association, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana, Montana Beef Council, Montana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Montana Dietetic Association, MSU Extension Service, Montana Office of Public Instruction, Montana Team Nutrition Program, North Dakota WIC Program, and Western Dairy Council. For more information, visit www.montanadieteticassociation.org.)
