Give Thanks to Mother Earth!
The week of Thanksgiving is finally upon us! Before you let the turkey legs and stuffing crumbs and mashed potatoes fly across the table, give the gift of ultimate thanks to our beautiful planet by chowing down on sustainably grown, organic, and local ingredients!
Back to Basics
There is a no more sustainable, no more healthy, and no more scrumptious way to feast than with food that is grown and plucked from the earth itself. Organic roasted potatoes, unprocessed crispy vegetables, non-GMO meats…the original Thanksgiving meal of legend didn’t include factory-made foods, so why should your meal be shortchanged with artificial ingredients?
Shopping for organic produce and products has gained a reputation for being expensive and inconvenient, but this stigma is greatly exaggerated! The cost of purchasing local, organic fruits and vegetables is mere dollars more expensive than their pesticide-ridden counterparts; and it’s no secret that the GMO alternatives are staggeringly more costly for your body in the long run.
Free-range meats like poultry and steak to tend to be pricier than their mass-produced counterparts, however, so keep that in mind while strolling down the grocery aisle!
Tips for an Organic Thanksgiving
Choosing to prepare an organic thanksgiving meal doesn’t throw much of a wrench in the seasonal shopping list! The key to a breezy trip to the store is to ask yourselves these questions:
- Are there local grocers near me?
- Is this USDA organic or non-GMO certified?
- Is the product locally produced?
…and that’s about it! Local grocers typically carry local products, and even if your local store doesn’t sell exclusively organic foods, an organic section will most likely be available. As for the certified organic label on dry food, it’s usually in plain sight on the front of the product packaging. If you’re still unsure, read the ingredients on the back of the package; more often than not, it will identify its organic ingredients with an asterisk. Sometimes the packaging can be a little vague, so remember to read the fine print to ensure what you’re buying is truly organic!
Organic Online Shopping
The Internet has become wise to our desire for non-GMO food, and frankly it’s happy to deliver! For those Thanksgiving shoppers who prefer to stay indoors while they stock up, click on these excellent cyber stores to get organic products shipped to your doorstep:
- localharvest.org (for sustainably grown, organic retailers in your region)
- shopnatural.com (for both organic and specialty foods in one click)
- amazon.com (for dry organic goods)
- theorganicwinecompany.com (for a hearty, organic adult beverage)
Don’t be afraid to ask Google to help you locate more specific or difficult ingredients! Also, many gourmet stores like Whole Foods will sell a large selection of lesser known ingredients, especially for vegans, vegetarians, and gluten-intolerant eaters.
No matter how you buy it, each plate of food stacked with sustainably grown, organic food is a little (but special) thank you to the planet!
Happy Thanksgiving from the Purple Fig!