Healthy Appetite

THE BENEFITS OF EATING A LOCALLY SOURCED DIET

By Ben Gaskins

Some delicious TacoDeli tacos. Photo by Robert Espinosa

n ever-increasing number of community residents are seeking out locally produced food for their tables. Many Austin locals suggest that the benefits of consuming locally sourced food are important and considerable: local food often tastes better, creates local economic opportunities, provides added health benefits, and helps reduce environmental damage.

Local food is a broad term that can include all food types as long as it is grown, harvested, raised, and processed within the area; many locals use a 100-mile rule. It can be found at farmers markets, roadside stands, grocery stores, food co-ops, communitysupported agriculture programs (CSAs), restaurants, and home gardens. Sometimes it’s packaged in jars and cans, like nut butter or applesauce, but more often it’s left unpackaged—frequently free of preservatives and hormones, with availability often seasonally determined.

Local food looks and tastes better. Locally grown crops are typically picked at their peak and brought directly to market. Local farmstead products are handcrafted for best flavor. Local livestock products are processed close-at-hand and typically in small facilities rather than large industrial plants or factories.

Eating locally sourced foods can lead to happier, healthier bodies. The shorter the time from farm to table means fewer food nutrients get lost in transit. According to PicNik CEO Naomi Seifter, food from long distances often goes bad in trucks, planes, trains, and warehouses well before it gets to your kitchen.

“Eating clean can transform every piece of your life,” Seifter said. “Eating clean helps your mood, your demeanor, your willpower, your attitude, your physique, your skin, your hair, your nails, your energy, your outlook on life, your motivation and your consciousness.”

Choosing to eat locally

Robert Espinosa. Photo by TacoDeli.

“Eating clean can transform every piece of your life.”

-Naomi Seifter, PicNik CEO

Outside view of PicNik. Photo by Naomi Seifter

A busy TacoDeli afternoon. Photo by TacoDeli.

produced foods offers a satisfying range of advantages that extend from food freshness and quality to community economics and cultural enrichments. It is a blessing that local food stocks are available year-round in the Austin community.

Local foods can be tough to afford sometimes, but certain restaurant owners, like Seifter, will go the extra mile to help the Austin community, according to Robert Espinosa, co-founder of Austin restaurant Tacodeli.

“I remember early on when the farmers’ markets started [in Austin], we would start to try to source eggs—that was back in the early 2000s.” Espinosa said. “Prices were so high that it was really hard to justify going in that direction. But we kept trying.”

Because local foods can be so hard to access at times, sticking with the program and not going away from locally sourced foods has been tough.

“That’s why we make everything in house from scratch,” Espinosa said. “Nothing has crazy ingredients in it. We know what’s in it, so that’s always been kind of part of our mentality.“

Having started using local ingredients, Espinosa and Seifter will not stop. Seifter loves that she has created a restaurant that is so good for the community and also tastes amazing.

“I think it is only a matter of time before the majority of people in this country recognize that food is the biggest saving grace in our journey towards health,” Seifter said. “It’s absolutely magical what can happen when you improve your diet.”

Seifter had a lot of stomach troubles so she

started a paleo diet, which is food like meat, nuts, and fruit. After starting a paleo diet, she felt so much better. “Once I discovered the Paleo diet, it helped me so much, bringing my energy levels up and fixing all of my dietary issues,” Seifter said. “I wanted to help all around me” with those same issues and that’s when I really got serious about PicNik.” Even when it has been hard, Espinosa knows that sticking to locally sourced food can help everyone in the Austin community. “The better the ingredients and the better the quality of the proteins or the vegetables, the less you really need to do to the food.” Espinosa said. “We don’t add a bunch of crazy ingredients to a subpar piece of meat to make it palatable. So I think

there’s elegance and simplicity, and there’s the flavor and just how you feel after eating.“ “We are so proud “There is so much happening!!” Seifter said, “We of this great are launching our first three products into grocery stores company, and we and truthfully, we are all just really loving life. We are so just can’t wait to share the future proud of this great company, and we just can’t wait to share the future with you.” with you.” -Naomi Seifter, PicNik CEO

Indoor view of PicNik. Photo by Naomi Seifter.