Packaged produce vs fresh produce.

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Packaged produce vs fresh produce.
Topic Started: Jun 17 2009, 05:03 PM (257 Views)
Tony	Jun 17 2009, 05:03 PM Post #1
Katorga-12 Posts: 7,026 Group: Global Support Team Member #32,550 Joined: October 15, 2004	Many people have been to a super-market; convenience store; fast-food 'restaurant'; corner-shop; take-away; etc etc and bought processed or pre-packaged, frozen produce that has been handled in a factory before traveling half-way across the country in lorries. Is there a reason for this? And what is that reason? Would it not be more supportive of your own economy if people bought locally sourced, fresh produce; and thus not having to rely on foreign imports? Many butchers can often be cheaper than super-markets, and have much better cuts of meat. Is it right to let this good quality go to waste? Rules: This is not a topic for b chain is better than q chain. It's for discussing the affects on local trade when compared with imports.



Nivexonix	Jun 20 2009, 10:50 PM Post #2
L o v e Posts: 565 Group: Members Member #90,678 Joined: January 15, 2006 I'm Browsing With Firefox 3	I fully agree that it would be better to purchase locally produced goods. It helps the local economy out. Not only that, but it is generally cheaper to purchase from a local supplier. This is due to the fact that it goes through less processes of being altered from its natural state and also less companies and businesses touch it. This prevents companies from having to hike up the price to get their share. I feel that one reason many, including my own family, purchase goods from super markets over local farmers is that there are few farmers around locally. I know that there is a weekly (or at least every-so-often) farmer's market in my local town. We don't allow ourselves to go to that. The produce is not necessarily what we eat while at home. Not only that, but not all of the crop is good. This is partially why we prefer super-markets. With local farmers, it is less likely that they will be caring around a lot of produce, unless they have the intention of selling a lot of their product directly to the consumer. (Keep in mind, that farmers do sell to companies - which is where mass amounts of money are made.) With a wider selection, even though it is the same product, we are more likely to find good, quality produce. My family is vegetarian, but we do not have a local butcher. If we do, I have never heard of them from any of my friends or anyone I know. When we lived in an area where there was a local flee market, we always shopped there. Many people gathered with their product - quite often fruits and vegetables. One issue we faced was that some vegetables that we wanted were not able to be found. Even some of the products we buy on a regular basis have to be bought at a local country-based store, not a super market. Still, I would rather help out a local farmer than buy packaged food.



Tony	Jul 2 2009, 02:24 PM Post #3
Katorga-12 Posts: 7,026 Group: Global Support Team Member #32,550 Joined: October 15, 2004	Quote: I fully agree that it would be better to purchase locally produced goods. It helps the local economy out. Not only that, but it is generally cheaper to purchase from a local supplier. This is due to the fact that it goes through less processes of being altered from its natural state and also less companies and businesses touch it. This prevents companies from having to hike up the price to get their share. To add on to this, preserving the shelf life of produce introduces chemicals which can have a change in taste; depending on the product. Freshly picked carrots will taste differently to tinned, for example. Take a chicken kiev, many people like them; many people eat them. A packaged kiev will have likely come from a cadged chicken; cut up in a factory; washed; injected with preservatives; stuffed with a bit of butter; sealed; frozen; packaged; and shipped to your local takeaway. These are tasteless, and have cost more money than they should. I don't know if anyone is able to purchase chickens from a market, but I know if you talk to a farmer, you can get some. Making your own kiev will save you some money; taste better; and be healthier than a fat/water filled takeaway. Whilst at college, I made over 100 of these; so if you need help, I'm only a first class plane ticket away. Quote: ..Not only that, but not all of the crop is good. This is partially why we prefer super-markets. With local farmers, it is less likely that they will be carting around a lot of produce, unless they have the intention of selling a lot of their product directly to the consumer. Most of the produce from a farmer can depend on the season, where certain months will see a large amount of some fruits and vegetables; but less of others. As mentioned above, if you where able to speak to a farmer, you can purchase directly from them; and they may make sure you get in before the big companies do. I don't know if it's possibly to buy a cow for the table though; as it will likely involve health and safety laws etc. Might be interesting to find out? Quote: With a wider selection, even though it is the same product, we are more likely to find good, quality produce. Most of this, however, is out of season produce; shipped in from other countries. As a side discussion (because it's my topic) how many people read the packaging of what they buy to find where it originated from? Do you buy items regardless, or do you stick to your native products? Quote: One issue we faced was that some vegetables that we wanted were not able to be found. Even some of the products we buy on a regular basis have to be bought at a local country-based store, not a super market. Still, I would rather help out a local farmer than buy packaged food. Going back to talking to farmers, would you all think they could begin to grow crops which are difficult to find? If there is no demand, there is no supply though; so possibly not. Who has the ability to grow their own produce, either in a garden, or an allotment?



Nivexonix	Jul 10 2009, 08:18 PM Post #4
L o v e Posts: 565 Group: Members Member #90,678 Joined: January 15, 2006 I'm Browsing With Firefox 3	Tony Jul 2 2009, 02:24 PM Quote: With a wider selection, even though it is the same product, we are more likely to find good, quality produce. Most of this, however, is out of season produce; shipped in from other countries. As a side discussion (because it's my topic) how many people read the packaging of what they buy to find where it originated from? Do you buy items regardless, or do you stick to your native products? I don't usually check food labels. I don't care whether an item is domestic or foreign, simply because I've grown up eating foreign food. There are instances where I would refrain from eating a certain product, but that is usually due to public health issues that I hear about. Quote: Quote: One issue we faced was that some vegetables that we wanted were not able to be found. Even some of the products we buy on a regular basis have to be bought at a local country-based store, not a super market. Still, I would rather help out a local farmer than buy packaged food. Going back to talking to farmers, would you all think they could begin to grow crops which are difficult to find? If there is no demand, there is no supply though; so possibly not. Who has the ability to grow their own produce, either in a garden, or an allotment? I don't think farmers would/could begin to grow crops which are difficult to find. Take Azafran, for example. It's used widely in Indian cooking, but it is only local to Spain (I believe). Crops such as that would require importing and I simply don't think that they would be able to grow in the soil we have here. Also, I cannot grow my own produce. We don't have fertile soil, at all. Our plants usually die and weeds come up. We do have a friend who lives about 5 to 8 miles away (8-13 kilometers) who is able to grow produce and often gives us the peppers they have. (My family loves hot food.)



Brandon	Jul 25 2009, 05:12 PM Post #5
Posts: 22,393 Group: Admin Member #1 Joined: September 14, 2002 I'm Browsing With Safari 4	Tony Jul 2 2009, 02:24 PM I don't know if it's possibly to buy a cow for the table though; as it will likely involve health and safety laws etc. Might be interesting to find out? http://www.wordspy.com/words/cowpooling.asp



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