Even if the offending pastries aren’t actually in front of me, they can still be just as vivid and tempting in my mind.  After all, don’t I have a car in the driveway?  Can’t I just hop into it and drive to the nearest doughnut store and order anything I want…quick…convenient…FATTENING!!!  Then there is the distinct possibility that I could pass that fast food place on my frenzied way to the doughnut shop; will I be able to resist all that lush, fatty goodness just waiting for me inside?

These images of delicious food always haunt me to a certain extent because I love food, but when I am on a diet, they reach mega proportions in my mind, tempting me to go on a food frenzy through every major fast food place I can find within a five mile radius.

On the other hand, I can always go to the grocery store and buy lots of brownie mix to make and devour at home.  Of course, while I am baking them, I will attempt to convince myself that I will eat only one brownie.  Okay, okay, only two!  Well, definitely NOT more than three brownies, I swear!  I then continue to justify going to the store expressly to buy brownie mix by telling myself that I will take the remaining brownies that are left after my husband and kids have their share and march self- righteously to the neighbor’s house.  I will ring my neighbor’s doorbell and give them the offending brownies while smiling innocently with bits of brownie stuck in my teeth and declare that I made the brownies specifically for them.

This scene has yet to happen, however.  My neighbors have no idea how many imaginary brownies and cookies they have missed out on.  What really happens instead is that I buy two brownie mixes in the middle of the day when no one else is home, bake them, eat at least half the pan, then move the other half to a smaller pan so my husband and kids are none the wiser when they come home.  Then, any leftover brownies that my kids and husband haven’t eaten will be consumed in secret by me either late at night when everyone is in bed or early in the morning before anyone gets up.

Oh the shame!  Mind you, this could all happen almost the same way if my diet breakdown happened with fast food.  The only difference is that fast food wrappers are much easier to dispose of, therefore the secret is much easier to keep.

The funny thing is that I don’t go this overboard with food when I am NOT on a diet.  No, I only eat these excessive amounts when they are strictly forbidden.  When I am on a diet, I go days and days eating healthy and then, bam!  I break down and eat as much food as my poor stomach can handle.

So, I have decided to approach my diet differently from now on.  I am going to allow for slower weight loss and a little bit more food.  Yes, I will eat my usual low fat diet with lots of veggies and fruit, but if I want a brownie, I may have ONE brownie on occasion.  No more forbidden food for me.  I am sure donuts will still tantalizingly call my name and greasy, fast food restaurants will still grip me in their passionate, yet fattening embrace, but instead of forbidding them, I will just eat them less often and in smaller portions.

This feels right to me and no diet has ever felt “right” to me before.  So, maybe we can all find that happy medium that we can live with.  It will probably be different for everyone but for me personally, I believe that if I don’t forbid anything, I won’t lose control.  I will be good most of the time and bad occasionally.  I can live with that.

Upon entering the car, my husband and I began the same discussion we always have on this occasion: do we go to the superstore a few miles away and take advantage of the large sales they provide?  Or, do we head a few miles farther to the locally owned market, which features predominantly local products?

Occasionally, when we need non-perishable items in more abundance, the superstore will win out.  However, over the last five years we have been choosing the local market more and more.  This isn’t due to loyalty to our state, the store, or even a youthful desire to stick it to the corporate dominance that permeates our society.  It is based on one simple fact: the food is better.

Every time we have gone to the local market, we have picked up food that is fresher, tastier and containing less chemicals.  It hasn’t been frozen for transport.  This fact is especially apparent when you look at the local produce sitting next to the imported foods.  They are riper and the colors are twice as vibrant.  I know from experience that the taste is much better as well.

This has put me solidly on the side of  the Local vs. Imported argument.  The debate over whether or not there is any real benefit to eating locally obviously involves the argument for boosting the local economy, but that isn’t the biggest issue for me.

The most pressing questions in my mind are:  What are the health benefits and what do they do for my wallet?

Local Food and Your Health

One of the biggest rules of produce is that the longer it has been separated from the earth, the less nutrients it will hold.  The moment a vegetable or fruit is picked it will begin to lose its’ nutrients, vitamins and minerals.  Imported food is frozen during transport to minimize this process, slowing it down while the produce is sent between states, or across borders.

This is fine when dealing with things you wouldn’t normally be able to buy in your region, or when something is out of season.  But, why settle for less nutritious foods that are not as good for your health when they grow the same thing in the next town?  You can buy fresh produce straight from the farms and markets, or from stores that specialize in local wares.

This will ultimately prove better for you and your family and not just because of the vitamin-packed nature of healthy foods.  You are also less likely to find fat-filled, preservative-ridden, cardboard cut out meals in your frozen food section that are packaged nearby.  This can only improve your dietary habits, as even so-called “healthy” meals in this form are usually the closest thing to rubbish you can find without eating the packaging it came in.

Local Food and Your Budget

One of the most common reasons I hear from people about why they go with non-local food is that they can’t afford to do otherwise.  This is strange logic.  I believe it is often created by the mentality that “good food” is more costly.  In this case, it really isn’t the case.

Organic food can be more expensive, locally grown or not.   However, produce that has been grown in your home state and sold at small markets or state-specific chains are actually very cheap.  The market my family and I go  to is so affordable that we have cut $200 a month from our original shopping bill.  We even buy local canned and bottled foods and bread that is made in-store, which gives us the same benefits as all local food… and is better on our bank account.

Local Food, the Economy and the Environment

Local food has a serious effect on your state’s finances, which is something people don’t always take into account.  States that have more options for regional farmers to sell in cities and towns will fare better because they have their own trade industry.  This also keeps huge chains from taking over completely, which can be bad for small business.

The environment is another positive of local foods.  Less transport means less fossil fuels.  This means the reduction of pollution in the air,  less drain on natural resources and fewer vehicles on the road.  With global warming, one of the highly debated issues of the day and the Gulf Coast oil spill becoming one of the worst environmental disasters in history, buying local is a major plus.

The Bottom Line

Is local food better?  It depends on who you ask.  If I am the one giving the opinion, I would say absolutely.  Whether you are buying organic or not, there is no denying that there are major pros to the purchase and consumption of produce grown in your area.

If you have been considering buying local, start looking around your city.  I am sure you will find plenty of open markets, local stores and even co-ops that will allow you to fill up your basket for a few bucks.

It is certainly worth looking into.