10 Reasons Growing Your Own Food Is Important

Growing your own food has many advantages over grocery store food. If you’re considering homegrown food, read on for ten reasons why freshly grown food is more than worth the effort.

1. Freshly Grown Food Tastes Better

If you ever enjoyed a meal prepared directly from the garden then you know the truth– freshly grown food just tastes better. Picking your own fruits and vegetables exactly when they are at their peak ripeness, then immediately enjoying them is by far the best way to eat the best food.

2. Gardening Is A Great Natural Workout

Gardening requires physical movement– think of bending over activities, pulling weeds, harvesting crops, digging, raking, watering, and planting all equal serious calories being burned. Not to mention, some of the huge benefits exercise provides like stress reduction, a healthier heart and body. In addition, your natural gardening exercise may even help with weight loss, inspire a longer life, and naturally boost your immune system.

3. Gardening Is More Than Enjoyable, It’s Fun

Gardening and growing your own food is rewarding and fun, too. Some people even say that pulling weeds is oddly satisfying, and others report close feelings for plants they have grown. In addition there are natural ideas for homegrown food in gardens with no weeding required. We’re experimenting with some of these ideas and will reveal strategies for low weed gardens soon.

4. Freshly Grown Food Is Healthier

Freshly grown food not only tastes better– it’s healthier, too. Fruits and veggies lose their nutrients after they are picked, and the more time that passes, the more nutrients that are lost. Fruits and vegetables that are imported in from far away have often sat for long periods of time. Homegrown veggies and fruits can be picked right before they are eaten, allowing them to retain their maximum nutritional value.

5. Grow Your Own Food and Save Money

If you are considering a full blown homestead or a simple garden you can save money by growing some of your own food. Going to the store to buy food can become expensive. There are of course travel expenses that may include gas, auto expenses or whatever method used to get to the store. On top of that, the cost of food varies based on the season and the store location. When you grow your own food that eliminates all of these costs and naturally you save money.

6. You Have More Control Over Your Own Homegrown Food

Growing your own food means you have more control over how your fruit and vegetables are grown. In your own garden, only you control what kinds of pesticides are used. If your pesticides are all natural or full of chemicals, that is up to you. You decide when your homegrown food gets harvested. You decide exactly what you grow, and the size of your garden. When you are growing your own food, naturally you have abundant flexibility and much better control than buying food in the grocery store.

7. Homegrown Food Makes Your Homestead More Sustainable

More and more people are getting back to the old ways of growing your own food because it makes your homestead more sustainable. If you are considering off-grid living, sustainability is probably an important goal or something you are already doing. Some people are even turning city lot grass into food forests and gardens. Growing your own food minimizes dependence on the grid, and makes your homestead more self-sustaining. For anyone who likes to be prepared for emergencies that could last long enough that stores or food supplies are affected, homegrown food can be very useful.

8. It Helps Fight SAD

The changing of seasons brings with it something called Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD. For many people, when fall turns to winter, serious depression kicks in. The lack of sunlight is the diagnosed cause. Nature is known to be a great remedy for many illnesses. To help with the fight against SAD, consider gardening, because if you grow cold weather crops, this helps to keep you outside during key moments in the year. In addition to the needed sun exposure, just walking through a garden with plants that create oxygen can be invigorating.

9. The Satisfaction Of Growing Your Own Food

Freshly grown food is amazing because there’s just something about knowing you grew the carrot you are eating. Just imagine, make the effort and then experience your bountiful harvest because there is nothing better than the fulfillment and satisfaction of growing your own food.

10. Growing Your Own Food For Less Wasted Food

The amount of food wasted in the United States is estimated to be 30-40 percent of the food supply. With the amount of homelessness and hunger in the world it doesn’t help to participate in wasteful habits. You can help to reduce the waste produced by your home when you grow your own food, You will not have containers of produce going to waste because you harvest only what you need for each meal.

Wrap Up

This is a small list of just ten reasons to grow your own food, but there are many reasons. Experience some of the many benefits for yourself and share your own favorite reason. Start gardening today.