The Benefits of Homegrown Produce: From Improving Health to Preserving the Environment

The Benefits of Homegrown Produce: From Improving Health to Preserving the Environment

Seeds. Soil. Sun. Bring on the gardening fun! As of tomorrow, we’ll officially be in May and we thought now would be the best time to share what this month signifies for many: the start of growing season!

Whether you have a green thumb or are a beginner cultivator, reading up on the benefits of homegrown produce is sure to be a good thyme! To learn how growing produce in the comfort of your own backyard helps to improve health, preserve the environment, and more, keep reading!

Benefits of Homegrown Vegetables

Cost-Effective

Tired of spending copious amounts of money on produce every time you grocery shop? Try growing your own crops instead to save some serious coin.

The price of a package of seeds is almost comparable to the cost of a single fruit or vegetable so if you’d like to get more bang for your buck, throwing in a few gardening packets into your cart will do your wallet some good. You can also save on the overpriced organic produce grocery stores offer by growing your own fruits and vegetables. Why pay for one head of organic Romaine when you can grow multiple of them in your own backyard?! And not to mention in several varieties, too. 

Fresher + Tastier + More Nutrient-Dense

Have you ever purchased a bag of seemingly perfect apples to only bite into one and have it taste utterly bland? Yep, the absolute worst. Once produce is distributed to big-box supermarkets, they’re usually stowed away in storage or left on shelves for prolonged periods of time, where they can lose freshness, flavor, and even nutritional value. But when you grow your own fruits and vegetables, it’s easy to take them straight from garden to the table once they’re both fully-grown and ready for some serious munchin.’

It’s also important to note that the quality of soil your crops grow in will play a role in how they taste. If your soil contains vital nutrients and minerals and is free of pesticides, produce is bound to be more nutrient-dense and in turn, tastier. Simply put, the type of nutrients you feed your soil will yield more nutrient-dense food. Remember that food in its rawest form is always the most nutritional and beneficial to our health!

Free of Hazardous Toxins

One of the most notable benefits of homegrown produce is that it doesn’t contain hazardous toxins. Unfortunately, in modern agriculture, produce is rarely free of pesticides and herbicides. And while these chemicals may help deter pests such as fungi, insects, and even diseases from produce, they bring a lot of harm to the environment. So, when it comes to growing your own produce, ensure that you’re spritzing them with some good ol’ H20 and not any chemicals.

When you grow your own fruits and vegetables the most natural way possible, it serves a greener purpose and benefits not only the health of those consuming this food but the health of the environment, too.

Better for the Environment

Growing your own produce is the most eco-friendly way to enjoy what the earth has to offer without bringing it any harm. Think of it this way: When you purchase produce from a supermarket, think about the process it took for it to get there, from production to distribution. The long-distanced transportation of fresh produce relies heavily on the energy from fossil fuels but when it’s homegrown, transportation is dependent solely on your two feet. Another factor to keep in mind is the amount of plastic that’s required to package produce. When it comes straight from a yard, the need for wrapping and bagging is redundant. Reduced plastic waste? Sounds like a win to us!

Promotes Physical Activity

A little physical activity never hurt nobody!

When you’re immersed in the great outdoors, you’re doing something to not only benefit the environment but your health (both physical and mental), too! Spending time in the garden burns calories, can lower blood pressure, is great for joint health, tones your muscles, can relieve stress, and boost your overall mood! It also serves as an opportunity to catch up on some much-needed vitamin D, which many lack, such as those who are elderly, have a vitamin D deficient diet, and/or reside in areas with minimal sunlight throughout the year.

And there ya have it, folks! We hope you enjoyed learning some of the most noteworthy benefits of homegrown fruits and vegetables and are eager to dig into your gardens once it’s time. If you’re an avid grower, follow us on socials and share any tips and tricks you may have for a prosperous produce-planting season! And if you’re a beginner, just know that we be-leaf in ya! Bye for now.