Healthy eating in Richmond – Go Green, Eat Green

Living in a downtown Richmond apartment (or anywhere else in the area) with a gourmet kitchen gives rise to good eating habits. The cleaner and more updated the kitchen, the more apt you’ll use it to prepare healthful meals. In Richmond, there is no shortage of resources for organic and local produce, meats, and dairy to supplement your diet.

The “local food” movement encourages residents to shop farmers’ markets and stores specializing in locally or regionally grown products – not just for the health benefits they provide, but also to better sustain our natural resources. The more people buy from their immediate area, the less transportation is involved in shipping food. This cuts down on gas and exhaust pollution.

If you are interested in feeling healthier and helping the environment improve as well, be sure to check out these great resources for your next meal, and many more to come.

17th Street Farmers Market (100 N. 17th St.) – You’ll find fresh fruits and vegetables, baked goods and coffee here four days a week during the season. Various food-centric festivals are hosted here year-round, including July’s Shockoe Tomato Festival and November’s Brunswick Stew fest.

Ellwood Thompson’s Local Market (4 N. Thomspon St.) – Considered by Richmond residents as the place to shop for organic produce and cheese, Ellwood Thompson’s specializes in quality organic food from family-owned farms, including wine and beer. Pick up strawberries grown in Nelson County, crabs from the Chesapeake Bay, or a hot meal to go.

Good Foods Grocery (3062 Stony Point Road) – All-natural products are found here, everything from organic milk to biodegradable toilet paper. Good Foods specializes in gluten-free and wheat-free products for people with allergies, and hosts a number of monthly events and lectures on nutrition and wellness.

Buy local, eat local, and savor the taste of Richmond.

Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer specializing in articles on travel and tourism.