If you were to ask most nutrition-savvy people, they will tell you precisely why homegrown produce is always miles better than the stuff they sell in the supermarkets. As a matter of fact, it would not be wrong to surmise that store-bought veggies and fruits won’t be able to outshine homegrown stuff. This is because homegrown produce has many proven nutritional values and advantages that the usual supermarket variety produce tends to lack. If you were to opt for your very own homegrown fruits and vegetables, you will be able to bring better nutrition and flavor to your dinner table. Let us check out some of the more important benefits of homegrown over store-bought items:
Low Cost and More Variety
When you grow your own meals, you can save out on the intermediaries. Store-bought produce has the store’s profits tucked in. Not to mention the transportation charges, the wholesaler rates, and the profit of the farmers too. All of these things add to the final purchase price of your fruit or vegetable. When you grow them yourself, you won’t have to pay all of these extra costs. Apart from that, there is the question of variety as well. Look at it this way. You go to a supermarket and purchase what you see there. If they don’t stock your favorite product, that is just that. For example, if you want a certain type of tomato and they don’t have it, well, you are fresh out of luck. However, when you opt for homegrown you can grow pretty much anything you want, and pluck it ripe and fresh, straight from its branch.
Less Waste of Food
Organic waste is one the most common components of landfills in the world, and it is the leading source of methane emissions. According to estimates, one-third of the food that is produced for consumption is wasted globally. But if you make your own garden, none of the fruits and vegetables are wasted. You will make every attempt to consume or preserve all of the garden’s produce. Whatever scraps or trimmings you don’t eat will be composted and returned to the garden as fertilizers When you take care of your garden, you will acknowledge the value of the vegetables much more. Just make sure you build the right environment for your vegetable to grow in your vegetable gardening, such as attracting Pollinators.
Rich Texture and Authentic Taste
It is accepted by most experts that whole foods have far more authentic flavor than their commercially grown counterparts. Apart from that, they are also quite rich in texture. This has a lot to do with the fact that many, if not most homegrown whole foods are just simply packed with all kinds of great nutrients that we need. The naturally grown chemical-free vegetables have more minerals and nutrients than conventionally developed chemically cultivated vegetables. These include minerals, vitamins as well as antioxidants, and even fiber too. This makes them not just more wholesome, but also more delicious too. Some common and easy to grow examples include celery sticks, tomatoes, and cucumbers.
Distances and Storage Matters
All fruit and vegetables are basically perishable items. This means they start to deteriorate as soon as they are harvested. With supermarket veggies, the time from harvesting to shelf space can easily take up to a week. This means that they lose their vital nutrients over time. With imported veggies, this process can often take weeks. In the long run, this means that most of the things that make them so good to eat, won’t be there when you put them in your salad dish. When you are just going to pluck them from the plant and rinse them, and pop them into your mouth, you might end up with over a hundred percent more nutrients than if you got the same stuff from the supermarket. There are times when you can’t find the veggies that you want at all in your country, and you might even consider traveling to further places for it. For this, you can google flights, more specifically ‘how to find cheap flights’ so you save money but also taste those delicious foreign veggies.
Grow Lights and Indoor Vegetables
If you are really interested in your own indoor vegetable garden, it would be a good idea to check the PH factor of the soil you purchase. Apart from that, you will have to provide adequate ventilation as well as drainage for your fruit and vegetable plants. Finally, you will need a viable set of LED Grow lights in order to make sure that your plants grow up healthy and strong and bear fruit as soon as possible. Always remember that light is absolutely essential for the growth of your indoor fruit and vegetable garden so choose only the best grow lights you can buy.
Conclusion
It is always a better idea to grow one’s own produce than to buy from the market since homegrown plants are packed with excellent nutrients and are always fresh and wholesome. Another great advantage of homegrown plants is that they always taste better and have a richer texture than commercially grown products. As long as you have the right setup and grow lights you will be in a position to grow your own healthy and nutritious fruits and veggies.
About The Author
Freya is a Math teacher, Yoga enthusiast, and a beloved mother of three lovely daughters. She is always looking for ways to grow and help others around her thrive through self-learning, meditation, and physical fitness. When she is not teaching or spending time with her family, Freya regularly writes on topics related to self-improvement and women empowerment.