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The latest news from the White House is that the First Family are becoming locavores - eating local food that has been grown right in the grounds of the White House in their new kitchen garden. Michelle Obama has broken the ground for the new vegetable plot, with the help of local school children. Whilst they have some things that we don't have (large greenhouses, plenty of space, full time gardeners, etc), it's easy enough to add home grown food to your menu and when you do you can be sure that it's free from pesticides and chemical fertilisers, safe and healthy to eat and hasn't added to the carbon footprint of your dinner. A few herbs in pots on the windowsill, or maybe a row of lettuce in the flower border, are a great start to a locavore lifestyle.

Outside of whatever food you can grow yourself, being a locavore is all about tracking down food that has been produced in your local area. If you live in farming country then you may find it easy - farmer's markets are increasingly popular and allow you to buy food direct from your neighbors. You may discover local sources of meat, vegetables, dairy products and flour are right on your doorstep - giving you high quality, healthy food at reasonable prices.

In towns and cities you may have to do a little bit more detective work. There may be a little deli downtown that stocks local products and it's worth seeing what's available in ethnic areas as they usually use different suppliers and stock speciality items. Again, there may be a farmer's market once a week or once a month, where you can stock up.

When you're a locavore you'll not only discover the regional specialities of your area (a part of every culture that is well worth preserving) but you will discover the joys of eating with the seasons. Spring greens, asparagus, strawberries and raspberries all have quite short growing seasons in most parts of the world - but by eating fresh, local produce you'll get the very best flavor and the most health benefits, and when one fruit or vegetable is off the menu there are plenty of others to take its place. Eating locally and seasonally is a great way to add variety to your meals.

In essence, being a locavore is about doing your homework. You'll need to read labels to find out where food has come from, do a little detective work to find out where companies ship their food to be processed, and head off the beaten track to find out where the best food is sold. Keep an eye out for fliers advertising the farmer's market, and let friends and family know you're on the lookout for local food. Get to know the shopkeepers in your independent stores - they will be pleased to help you with your quest.

Whever you live in the world, you're going to find that there are limits to the items you can source locally. If you're a caffeine addict then you may need to allow coffee as an exception to your locavore rules. Or perhaps you can't live without tea, spices or soy milk. It doesn't matter. Being a locavore is a journey towards eating locally - start by replacing the easy items in your larder with local alternatives and work your way up to the harder ones and the things you really can't live without. Sow a few seeds of your own, and when you find a great local product don't forget to tell everyone you know about it!

And have a look at the 'Animal, Vegetable, Miracle' website (http://www.animalvegetablemir acle.com), which has a lot of information about finding local food resources, all the recipes that were included in the book of the same name, and gives you an opportunity to share your locavore experiences as well.

Learn more about this author, Emma Cooper.
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