Travel Tips

Locavores: Dine Like a Local On the Road

Have you heard foodies using the term “locavore?” No, it doesn’t mean you’re dining with the crazies. It’s actually an important local food movement that also affects travel.

Here’s the deal: The locavore concept refers eating items sourced from a certain radius.

That way you know your dining dollars are going toward the local economy, while saving on energy that would otherwise go toward transporting and preserving those goods.

The good news is it’s getting easier than ever to dine like locavore.

The first step is to drive right past those fast-food or chain restaurants. Do not pass go, and do not collect $200. Now get off the highway.

The Web site RoadFood.com offers listings of non-franchised, locally owned and inexpensive restaurants on America’s back roads.

The site EatWellGuide.org allows travelers to make local, sustainable, and organic foods part of their experience.

It has a “Plan A Trip” section where you can enter your route and then filter results to include locally owned farms, bakeries and restaurants.

Or, when planning your pit stop, check DineGreen.com to find Certified Green Restaurants that will appear along your trip.

Certified Green Restaurants must meet specific standards of sustainability, so you can be sure that your money is going to the right place–locals.

For more ideas, try Locavores on the Loose: American Gourmet Grocery Stores.

Find more ideas in our Culinary Travel section.

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