Going local this Christmas has a number of benefits from reducing the carbon footprint of your food to getting produce that has higher welfare standards. Not only that, but you’ll be helping to support your local economy and could even save a few pennies along the way.

But while a recent survey from the East of England Co-op found that 79% think it’s important to locally source produce, only 30% are actually committing to buying local.

Christmas dinner is the perfect opportunity to finally make the leap and go local.

The roast

Whether you go for the traditional turkey or something more exotic like goose, there’s no reason not to go local. In the Co-op survey, 40% said meat was the one of the products they’d source locally if the option was available.

And by going local you’ll not only find out exactly how fresh your meat is, but it’ll also be packed properly and you’ll be able to speak to the farmer about the specific animal’s welfare standards.

You can buy such meat either fresh from the farm through their shop, at farmer’s markets or through your local butcher. While the number of butchers has dropped by nearly 60% over the past 25 years, recent data from EBLEX shows that the drop is levelling off as more people opt to shop locally.

Vegetables

With many supermarkets simply binning vegetables that don’t meet their overly strict visual requirements, now is the perfect time to go local for your sprouts, potatoes and broccoli. And it seems that people are – the East of England Co-op found that veg topped the list of products that people would most likely buy if locally-sourced alternatives were available.

You can sign up for seasonal, organic veg boxes that are delivered to your door from local providers. These often come with tips on how to cook them.

Or you could simply visit your local greengrocers. Talk to them about what’s in season and what crops have been especially good this year. You might even pick up something unusual like a celeriac or some junipers for your stuffing.

Other food

From eggs to milk, there are hundreds of local producers out there that can provide you with all the vitals you need for Christmas staples like Yorkshire puddings. Keep an eye out on your daily commute for signs offering goods for sale – these places usually only have a limited, but very fresh stock.

If you can pick up a dozen eggs on your way home from work it’ll save you another trip to the overcrowded and under stocked supermarket in the lead up to the big day.

Drinks

It’s not just your food that you can get locally – with the rise in English vineyards you can now get every sort of beverage whether you want a bit of fizz or prefer some mulled cider to wash your meal down with. Pay a visit to the vineyard or brewery to get the low down on which wines go best with your locally caught smoked salmon starter.

Our recent blog on English wines shows how popular they are becoming, with the space occupied by vineyards in England more than doubling from 2,000 in 2004 to over 4,500 acres today.

It’ll also be nice to provide your guests with a story about the history of their drinks – much more interesting than saying you picked it up with 25% off from your local supermarket.

Cheese and chutneys

Christmas markets will be popping up on every street corner this time of year so pay one a visit and see what you can pick up. Many will have locally made cheeses, chutneys and more, which make a great after dinner alternative.