Milk, a dozen eggs, chicken, broccoli, tomatoes… A grocery list can be pretty basic, and not always very precise, but increasingly, we want to give it a local flavour! We no longer just go through the motions: we look for local products on the shelves and fill our basket with Quebec-made items—and the options are only increasing.
Today, every action matters, and what we choose to put in our shopping carts can help support the local economy and make a real difference. It doesn’t have to involve a significant change to our shopping habits, and our meals will taste even better! Here are just a few tips to help you:
BUY MORE LOCAL PRODUCTS?
- Start with one product at a time. Replace items you buy regularly or a few of your staples with locally produced products. A favourite cheese, vegetable oil, special sauce, a jar of jam…
- Find out what’s out there! Spend a few minutes before heading out to the grocery store to look at their website and check out the foods you want to buy. Take the time to read the labels, ingredients and where the food you want to buy comes from. Look for items with the “Aliments du Québec” logo.
- Set yourself a challenge! Can you fill half of your shopping cart with new Quebec products? What if you only bought locally produced dairy, meats or bread items? How about only buying Quebec juice brands? However you approach it, why not turn your grocery list into gourmet treasure hunt?
5 REASONS TO buy LOCAL PRODUCTS
The entire country has been put on hold, but things will gradually begin to open up and we will be able to enjoy food shopping again. Now is the perfect time to consider what we will fill out shopping carts with. Buy local more often? Here’s why it can become second nature!
- It’s easy : it is the simplest way to help the local economy. We can all play a part, based on our interests and budget.
- It’s a show of solidarity : to support local producers and entrepreneurs for whom this health crisis has been devastating and who need us to continue to survive.
- It’s ecological : products travel shorter distances and have a smaller carbon footprint.
- It represents who we are : we can express local pride by choosing unique products and knowing where they came from
- It can liven up our meals : local products encourage us to try different dishes based on local flavours. Our meals will become exclusive creations to revel in.
What Quebec products stand out above the rest?
Be curious: as you make your way through aisles, look out for locally produced products and pop them into your cart! There are the recognizable brands, which feature the “Aliments du Québec” logo, but you can also look for where a product’s ingredients originate and where it is manufactured.
Baked goods
You like good bread, but have you tried the organic baguettes from À Chacun Son Pain? This Charlevoix bakery makes high-quality products that are sold exclusively at Rachelle Béry. You can also let yourself indulge in succulent and healthy Madame Labriski delicacies, another exclusive product of your favourite grocery store.
Meat
You pay attention to which meats you buy, considering all the various factors: your health, the animal’s diet, the producer’s ethics, etc. Whatever the cut, you can’t go wrong with poultry from Drummondville’s Ferme des Voltigeurs and organic meat from Les Viandes Biologiques de Charlevoix or local producers associated under the brand Les Farms Valens in Huntingdon. If you prefer meat alternatives while still seeking flavourful products, try Vegeat Plant Protein Foods.
Fish and Seafood
For a change to the menu, include these delicate, healthy additions. For a light supper or a “TV dinner,” we often get smoked salmon or a fresh salmon burger from Saum-Mom. For delicious seafood salads, nothing beats crab, lobster meat, shrimp or mussels from Fruits de mer du Québec. Their seafood products come from the Gaspésie, North Shore and Magdalen Islands, another exclusive product at Rachelle Béry.
Ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook meals
As easy as take-out and very healthy: try our exclusive Mandy’s gourmet salads, well-balanced delicacies from Crudessence, ready-to-eat Aux Vivres or Commensal meals, as well as vegan dishes by The Buddhist Chef.
Fruits, vegetables and fresh herbs
And, to top everything off, the continuous availability of produce and herbs that are always fresh. These fresh foods fill the produce shelves throughout the year since many of them, such as lettuce, bell peppers, and tomatoes, are grown in greenhouses. Take, for example, delicious organic Savoura tomatoes from Mirabel, organic greenhouse radishes produced by Jag in Sherrington, a Rachelle Béry exclusive, and Diva endives from Saint-Clet. And, of course, don’t forget the sprouts, which add life and flavour to salads and smoothies: Micro Pousses & Cie of Saint-Fulgence, Aquafushia of Laval and Les Jardins Picoudi of Saint-Robert.
And that’s how to jump on the Quebec bandwagon… and stay aboard!
