Back in October we told you about Localicious, World Wildlife Fund Canada's first local and sustainable restaurant event held across Canada to encourage all of us to reduce our environmental footprint by shopping for local and sustainable foods. Fifty-five restaurants took part by preparing sustainable meals and a portion of proceeds from every meal went to WWF-Canada.

This is the sort of thing we all need to do but I find it bloody hard! I've recently realized that in order to maximize our meal preparedness potential and optimize their healthfulness (read: how quickly can I make them and how healthy are they, really??), I need to shop every few days. One big shop every seven to 10 days or so is too hard to manage. Yesterday, while shopping for our next few days meals, my daughter asked if I could buy starfruit if the store had them, and I happily said yes! Of course, the store didn't have them but if they had I would have been forced to choose between a) happily buying my daughter something healthy to eat and b) not reducing the planet to a smouldering garbage heap.

So I REALLY appreciate the local buying guides that WWF-Canada is now providing. I'm going to tape it to the fridge and tell the kids to make their picks from that. This way, I'm a good mother and a good earthling.

How important is shopping locally for you and your family?

By Scotch Mommy from slice.ca (AKA Reni Walker).

Previously on Family Friday: Is it possible to ruin a potato chip?