What is considered “good” food? There are so many options available at the grocery store with different marketing claims. Online there are various fad diets being promoted. Concerning documentaries are streaming on Netflix sharing horrifying food processing information. Where do we turn to for good food when many accessible groceries are filled with added hormones, chemicals, and preservatives? Is there more to “good” food more than just taste?

If you step away from large corporate grocery stores, good food is easier than you think to locate. In Canada, we have great farmers producing the best food in the world and great people handling it through to your plate. So, we happen to know a thing or two about what is considered “good food.” 😉

Here are some questions you should be asking when choosing “good” food:

How was my food grown and handled?

There are three different ways food can be grown:

• Commercial: grown under cultivation in tilled plots or in greenhouses.
• Organic: free of chemical pesticides or grown without conventional fertilizers.
• Biodynamic: similar to organic foods but biodynamic farms and gardens are planted with thoughtful adaptation to scale, landscape, climate, and culture. The farms are inspired by the biodiversity of natural ecosystems and uniqueness of each landscape. The gardens contribute to plant diversity, amplifying the health and the resilience of the farm.

Each of these styles of farming can produce dramatically different levels of nutrient quality. The different styles of farming will also let you know what potential pesticides, chemicals, and growing and feeding practices were used.

Where was it grown?

Each country has different regulations about the quality and care of food. Also, some countries aren’t as strict with the farm and quality of food regulations that are in place. Depending on weather conditions and soil, some foods grow better in certain areas. This can be a factor in quality, freshness, and the way the food was grown (think Okanagan Valley, BC, vs. Baffin Island, NV.)

When was the last time you shopped for your food locally? Choosing to support Canadian farmers and fishers has an incredible impact on your community and the environment. Not to mention, you’ll be able to taste the difference immediately in the meals you consume!

What makes food considered “good”:

• ✅ You’re eating food that is better for your body:
  No added hormones or preservatives, grass-fed and finished beef, and Ocean Wise recommended seafood… taste and traceability are guaranteed.
  
  
• ✅ It positively impacts the environment:
  When you shop from regenerative and biodynamic farms, you’re supporting farmers that care about their ecological footprint Earth. Regenerative farming in short means everything works in a cycle to restore and rehabilitate the ecosystem while sequestering 3 million tons of carbon from the atmosphere. As mentioned earlier, biodynamic farms are an ethical and ecological approach to farming and nutrition.
  
  
• ✅ Supporting Canadian farmers and fishers across the country:
  Frozen meat and seafood doesn’t mean that you're missing out on high quality food. Quite the opposite- for example, frozen seafood is a great way to enjoy sustainably and ethically caught fish. By freezing the seafood, this allows us to capture the pristine quality, preserves the freshness, flavours, vitamins, and we’re able to store the food for longer periods of time. This allows us to support Canadian fisheries and fishers from coast to coast and still reap all the benefits from good food.
  
  

If you’re looking to support local Canadian farmers and fisheries, the connection Chef’s Vault has with its suppliers is a great way to show support and to eat sustainably! Chef’s Vault works directly with its suppliers to provide you with pasture raised meat and wild caught fish that has incomparable taste. Try it for yourself, you deserve to eat not only good food, but the very best that Chef’s Vault has to offer. 😉