Hawaii's Share Your Table

Preparing vegetables ahead of time is a good idea: they will be ready to eat whenever you're ready for a salad, snack or quick stir-fry meal. Buy the freshest, locally grown vegetables you can find because they will last longer in your refrigerator. It's good value and good nutrition, too!

Where to find the freshest veggies

Great salads start with the freshest vegetables you can find. And the freshest vegetables would come from your own backyard garden, snipped just before you want to use them. Wouldn't that be ideal?

Most of us rely on farmers to supply us with our vegetables so the best place to find fresh, just harvested vegetables is a farmers' market in your community. Vegetables will have been harvested within a day or two of being sold at a farmers' market. The fresher they are, the longer they will last in your refrigerator.

The majority of produce in Hawaii is imported from the mainland U.S., traveling at least a week before it reaches the islands. There's nothing wrong with mainland produce and it's usually less expensive than locally grown produce. But do look for freshness and choose your vegetables carefully. Most supermarkets stock locally grown produce alongside mainland produce; ask the produce manager which one is locally grown.

Buying locally grown fresh vegetables is a goal we should aspire to. Doing this helps support local farm families and our local economy. Our food doesn't have to travel far, helping to reduce the carbon footprint on our environment. We think fresh locally grown vegetables taste better and are better for you!