This document discusses how far food travels on average before reaching grocery stores and consumers. It notes that produce travels an average of 1500 miles and gives an example of sugar that is grown in Hawaii but travels over 10,000 miles before being used in a cafe 10 miles from the field. Additionally, it states that the average American meal contains food from 5 different countries and food spends about 14 days traveling to markets. Lastly, it discusses how food miles contribute to pollution but buying local, seasonal produce reduces environmental impact.

1. HOW DOES YOUR
FOOD GET TO

2. TRAVELLING FOOD
 Guess: How many miles on average does it
take for produce to get from where it’s grown
to the grocery store?
 Answer: 1500 miles!

3. AN EXAMPLE:
 On the island of Maui in Hawaii there is a large sugar
cane field, and across the street, there is a factory that
gets the sugar cane ready to be made into sugar. From
there, the sugar cane is shipped to California and made
into the refined white sugar everyone knows. Then, this
sugar is shipped to New York to get put into the little
packets you find in restaurants. Finally, the sugar is
shipped out to the rest of the world.
 This means that if you went to a café 10 miles away from
the sugar cane fields in Hawaii, the sugar packets you
use would have travelled about 10,000 miles.

4. SOME FACTS
 An average American meal contains food
grown in 5 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES!
 Food typically spends about 14 DAYS
traveling to get to your supermarket.

6. SO WHAT?
 The more miles food travels, the more gas it
uses! This means food that is shipped from far
away contributes to air pollution 
 The Good news: If you get “local” fruits and
vegetables, or grow them yourself, you help
save the environment!
 Also, if you buy fruits and vegetables that are in
season, they will be fresher, better for you, and
probably won’t have to travel as far!

7. LOCAL FOODS
 Foods grown in Florida during the summer:
 Apples
 Beets
 Carrots
 Grapes
 Green Beans
 Herbs
 Apricots

8. FOODS WE ARE HAVING
TODAY
 Gala Apples: New Zealand
 Watermelon: USA, Florida
 Bell Pepper: Mexico
 Bosc Pear: Argentina
 Cucumbers: USA, Florida