Buying meat from small businesses and farmers has a plethora of benefits beyond just taste. Here are a few reasons to shop for locally raised products like gourmet sausages, beef, and buffalo.

4 Benefits of Eating Locally Sourced Meat

1. Better Quality

If you want to incorporate better eating habits into your daily life, stock up on locally sourced meat. Because smaller farms often handle and process their products in smaller facilities, there’s less likelihood of cross-contamination and exposure to harmful bacteria like E. coli and salmonella. Meat from pasture-raised, grass-fed livestock is also loaded with essential nutrients and vitamins.

2. Environmentally Friendly Practices

When you buy directly from the source, you know exactly where your food is from and how it was produced. Instead of making products in bulk, most local sources sell steak cuts, ribs, and gourmet sausage links in smaller packaging, which helps you avoid unnecessary food waste.

Buying directly from a local farm also reduces your carbon footprint and fossil fuel consumption because the protein travels a shorter distance from its origin to your dinner plate.

3. Small Business Support

You’re not just helping regional purveyors and family farms by cutting out the middleman. You also keep money in the local economy and support their employees and suppliers. When local businesses keep more profit, they can reinvest in their business and continue serving you.

4. Greater Sense of Community

Instead of being a random face in a large supermarket, you’ll easily become a regular at your go-to small business or farmers’ market the more you shop locally. Connecting directly with your area’s producers will allow you to develop deeper relationships with their network. This direct engagement and human connection ultimately nurture a greater sense of belonging.

Savor some of the state’s best gourmet sausage at Alaska Sausage & Seafood. Based in Anchorage for over 50 years, the locally owned family business has a wide selection of Alaskan sausage with reindeer meat, teriyaki and pepper sticks, and gourmet gift packages available for shipping throughout the United States. Get a taste of their selection online and on Facebook, or call (907) 562-3636 to place an order.