As a long-time food writer, I’m often approached by individuals looking for recommendations for places to dine in the Milwaukee area. Increasingly, people are also interested in my recommendations for spots in the city that espouse a dedication to local sourcing.

I’ll be honest. It’s one of the most difficult questions to answer -- primarily because local sourcing has become more of a best practice than a novelty.

Everywhere you look, there are restaurants in Milwaukee who exemplify what it means to source locally. Just look at Braise, where every dish is created from locally sourced products. At Engine Company No. 3, a similar dedication means you’re eating lots of local food, from locally sourced eggs to locally grown tomatoes made into juice for their bloody Mary. And at spots like Ardent, beef is being raised specifically on a Wisconsin family farm to supply the needs for the restaurant.

And the movement is growing. In an age when buying local has moved into the forefront, countless restaurants have shifted their buying power over to locally produced products. In fact, many restaurants make regular trips to local farmers markets like the Fondy Food Market and the West Allis Farmer’s Market in order to buy a percentage of their local produce.

And that’s great news for all of us. After all, one of the chief reasons to choose Outpost Natural Foods Cooperative as your regular local grocer is because we’ve made a commitment to sourcing local products.

Outpost has always been a leader in the local food movement. In fact, one of the core ways in which Outpost sets itself apart from other grocers in the Milwaukee area is in its direct work with local farms to bring owners the best in local produce, meats and dairy.

In fact, if you’ve never investigated the extent to which Outpost supports local farms and vendors, you owe it to yourself to spend some time reading the profiles of some of the farmers and producers with which we work.

Buying local seasonal fruits and vegetables means less miles traveled from farm to market. That’s a reduction in the overall carbon footprint -- for both you and Outpost stores. More money also stays within the local Wisconsin market, helping to create jobs, maintain the health of local businesses and attract new businesses onto the scene.

The same is true for locally owned restaurants where chefs are taking an even more active role in bringing the best of local to consumers' plates.

As both a board member and food writer, I’m excited about the work that Outpost is doing to support the local economy. And I’m always happy to spread the news about other local businesses -- especially restaurants -- which are doing the same.

If you are excited about the local offerings at Outpost and would like to know more about how to extend your local eating to area restaurants, please join me at the Owner Meet and Greet at the Bay View Outpost Community Room on Thursday, March 31 at 6 p.m.  Click here to sign up.

Lori Fredrich

Board Member