1. What are food miles?
Food miles are the measure of the distance a food travels from field to plate.

2. Why does our food travel so far?
supermarkets have taken over from local and regional markets.
ingredients travel around the country from factory to factory, before they make their way to the shops.
Ninety-five per cent of the fruit and half of the vegetables in the UK are imported.

3. Journey of a prawn

4. How far has my food travelled?
A food’s country of origin may be on the label.
The means of transport - as well as the distance - is important.
Good farmers’ markets have a policy of selling food from within a defined local area.

5. What can I do? Buy food that is grown locally.
Buy food when it is in season.
Walk to local shops.
Buying food with as little packaging as possible.

6. Project ideas Find out how many food miles your food has travelled.
Make a map of all of the places that your food has come from.
Find out what farmers grow around St Neots.
Test a basket of shopping to find out where your favourite foods come from.

7. Research ideas