More Than Mary Tumblr, What if the airport was a huge farmer's market?

What if the airport was a huge farmer’s market?

Just go with me for a second.

When we go to their airport, we walk down an aisle of fast food and are forced to choose between the lesser of many evils - processed snacks, frozen and then fried meals, food infused with preservatives, sterilized or canned veggies, over-sized desserts, and candy bars galore.

Carrying my homemade salad, I pass by these “restaurants” feeling so bad for people who travel often. They have no choice but to consume this crap. Then I think about how uneducated people are surrounding what they eat. Even if there were fresh options, would they chose them? Finally I come to, it’s a shame this is all a money game. Processed food lasts longer and is cheaper than fresh food so the margin is higher for the airport and businesses. OR IS IT??!

Farmers produce TONS of crop they are dying to sell to sustain their business. The airport has a high demand for food, turns it over quickly, and sells it at high profit margin. What if the farmers created fresh meals everyday and came to sell them at booths in the airport? Since they wouldn’t need a kitchen or much manpower, the airports would generate a bigger profit. Travelers could then choose from a variety of fresh and healthy foods!

Put the current food vendors aside; they’ve had their hayday. Imagine they’re gone. All that is left are magazine stands and retailers. Now, fill up the old McDonald’s and Taco Bell that used to be dishing out deep-fried fat with friendly faces handing over sliced meat sandwiches and tossed salads. Baked potatoes, chilled veggie sides, and homemade pastries are other options for you. Each booth has a different flavor: Mexican, Italian, Greek, BBQ, etc. Everything was locally grown then washed and sliced that day before being made into a hand-crafted meal just for you. Take your meal to a group of tables or a bar nearby and enjoy!

Now my mind is going wild with ideas of developing the area around airports to support this concept. Farmers would plant their crops nearby; community kitchens open to prepare the meals; airlines join in and have their planes stocked with the local food.

Everyone wins!

A dream that will never be realized I’m sure, but my hope is that as mainstream America becomes more conscious, these changes will be welcomed and embraced by businesses.

Original Article

May 11, 2012

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