Local Food

The National Association of Letter Carriers conducting nation's largestsingle-day food drive this Saturday.

Eleven tons of peanut butter and jelly. That's how much of the lunchtime staple Community Cooperative brought in during its annual Southwest Florida PB&J Drive.Each year, the PB&J Drive invites local businesses, churches, schools, and communities to compete for the coveted title of “Most Love Collected,” all in support of fighting summer hunger for local children and families. This year’s drive saw dozens of dedicated groups participating and spreading awareness, compassion, and kindness — one jar at a time.

Restaurateurs want the community to know that Sanibel is still very much alive and needs their support to thrive. Here's how the annual Sizzle Dining event is drawing attention to spots, like Cielo, on Sanibel.

Florida’s agriculture sector was hit extremely hard following Hurricane Ian, with crop losses up to $1.25 billion. The brand “SWFL Fresh: Choose Local, Choose Fresh” raises awareness about locally-produced products to help the regional food system become more resilient, especially in the face of a natural disaster.

Nice Guys Pizza in Cape Coral has been open for 10 years this month. To celebrate, the beer and pizza lounge pulled off a musical reunion for the ages, by bringing together nine Southwest Florida-based bands who helped shape the local music scene of today.

An inaugural food festival had curious eaters saying, “I can’t believe it’s not cod,” and learning the benefits of a plant-based lifestyle during Cape Coral’s first-ever Vegan Street Food Fest.

Businesses open and available in Southwest Florida

A new branding project SWFL Fresh: Choose Local, Choose Fresh" hopes to expand public knowledge and buy-in about locally grown foods to better connect Southwest Florida producers with consumers.

Amid a spike in demand for locally-sourced foods, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is offering a free education program for budding and seasoned agricultural entrepreneurs about how to market their small-growing operations in the digital consumer era.

Volunteer tasting panels have long been relied upon to guide decisions on which strawberries taste and smell best, and therefore should be bred for Florida's $300 billion crop.