Explore Your Food Mileage
Make a food-mileage map: track where common groceries come from, calculate distances using maps, and compare local versus imported items.
Step-by-step guide to explore your food mileage
Step 1
Gather all Materials Needed and sit at a clear table.
Step 2
Write a list of 8 to 12 common grocery items in your notebook with one item per line.
Step 3
Check each grocery package label to find the country or state of origin for each item.
Step 4
Write the origin next to each item on your notebook list.
Step 5
If any item has no label, ask an adult to help you look up where it is grown and write that origin next to the item.
Step 6
Find the origin country or state for the first item on your world map or globe.
Step 7
Mark the origin location on the map with a colored dot using a colored marker.
Step 8
Use the ruler and the map’s scale to measure the straight-line distance from the origin dot to your hometown and write that distance in your notebook.
Step 9
Repeat Steps 6 through 8 for every item on your list until all origins and distances are on the map.
Step 10
Color each origin dot green if it is within 100 miles (160 km) of your hometown and red if it is farther than 100 miles (160 km).
Step 11
Count how many items are green and how many are red and write those totals in your notebook.
Step 12
Use the calculator to find the percentage of items that are local by dividing the number of green items by the total number of items and multiplying by 100 and write the percentage.
Step 13
Share your finished food-mileage map and notes on DIY.org
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can I use if I don't have a world map or globe?
Use an online map or printed map screenshot to find each item's origin (Step 6), mark locations with your colored markers (Step 7), and measure distances using the map's scale or an on-screen measuring tool (Step 8).
What should I do if a grocery item has no origin label or the label is hard to read?
Ask an adult to help look up where it is grown using the brand's website or a database (Step 4), then write that origin next to the item and place the dot on your map (Steps 4 and 7).
How can I adapt this activity for younger or older kids?
For younger kids, use 4–6 familiar items, sticker dots, and adult help for measuring and counting (Steps 2, 7, 11), and for older kids, expand to 15+ items, calculate total food miles and percentages with the calculator (Steps 8, 12), and research seasonal or carbon-footprint implications.
How can we extend or personalize the finished food-mileage map?
After coloring and counting green/red dots (Steps 10–11), create a bar graph in your notebook comparing local vs non-local items, total the measured distances from Step 8, and photograph your map to share on DIY.org (Step 13).
Watch videos on how to explore your food mileage
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Facts about food miles and local vs imported food
⚖️ Transport often makes up only about 10% (or less) of a food item's greenhouse-gas footprint — how food is grown usually matters more.
🌿 A locally grown tomato in a heated greenhouse can produce more emissions than a tomato shipped from a sunny country — local doesn't always mean lower impact!
🚢 Moving food by ship across oceans is much lower in emissions per kilogram than flying it by plane — boats are the slow, eco-friendly option.
🚚 On average, food in some countries travels about 1,500 miles from farm to plate — that's like a long road trip for your groceries!
🥑 Some favorites like avocados or tropical fruit can travel thousands of miles to reach stores, so choosing seasonal produce can cut food miles.
How do I make a food-mileage map and compare local vs imported groceries?
What materials do I need to track food mileage at home?
What ages is the Explore Your Food Mileage activity suitable for?
What are the benefits, safety tips, or variations for a food-mileage map activity?
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