4P Foods Blog

Also known as a sugar pumpkin, pie pumpkins have sweet and dense flesh perfect for making pumpkin puree. They are great for desserts, and less ideal for decorative use.

A delicious KellyBronze turkey cooks in half the time of an average turkey and is twice as tasty.

4P Foods has a special delivery day for Thanksgiving turkeys, holiday hams, and a modified schedule for the week of Thanksgiving.

4P Foods delivered local food to 644 public schools across Virginia in 2023. There are a host of key benefits schools gain from being able to order food direct from...

The great weather conditions in Virginia make it a prime state to grow apples. Read on to find out which varieties are best for eating and baking.

The grapes grown by farmers in the Mid-Atlantic are unique to our region. Learn more about the top four grape varieties harvested in the Mid-Atlantic and concord the day.

4P Foods increased our food access work in 2023 by partnering with the Virginia Federation of Food Banks, Local Environmental Agriculture Project (LEAP), and the Mid-Atlantic Food Resiliency and Access...

Eating responsibly-sourced food from local and regional farmers sometimes means meals take longer to prepare. On a food system conscious diet, you're chopping more vegetables and not necessarily putting a...

Regenerative agriculture is a growing and changing landscape that can include different practices based on what crop or livestock the farm is raising.

Celebrating 10 years of building a new food system.

4P Foods sources melons from Mid-Atlantic growers. This means we have fresh melons that were allowed to ripen on the vine producing deep flavor and wonderful nutrition.

4P Foods only works with local dairies, like Shenandoah Valley Family Farms in Virginia, that do not practice confined animal operations. Shop ethically sourced dairy products online at 4PFoods.com.

Across 4P Foods’ delivery area, we have conveniently located community pick-up sites. Our pick-up sites provide 4P Foods’ customers with a place to gather their weekly harvest that reduces their...

Easter is a time for celebration and tradition, and dyeing Easter eggs is one of the most popular traditions. However, most commercial egg dyes contain chemicals that can potentially harm...

4P Foods is entering its tenth year of rebuilding a regenerative and equitable regional food system. Through partnerships and collaborations, 4P Foods is now a food aggregator that distributes responsibly-sourced...

4P Foods is very excited to offer black garlic from Farmer D! This unique product is delicious and very time intensive to make.

We now have locally baked bread available in the 4P Foods shop! To celebrate having bread from local bakeries, we are creating a list of tasty sandwiches made using regenerative,...

Proper digestion begins with your body being in parasympathetic mode. This means you're in “rest and digest” mode, which is the opposite of “fight or flight”. While we often eat...

From impressing your guests to celebrating with friends, we all know just how much we need to get done to to prepare for the holidays. With 4P Foods, you can...

We prioritize sourcing from local and regional farms in Virginia, Maryland, the Mid-Atlantic and the Eastern seaboard, but, as it gets colder, the variety of produce gets less exciting. During...

Getting good-for-you food to the communities that need it is central to 4P Foods’ mission. Through our Buy a Bag program, you can send a 4P Foods tote to a...

Thanksgiving meals are delicious and filling - and leaves us with plenty of leftovers. Here are quick and creative ways to turn leftovers into delicious new meals, reduce your food...

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…or in an oven; roast your chestnut however you like. Known for their sweet flavor and soft texture, Chestnuts are a great source of antioxidants,...

Fall is in the air! And our local farm partners aren't just growing and producing; they're open to visitors and ready to sprinkle some autumn magic into our lives.

4P Foods will be delivering grocery totes and food orders on a modified schedule the week of Thanksgiving.

With school back in session and vacations winding down, it can feel like things are getting too busy to peel and chop a whole butternut squash. Don’t worry, we’ve got...

Small farm–crafted, award-winning Vermont Cheese delivered in your 4P Foods tote.

The weather is warming up and the outdoors are calling to us. We can feel it; grilling season is here! And grilling isn’t just for the 4P Foods’ protein share....

We're so berry excited about our delicious regionally-grown berries that begin being harvested in early spring and are available up until autumn.

The federal government and governments around the world recognize the need for an alternative to this linear, extractive food supply chain. The question is, can we collectively build it? Will...

It’s easy being green in the spring. Greens emerge from the soil to mark the beginning of spring and encourage us humans to refresh our diet with these low calorie...

Radishes pack a punch. This peppery root vegetable isn’t everyone’s favorite, but they are fresh out of the ground in the spring and worth another taste. Trust us, a different...

4P Foods is the recipient of a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Regional Food System Partnership grant in the amount of $992,152 matched by $614,500 in partner, in-kind, and philanthropic...

As Mid-Atlantic farmers themselves, Lee and her husband select varieties of plants that do well in the Mid-Atlantic and they start the plants in a compost-based potting mix.

We are brewing hot, delicious tea made with wild-crafted herbal tea blends from Lancaster Farmacy, a small organic farm that specializes in growing medicinal herbs.

We’re taking you all the way back to when refrigeration didn’t exist and meat was cured for preservation. Corned beef is beef brisket that has been cured in a salt...

The health benefits beets bring are impressive, but sometimes the flavor of beets are not impressive. If you haven’t fallen in love with beets yet, try these tips before you...

Winter greens are packed nutrients that help keep us healthy during the intense cold months when we are more prone to illness. Their strong texture also makes them especially suited...

Each day, 4P Foods gets closer to the kind of food system where farmers thrive, soil is regenerated, animals are treated humanely, and all communities have equitable access to healthy...

If climate change is one of your reasons for restricting meat from your diet, we have a regenerative perspective that just might change your mind. And, you might be surprised...

4P Foods and The Rounds are partnering to bring in season, fresh produce to The Rounds customers. This CSA-style produce tote is packed with the top picks of vegetables and...

As the year begins, we stop to take stock and think about how we want to feel and grow. Start your new year off healthfully with these selections from the...

The complete 4P Foods' holiday gift guide. Give the gift of delicious, responsibly-sourced food to your loved ones.

During this time of the year, we have plenty of winter squash such as pumpkins, acorn squash, butternut squash, and decorative gourds. If you are daunted by cooking these delicious,...

This Thanksgiving upgrade your holiday hosting, improve your carbon footprint, and reduce your stress with these simple ideas.

4P Foods aggregates, quality checks, and delivers fruits and vegetables for Brighter Bites’ box program in Prince George County, Maryland. Brighter Bites is a nonprofit that creates communities of health...

For the 2021-2022 school year, 4P Foods delivered more than 234,000 farm-fresh, pasture-raised eggs from Piedmont Progressive Farmers Cooperative (PPFC), a Black farmer cooperative located in Caswell County, N.C., to...

With an $8 billion budget, the Biden-Harris Administration’s plan directly addresses food access and affordability, nutrition and health, food education , physical activity for all, and food security and nutrition...

During farm-to-school month, we highlight our work with the Virginia Department of Education and the local school system to bring nutrient-dense food direct from local farmers to students across the...

Tom McDougall, Founder & CEO of 4P Foods, joins the Aspen Institute food leaders fellows with 17 emerging food leaders to commune for 18 months to discuss and uncover challenges...

Local Food Sales Advocate Grace Grattan traveled to The Rodale Institute in Kutztown, PA to attend the 2022 Annual Organic Field Day. Lucky for us, Grace is sharing her farm-tastic...

We are thrilled to welcome former Lidl US COO Louisa Hart as our new Chief Operating Officer. Louisa is a 15-year international grocery store operator and brings new perspectives and...

We’re here to show you how to liven up salads and dishes with five tasty greens you never knew you needed!

A list of six farms to visit in Virginia and Maryland. These local farms are open for visitors year round or put on special seasonal events.

If you’ve heard or read the term “regenerative agriculture” lately, you’ve probably automatically associated it with other terms like “organic” or “sustainable”. These words do go together in some senses,...

4P Foods' impact in the Mid-Atlantic as a regional food hub in 2021.

4P Foods can connect you to a more sustainable food system.

At the start of the 2021 school year, 4P began delivering eggs from the Piedmont Progressive Farmers Group (PPFG) to Elon University. This may seem like an everyday transaction between...

4P Foods marinara sauce is made with Virginia-grown tomatoes in Hatch Kitchen in Richmond, VA.

UVA Dine’s Sustainability Coordinator and Green Dining program worked with 4P to create Farmers Market in a Bag. Students get to order a bag full of locally-sourced produce.

We are pleased to announce that 4P has received an investment from the Bernard J. Tyson Impact Fund, which is administered by The American Heart Association. The Bernard J. Tyson...

4P Foods is partnering with Brighter Bites to deliver fruits and vegetables to schools in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

4P Foods Founder and CEO Tom McDougall is speaking about a case study in regional regenerative distribution at the 2021 Regenerative Food Systems Investment (RFSI) Forum.

Our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) partnership with the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy is increasing access to healthy, nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables in D.C.

4P Foods ranked No. 432 on Inc. Magazine's annual Inc. 5000 list! The list represents the most successful companies of the American economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent small businesses. 

Ten farms you should visit in Virginia and Maryland this summer.

According to research by the USDA Economic Research Service, less than 1% of the 911 million acres of total farmland nationwide is certified organic (USDA ERS). Industrial agriculture, which maximizes...

Foodshed Capital is a Richmond, Va. based nonprofit that is on a mission to provide financial stewardship to farms and businesses fostering an equitable and regenerative local food economy.

Local food not only supports independent farmers and producers, it’s the freshest bounty around, and is downright delicious.

You can donate to the Washington Nationals youth Baseball Academy weekly farmers market by adding a donation bag to your 4P Foods cart.

THE ORIGINS

The resilience of local food systems was a shining bright spot in 2020, a year that was extremely challenging in so many ways, from a global pandemic to this nation’s...

4P Gift Cards make the perfect present for friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, the list goes on–after all, everybody eats!  Choose from the preset gift card amounts below, and you'll have...

We want to say thank you to the hardworking farmers, the resilient food businesses, the tireless food assistance providers, our incredible 4P Foods community.

At 4P Foods, we are committed to transparency and traceability behind all our products. Find out more about our local protein sources here.

4P Foods also sources sustainable, ethical protein options. Here are the 12 terms you need to know to understand meat labels.

Culinary Concepts AB in Charlottesville, VA is a socially-minded company that uses culinary arts to help individuals find and advance their abilities and passions. Through training programs and live virtual...

“I can’t breathe.” On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man was murdered in Minneapolis, MN.  He was killed at the knee of a white man – with the...

The Nationals Philanthropies awarded the Mid-Atlantic Food Resilience and Access Coalition, an organization led in part by 4P Foods, the Community Response Grant

We raised our hand to help lead a regional response to this crisis, and the diverse coalition that has formed represents every part of the food system from restaurants to...

4P Foods and Local Food Hub have come together with a diverse coalition of partners across DC, VA, and MD coordinating efforts to keep people fed, farmers growing, and small...

We’re working every day to make sure that our sanitation, food handling, transportation, and staff health and hygiene practices follow best practices and demonstrate our commitment to a culture of...

Last year, we were delighted when Edible DC featured 4P Foods on their list of Great CSAs in the DC area, a list which included both single-farm CSAs and other...

4P Foods offers in season, regional produce.

Starting this holiday season, we're very excited to be able to offer our members the option to make a tax-deductible donation to Local Food Hub (LFH), our partner organization.4P members will always...

Regional sourcing bringing you in season, organic citrus fruit during the winter months.

4P Foods and Local Food Hub have always been at the leading edge of food system innovation. After years of working together, the merger of their distribution businesses four months...

The PATH Foundation is a grant-making organization that enhances the health and vitality of the community with four areas of focus — access to health, childhood wellness and nutrition, mental...

4P Foods and Food Works Group published An Assessment of the Mid-Atlantic Food Port Concept and Economic Impact on Rural Economic Development. The report is a study on the feasibility of a...

4P Foods has exciting news that will positively impact our local food system. We will acquire Local Food Hub's wholesale arm and warehouse in Charlottesville, Virginia.

4P Foods brings high quality, healthy food directly to your door.

Over the past four years, 4P Foods has evolved its services as a food hub social enterprise. Now we are enhancing our visual identity to match our mission.

We are proud to announce our partnership with the Bainum Family Foundation to expand our purpose of building a more equitable food system.

Fresh locally-grown and organic produce from 4P Foods partnering farms overflowed in display bins set up on folding tables lining the atrium of the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy

Access to high quality local and sustainable food doesn't have to end when the farmer's markets close. We deliver healthy and fresh food year-round!

On a Friday morning, the 4P Foods DC office team drove an hour outside of city headquarters to Warrenton, VA. Warrenton is a short drive from the 4P FOODS distribution...

Time to get into the kitchen and whip up some great meals!

It's important to understand the language of the grocery store in order to make better consumer choices. We've broken down the terms for you so you can make better choices....

Delicious recipes created with nutrient-dense, regionally-sourced produce, protein, and artisanal products.

Hi Friends, Members, Farmers, Producers, Partners, and Fans,As this year comes to a close next week, I can't help but reflect on the year that seems to have (rapidly) disappeared...

We are very excited to be getting salmon in our protein share. Although the salmon is from Bristol Bay, Alaska, it does come to us through a local connection.

The 4P Foods community gathered at Bees and Trees Farm in Elkwood, VA in celebration of Food Day. Our founder Tom made us delicious Mac 'n Cheese, pulled pork, and cole...

Since late April I have been working as a Marketing Intern with the 4P Foods team in DC and getting to know the sustainable agriculture scene a little bit better....

Local food with a purpose – that’s our tagline.What does that mean though? And how do you define “local”? What exactly is that purpose? These questions, and many others, hit...

After months of working closely with our farmers and getting into the nitty gritty of logistics, we were finally able to get all of our ducks in a row (pun...

Storage tips for seasonal produce to keep your food fresh for longer.

“Food Chains” tells an important story about our food system. In both its history and its present form, it has been a food system that exploits human lives for labor....

On October 25th, we hosted a celebration of Food Day 2014. We brought together our team, our 4P Foods members, our friends, and many of our wonderful farmers. The weather was...

Apple season is in full swing! Here are the best Pick-Your-Own apple orchards in Virginia and Maryland.

Once a month we make a delivery of fresh fruits and vegetables from our family of farms to our partner organization Martha's Table. The amount donated is based on the...

About 50 years ago, a Georgetown professor interested in addressing poverty in the nation’s capital sat down with a priest who had been working to help people on the streets...

4P Foods is the newest farm-fresh food delivery company serving the Washington DC Metro Area. We do things a little differently.First of all, we deliver to your building, so you...

What if a farmer could just focus on farming? That simple idea is the foundation for a new type of food business called a food hub. Food hubs act as...