Some Reflections
How I wanted to eat something fast and handy sometimes during the Eat Local challenge. Cereal, oatmeal, or a slice of Sammy's New Cowboy bread with almond butter, mashed banana, and topped with raisins, but no, I couldn't on this "purist" challenge. Make a quick pasta dish? If an ingredient was from out of the 200 mile radius, it was no go. Everything I consumed was thought about ahead of time. How often do we do that? I ate within the 200 mile radius except for a couple of tablespoons of McMinnville butter on day one and I inadvertently ate a couple of chips when I had forgotten a spoon on a hike.
My usual grazing method might look like walking through the kitchen and thinking,"Oh, Dagoba dark chocolate bits would be tasty……I think I'll add a few peanuts to the mix". None of the treats I keep handy, like licorice, was even licked! Coffee aroma only filled my nostrils. I drank way more water and ate only fresh fruit and veggies (mostly from our garden) for snacks. I didn't really miss any foods during the week while I stayed focused on the challenge. I was hungrier than usual for the main meals.
Did I eat more nutritious foods on the challenge over a week period compared to my usual intake? Yes. For example, today in Italian class, Lolita brought decadent sweets. I gracefully declined one last week. I gracefully accepted one today. Would I eat better if I were on a longer challenge? Yes! Why don't I just eat better on my own? Good question.
I paid more attention to labels and geography when shopping during the challenge. My awareness of local foods expanded and I supported more local farming. That went for items purchased at the Co-op and the Tuesday market. I invested in local olive oil, Tehama Gold, and found it a bit more expensive, but mild and tasty. It spends less time in a truck on the freeway coming to Ashland than other olive oils. (That is true for many products.) I purchased Siskiyou Crest feta, Willow-Witt sausages, Emerald Hills grass fed beef, and Cowhorn and RoxyAnn wines for the first time during this challenge. My friend Susan's hens were greatly appreciated for sharing their eggs with me.
Buying local can be more expensive. Eating less of animal products that are delicious and a bit more expensive is an option. In the end, the buyer is supporting shorter distances for transported goods. Buyers can include stops at local sources and be smart about using a car. I was fortunate to have a garden to eat from. Most of my food was grown at home.
I spent more time than usual in the kitchen during the challenge. I had never blogged before and that was a bit of a challenge as well as time consuming to photograph the dishes to post. I was most appreciative of the Co-op Community Kitchen for providing so many recipes using easy to get ingredients. Since I hadn't planned much, they lightened the work load of this week. They were simple enough to prepare and were tasty.
The challenge was shared with family friends in Stockton this weekend and eating local foods may be the theme for a their next monthly gourmet food group. I hope it's catching. It was a good exercise and I'm glad to have participated. I encourage others to jump in. If I participate again next year, or whenever with friends, sharing some of the meal prep might make the exercise less time consuming, encourage more creativity and result in a greater diversity of dishes to enjoy. Maybe the Co-op will over classes so prospective participants could have a hand in making essentials like vinegar and salt and learning recipes ahead of time over a few sessions.
My usual grazing method might look like walking through the kitchen and thinking,"Oh, Dagoba dark chocolate bits would be tasty……I think I'll add a few peanuts to the mix". None of the treats I keep handy, like licorice, was even licked! Coffee aroma only filled my nostrils. I drank way more water and ate only fresh fruit and veggies (mostly from our garden) for snacks. I didn't really miss any foods during the week while I stayed focused on the challenge. I was hungrier than usual for the main meals.
Did I eat more nutritious foods on the challenge over a week period compared to my usual intake? Yes. For example, today in Italian class, Lolita brought decadent sweets. I gracefully declined one last week. I gracefully accepted one today. Would I eat better if I were on a longer challenge? Yes! Why don't I just eat better on my own? Good question.
I paid more attention to labels and geography when shopping during the challenge. My awareness of local foods expanded and I supported more local farming. That went for items purchased at the Co-op and the Tuesday market. I invested in local olive oil, Tehama Gold, and found it a bit more expensive, but mild and tasty. It spends less time in a truck on the freeway coming to Ashland than other olive oils. (That is true for many products.) I purchased Siskiyou Crest feta, Willow-Witt sausages, Emerald Hills grass fed beef, and Cowhorn and RoxyAnn wines for the first time during this challenge. My friend Susan's hens were greatly appreciated for sharing their eggs with me.
Buying local can be more expensive. Eating less of animal products that are delicious and a bit more expensive is an option. In the end, the buyer is supporting shorter distances for transported goods. Buyers can include stops at local sources and be smart about using a car. I was fortunate to have a garden to eat from. Most of my food was grown at home.
I spent more time than usual in the kitchen during the challenge. I had never blogged before and that was a bit of a challenge as well as time consuming to photograph the dishes to post. I was most appreciative of the Co-op Community Kitchen for providing so many recipes using easy to get ingredients. Since I hadn't planned much, they lightened the work load of this week. They were simple enough to prepare and were tasty.
The challenge was shared with family friends in Stockton this weekend and eating local foods may be the theme for a their next monthly gourmet food group. I hope it's catching. It was a good exercise and I'm glad to have participated. I encourage others to jump in. If I participate again next year, or whenever with friends, sharing some of the meal prep might make the exercise less time consuming, encourage more creativity and result in a greater diversity of dishes to enjoy. Maybe the Co-op will over classes so prospective participants could have a hand in making essentials like vinegar and salt and learning recipes ahead of time over a few sessions.
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