Saturday, June 1, 2013

The Local Challenge: Day 1 - Set Parameters

Dawn broke on my Eat Local Challenge Day 1 and I still had not answered some crucial questions:

What about condiments?
What about my fully-stocked pantry?
How will I get around my lactose intolerance?
What if I'm at someone else's house for dinner?

Although I am always trying to eat/buy local and organic whenever possible, there are certain rules and parameters that I have come up with to make this fun while still challenging.

1. I will eat the condiments that I already have including Heinz ketchup from God knows where, spices from all over the world, and jams from Whole Foods until they're gone. If they run out before the end of the month, I will buy local options or go without. I do have Rouse's mayonnaise, which is manufactured in LA.
2. My pantry contains items from all over, including the food I brought with me from Philadelphia. In order to not buy non-local foods, I will eat what is already in my pantry: quinoa, cous cous, bulgur, spaghetti, spaghetti sauce, kidney beans, pinto beans, chocolate chips, some cereal, peanuts, and other miscellaneous stuff. But I will not make anything out of boxes, i.e. no Annie's Macaroni and Cheese or Mrs. Grass's Chicken Soup until July.
3. I have been drinking soy milk or almond milk exclusively for almost five years, since I began associating my tummy troubles with the 1% milk I grew up on. I know that neither soy milk nor almond milk are local, but I'm still weary of regular milk. Because this is a special occasion, I will try local 1% or skim milk and see if it still bothers me. I had ice cream two days in a row last week with little problem, so perhaps my metabolism is changing again. I can and will buy local cheese and yogurt or make my own. I am taking a cheese-making class tomorrow and have wanted to try making yogurt for some time now.
4. Because I'm on a budget and because I don't want to be rude, if I am out at someone's house or food is offered to me, I will eat it and keep track of it. These meals will fall under my "vices."

Below are the rules for the Bienville, or Strict, level. Please help me stick to them!

On this level you are allowed all of the foods on the Ultrastrict Level plus will allow you to eat or drink three “vices” ( non-local food items). On this level participants can still go 95% of the way all local but can still have a few of some of the things that are hard to grow here, whether it be coffee, chocolate, pineapples, French Wines, imported cheeses etc.  You can keep your diet varied and change your three non-local food choices from week to week.
On the Bienville level you are also allowed 3 meals a week to be completely unregulated and off the wagon. Whether at a restaurant with friends, or a business lunch or just in your own kitchen you can fix your favorite non-local meal. This will allow you to go to business lunches and dinner parties.

As I sit here and eat Vegemite (Australia) on toast (Nature's Own) which are not local but in my pantry, I say: Let the games begin!

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