Like We Need More Reasons to Eat Local

In the news this morning: "Study: Fast food marketing up, food still unhealthy" and "Trader Joe's Recalls Products with Cilantro".

What do these two stories have in common? Well, these pieces are not ground-breaking stories, but rather the latest (but not the last) in a long history of reports about the perils of fast and/or imported/processed foods.

First, only 12 out of 3000 meals offered up by today's fast food chains meets nutritional requirements set forth by the powers that be for pre-school aged children. All sarcastic exclamations aside, this is not news.

And Trader Joe's - a veritable superhero in the supermarket realm - falls prey to a supplier's concoction possibly containing salmonella-tainted ingredients. Notice on Trader Joe's website.

The more processed and longer the supply chain, the slower these issues can be identified and reported. In short, traceability suffers.

I think you all know where I'm going with this. EAT LOCAL! Locally grown, locally produced food. REAL food. SIMPLE food. NUTRITIOUS, DELICIOUS food.



Let me temper this plea with a shot of reality. This is not only advice for those of you who are intimidated by the thought of taking the plunge deep into the local food movement, but it's an epiphany I had when approaching the Slow/Local Food Movement, and was feeling guilty for not going whole-hog:

This is not an all-or-nothing proposition. The Local Food Movement is not a destination. There is no gold key that you're awarded that proclaims that you have arrived in an all-local Utopia.

Rather, with every additional dollar spent on local vs. imported, there are physical, mental, economic and regional benefits. It's a journey - an enjoyable, wondrous and very fulfilling journey on which you meet wonderful people, have simple yet incredible experiences, and share the best of your region with those you love, passing along food traditions and healthy eating habits and developing a deep and sincere appreciation for what it takes farmers, producers and artisans to create the food that we enjoy!

Happy travels!

Screaming Avocado Cafe Goes North

I was just reading the posts of fellow blogger and brother in food Steve Stacey. He is currently wrapping up a trip to Cambridge Bay, Nunavut with Chef/Teacher Paul Finkelstein and a group of lucky culinary students from Northwestern Secondary School's Screaming Avocado Cafe here in Stratford.

Checking out the pics and posts is so interesting, as it's such a departure from the way we live here in Southwestern Ontario. But as I pulled back from the up-close-and-personal view that Steve's posts allow, something struck me - these kids that are taking part in this exchange are so incredibly fortunate. And in turn, so are we as a food community.

I know this doesn't sound like the most profound epiphany, but it occurred to me that these kids are going to carry these memories with them for the rest of their lives. Their experiences will affect them, their choices and their actions in their personal and professional lives, in big and small ways.

So kudos to Paul Finkelstein, Steve Stacey, the school and school board stakeholders, and the parents of these kids, who all had a hand in making this happen.

When youth learn about food systems whether here at home in Perth County or immersed in a culture that is so radically different from our own, it fosters a deeper appreciation of the importance of food and inspires and empowers them to take control of their food.

And this bodes well for the future of the local food movement in Perth County. For all of us.