AMY - Short Report

                Eating foods grown and produced within 100 miles of your home sounds like a simple enough task. I mean, of the food one already consumes how much of it really comes from outside of this range? Well, for me it was almost everything. Taking on challenges, especially dietary ones, in the middle of a busy lifestyle can be a very challenging mission. However, the importance of eating local food is very high. I wanted to take on this challenge in a manageable way, but a way that would highly increase my awareness of local food, my interpretation of what is good food, and perhaps even improve my health. These are the reasons which pushed me to take on a short version of the 100 mile challenge for this term project. I was happy to have Juliana and Meghan to work with for this project, as support is always helpful!

                The first one or two days of this challenge were the hardest for me for a couple reasons. Firstly, I was not as well-prepared as I should have been, partly due to the small amount of time between having the idea, and carrying it out and partly due to general ignorance. Secondly, I am by no means a chef, although I can cook certain meals in the kitchen, combining ingredients without a recipe is something I can have trouble with. In the beginning, the problem was that I was focusing on what I could not eat rather then what I could eat. I was looking at the challenge the wrong way; I focused on making versions of foods that I know. After a couple days I realized this was not the best way to go about eating local foods, I had to change what I knew about food in order to create delicious meals. 

Mid-week, I started to look up meal ideas with the ingredients I had found on allrecipes which was an effective way to begin for me. Although most of the recipes I found still had to be tweaked or altered I began to really settle into a groove of cooking partially from a recipe and partially from my own skills. While I was doing the challenge, I was watching the food network documentary on Mission BC’s 100 mile project to supplement my learning. It was by their day 4 and my day 3 that “honey, wine, and wheat becomes the top priority” of those families and myself. This is the first day I made my own bread/biscuits. I think it was also one of the days I was most proud of my accomplishments, because not only did they fix my carb cravings, they actually tasted really good! I also collected local honey and wine, as did the families in Mission BC. 

 

By the last few days I had really become experimental and innovative, really stepping outside of my comfort zone of food. I made my own pasta noodles, which I will admit did not turn out magnificently, but were still edible. I made stew which was one of my favourite meals, and egg salad sliders. Most of my meals ideas were created by myself but also partially from allrecipes, Juliana and Meghan, and the 100 mile website.

When challenge week ended, I was definatly proud, educated and also quite releived. I liked being able to eat with my family again, and have sauces and breads again, and be able to eat meals at restaurants. However, I learned so much from this experience, that I cannot see myself ever going back to my “pre-challenge” diet. Although currently I enjoy the occasional banana and chocolate bar, I have knowledge of where that food comes from and the amount of chemicals potentially in it from pesticides or preservatives, so I do not have these foods frequently. I have kept some of the ties I created to farmers in the area, such as eggs. All of my eggs now come fresh every few days from a farm about 2 miles from my house, owned by a family friend. I found local organic cheese to taste much better than what I was eating before, as well as vegetables.

One of the most rewarding parts of this challenge was not only the pride in myself and alteration of my own eating habit but showing other people how much better local food can taste. I would often share my meals or part of my meals with friends or family so they could see how flavours and combinations can really mesh well, especially with local foods. I know that I increased awareness, my ability to see food for its good qualities and flavours, and I believe my health as well. This means overall, mission completed!

Eating locally is not a limitation; it is a way of thinking – a mindset. Benefits of local food definitely outweigh the challenges. The taste and texture of local food, the locally circulating economic flow, the decrease of food miles, increased skills in the kitchen, the community/family ties and the personal health are just some of the reasons to try eating local food. Challenges would be lack of availability with familiar foods especially, time consuming meals and snacks, smaller selection of foods in stores and or restaurants, winter time or food deserts, picky eaters and sometimes price point. Local food is a movement, it’s happening all over the world and the central Okanagan is a fantastic place to be a part of this movement. If the reasons above are not enough for you to try local eating or the 100 mile challenge, than just do it as a challenge to yourself, your family or your community.