Sunday, May 20, 2007

Local Eating Challenge

I tried eating locally for a week, which turned out to be great. But I'll admit that I made more exceptions that I originally anticipated. I still came in under my budget, but I would like to do the same challenge again to see how much money I spend in another seven-day time frame.

Here are some answers to the survey I completed after the Penny-Wise Challenge:

The hardest thing about eating locally on a budget had less to do with the budget part as much as the local part. The temptation to grab something around the corner instead of finding, buying, and transporting something local when I'm not at home can be nagging, but the price restriction was not as much of a problem.

The easiest thing was visiting the farmers' markets. I just love the experience of going to the market, searching out the foods that are fresh and in season, and buying the products from people who actually grow and harvest them.

I think that if people are willing to take the time and make the effort, they can eat locally on a budget. For me, eating locally is a challenge and at times it can be expensive. Yet it is becoming a habit at my house, which is something that I am increasingly proud of.

I will continue to incorporate local foods into my diet, especially now that more and more local foods are coming into season!