Local Bite Challenge
Local Bite

Local Bite Challenge (An Introduction)

March 31, 2014 / 43 Comments

We live in a time that allows us to ship exotic items from all corners of the earth to our local grocery stores and sometimes even to our doorstep.  While this is convenient, fun and delicious, it hasn’t always been this way.  For thousands of years, we were limited to eating the items that could be sourced locally.  Not only was this more sustainable and kinder to the environment than our current practices, but it also made us incredibly reliant on our ourselves and our small communities.

Did you know that food travels an average of

1500 miles from farm to plate?

Given our current conveniences, habits and dietary “necessities”, it is nearly impossible to assume that we might quickly change from a global diet to a local diet, but small changes can affect great change for the health of our bodies, our local economy and our environment at large.  So, how might one change their habits to embrace a locally sourced diet?  By diving right in!

I am very happy to announce that from April 12th to July 21st,
my Partner and I will, for 100 Days, eat local foods sourced from as close
to our home as possible within a budget of $100 per week.

We will set our first local foods radius at anything sourced from
within 100 miles of Santa Fe.  Our second radius will include anything
sourced from within the state of New Mexico. 

Yes, 100 days, 100 miles, $100 a week.  This should definitely be a challenge!
And guess what?  We want you to participate with us!

How can you participate?

Join our Local Bite Challenge by first deciding how you define “local” and how intensive you want to be with your challenge.   Think about the following questions as you access your options:

  • What is your definition of “local”?
  • Will you set distance parameters for yourself or learn and adapt as you go?
  • Do you want to participate for all 100 days or for a shorter period of time?
  • Do you want to give yourself a set budget or just wing it?
  • Will you allow yourself exceptions?  Maybe you cannot source flour “locally”, but you can bake your own bread!

Not everyone can or will want to undertake this challenge in the same way we are and that’s perfect! Anything you want to do to take a step in the “local” direction is welcome and wonderful!  Are you coming from an environmental perspective, looking at eating local for nutritional reasons or interested in building local food systems from an economic or preparedness point of view? Sweet! The point is to get us all thinking about eating local and acting local, in whatever ways stretch us beyond our current comfort zones. Think about it, then leave a comment on this post letting us know how you’ll participate!

How else can you participate?

  • Join the Local Bite Facebook Group for ideas, recipes and a community of like-minded people trying their hand at local eating, too!
  • Participate in each the weekly Mini Local Bite Challenges that will be posted here on the blog every Monday as well as in the Local Bite Facebook Group. The first Mini Challenge will go live on April 14th.
  • Join us for the Local Bite Food Independence Potluck this summer on July 4th.
  • Participate in our Local Bite Giveaway which will go live on April 12th and will run the entirety of the 100 day challenge.  This is a phenomenal giveaway which is being co-hosted with some of my very favorite bloggers!  Trust me, this giveaway is not to be missed!
  • Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and help spread the Local Bite word via social media using the hashtag #localbite 
  • Follow my Local Bite Pinterest Page for seasonal, local meals ideas and inspirations.
  • Spread the word!  My hope is to get as many people as possible excited about eating locally 🙂

Personal Stumbling Blocks and Possible Exceptions?

We do not doubt that we will face challenges with this challenge 😉  Given that we currently eat local foods only every once in a while with the exception of the foods we grow ourselves, we will be learning (and tracking our learnings in this space) where to source all of our food items locally and how to do without certain items that we have, before now, deemed necessary in our lives.

We acknowledge that not everything we might “need” can be sourced locally, but are going to do our absolute best to come up with alternatives that can be sourced from within the state of New Mexico.  For example, black tea and certain spices are not available from within our state.  Additionally, oils (like olive oil) are not produced here.  We will do our best to find alternatives or simply to hold out until the end of the challenge to replenish our stores.  Who knows, maybe it won’t be such a loss after all?! However, if we do purchase something that is not local, I will absolutely report it here.

So, what can you expect in this space throughout the challenge?

  • Detailed reports about our purchases and, later in the challenge, our own harvests
  • Weekly meal plans and recipes
  • Guest posts from other bloggers and participating community members
  • Weekly Mini Challenges with inspirations and ideas
  • Introductions and interviews with local farmers as well as business owners who place importance on sourcing as many of the items on their menus as possible locally
  • Honest weekly reflections on how we’re doing, what’s working, what’s not, what we love about eating local as well as what we don’t love about it

There you have it!  What do you think?  Care to join us for 100 days of local eating?
I sure hope so!   Please leave a comment on this post letting me know how you’ll be participating, then mark your calendars for our kick off on Saturday, April 12th! This is going to be a ton of fun!

xoxo,
M

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