Downtown Alliance | Salt Lake City, Utah - Eating Local Challenge: Why Should We Care?

Eating Local Challenge: Why Should We Care?

Friday, 07 September 2012 14:36

Written by Jesse Dean

Photo Credit to SLC Foodie (twitter: @slcfoodie)

“Is the chicken local? Is it grassfed? USDA organic? Oregon Organic? Utah organic? How big was the area that the chickens were raised?”- Nance from Portlandia.

For those of you who have enjoyed Portlandia episodes, you know the satiric comedy show pokes fun at those taking the local food movement too far. The real question is: Why do people care about local food in the first place? Is it a passing fad? Is it some annoying new diet to add more stress for you in making food choices? My answer to both of these questions is no, and I like to share why.

There are many reasons to eat local, you just have to pick which reason(s) make most sense to you. By choosing to buy local food, you and your family will welcome improved taste, health and nutrition, environmental stewardship and support for local farms and communities all year round. Most food found in our supermarkets is trucked across the country, hauled in freighter ships, and flown around the world. A tremendous amount of fossil fuel is burned to transport foods such long distances, releasing carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and other pollutants. Plus, the refrigeration required to keep our fruits, vegetables, and dairy products from spoiling on these long journeys is also costly. According to Local First, regional food sytems produce 17 times less CO2. Plus, spending money in the local community often times keeps more money in the local economy. A Local First study found that if Utahns spent just 10% more at local businesses, Utah would keep more than $487 million dollars in additional revenue.

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For me, eating local is first and foremost tied to my love for cooking. I enjoy cooking and eating a freshest ingredients I can find. Choosing local ingredients ensures a product that was picked fresh and traveled less.! Throughout the summer and fall months, my weekly ritual involves shopping at the Downtown Farmers Market for some of Utah’s best produce. At the market I get to interact with people like Richard from Wilkerson’s Farm or David from Zoe’s Garden - farmers who have dedicated most of their lives to producing food less than 40 miles from my home. My relationship with these farmers is simple yet understated: I purchase food that they themselves grow. Food purchased in supermarkets often comes from California, Florida, Mexico, Canada, or perhaps as far away as South America, eliminating an important and satisfying bond.

Eating local is not only limited to the typical Utah harvest months between June and October. That’s right! You can enjoy local food year round with just a little bit of thoughtful planning. Canning or freezing food is simple and satisfying when January comes and you are craving harvest season foods like tomatoes or peaches. Never canned before? Not to worry. You can take a class from the Summer in a Jar series, where seasoned canning pro Alison Einerson will school you in all things involving the mason jar. For more information on canning classes or how to can, go to slcfarmersmarket.org or freshpreserving.com

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As we hit the height of the harvest season this September, I invite you to join me in the Eat Local Challenge. Sponsored by Wasatch Community Gardens, Slow Food Utah and the Downtown Alliance, the Eat Local Challenge asks you to increase awareness about your daily food choices. How you challenge yourself is completely up to you. Some choose to only eat food produced within a 250 mile radius while others make conscious decisions to incorporate a few local ingredients into their daily routines. My personal “cheat” in the Eat Local Challenge is coffee, for which my coworkers, friends and family thank me. That’s right folks, coffee does not grow anywhere near Utah. A great place to start for recipes and learning what’s in season is The Vintage Mixer or SLC Foodie, two blogs by SLC resident Becky Rosenthal. If cooking is not your thing, several restaurants pride themselves on serving up locally-sourced fare. Some of my favorites are Copper Onion, Plum Alley, zY, Pago, and Caffe Niche.

Whatever you choose, recognize that some of the best food available to you is grown right in your state. We play an important part as the consumers (and producers for all you home gardeners!) of a growing and thriving local food community in Utah and must continue to support it.