Okay, I did this last Friday (07/06/07). Here’s what I ate and where it came from:

Breakfast:
Toast (bread from Seattle, WA)
w/almond butter (from Salem, OR)
Smoothie (from CA)

Lunch:
Falafel (mix from Milwaukie, OR) with…
cucumber (organic, but no idea where it was from)
yogurt (from Mountlake Terrace, WA)
fresh dill (from Duvall, WA)
hummus (from Seattle, WA)
feta (from WI)
tortilla (from CA)

Snackage:
Ginger lemonade (from Monroe, WA)
Roasted hazelnuts (from Lynden, WA)

Dinner:
Frittata with…
eggs (Broadview, WA)
broccoli (Carnation, WA)
summer squash (Carnation, WA)
dill (Duvall, WA)
chevre cheese (France)

Dessert:
vanilla ice cream (Snoqualmie, WA)
fresh raspberries (Monroe, WA)

Here’s what I learned:
Eating local is a challenge! I skewed my results by hitting a farmer’s market before putting myself to the test, but even so, it’s nearly impossible to ensure that ingredients are local. For example, though I ate bread from a local bakery, I have no idea where the wheat came from (it’s likely from WI, I’ve learned from a little research). Same with the almond butter… sure, it was made nearby, but where did the almonds come from?

However, I will say that buying food at a farmer’s market feels delightful, both in terms of the freshness (and corresponding deliciousness) of the food, and the fact that you can speak with the actual person who grew or made the food. In addition, I liked knowing I was supporting local, small businesses, rather than big corporate chains. My only complaint was the lack of local crackers. I subsist largely on crackers, and it seems impossible to find any that are locally made!

But I aim to try and buy local as much as possible throughout the summer. We’ll see what happens when the weather turns and the produce isn’t so bountiful.