Track the geographical source of everything I eat for one day

I think I have a mental block, not discovered until I tried on several occasions to figure out where my restaurant meal came from and afraid that I would somehow offend my waiter. I should get over it. I’m going to plan a sneak attack on this goal and re-add it once I actually complete it.

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.

An event on this theme:

Supporting Local Economies Everywhere!
DINNER AND FAIR
Saturday July 21, 4 – 9pm
The Polish Home 1714 18th Ave

The goal of this event is to both educate and inspire the community to take action to strengthen local economies, everywhere. After working for the past six years for more just trade policy, today CAGJ is focused on building alternatives to corporate-led globalization. Supporting local farmers is one alternative that has been enthusiastically embraced in Seattle.

http://www.seattleglobaljustice.org/
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/16127

That’s mostly what I learned yesterday. Packaging may list ingredients, but it doesn’t list origin of ingredients and I can only imagine that food manufacturers change their sources all the time. Local veggies and fruit make it easy. And they are delicious.

Mighty O donut (made in Seattle – not sure where ingredients originate)

Tea @ Tougo

Trader Joe’s trail mix bar – distributed from Monrovia, CA (nutrition facts list ingredients but don’t list where they originate)

Diet Coke (sorry about that)

quesadilla (tortilla made in White Center, Seattle – not sure about ingredients; veggies from WA State)

rasperries (WA state)
cherries (WA State)
cheese (Seattle)
carrots (WA State)
tap water (WA State)

jambon sandwich from Cafe Presse (bread made in Seattle, not sure about the jambon)
pomme frites from Cafe Presse (WA potatoes)
Stella Artois from Belgium

Oranjeboom (Netherlands)

See also:
http://www.43things.com/people/progress/laurel/8240552