Local on a Budget

In response to my recent post about the cost of buying local food for one week, I'd like to share this link from the Co+op Stronger Together website. It talks about buying local food on a Budget. The tip about joining a CSA is a great one, I don't know why I ever decided against joining the closest co-op this past year, I seriously regret it!

The Total Cost

The total cost of my local purchases these past 9 days was $105.51

$5- 12 ears of local corn
$1- 2 local cucumbers
$4.50 - small loaf of local Zucchini bread
$3.50- local brownie (an unnecessary purchase)
$3.07- locally brewed mocha latte (another unnecessary purchase)
$37.00- Dinner for two at a local, vegetarian restaurant. Supplied a total of 4 meals.
$14.00- dinner at a local foods restaurant
$1- toffee, graham, pecan bar
$4.75- 1 local zucchini and 1 basket blackberries
$3.99- 1 Tub Seven Stars Farm Vanilla Yogurt
$3.49- 1 Dozen Nature's Yoke Large, vegetarian fed, free range eggs
$4.95-Spring Mill Bread Co. Honey Whole Wheat loaf
$1.38- 2 local Bagels
$2.99- 1 Salazon Chocolate Company dark chocolate bar
$5.71- 1 block chedder from Bowling Green Farm
$5.19- 1 package La Pasta ravioli
$3.99- 1/2 Gallon Trickling Spring Milks

That was for well over a weeks worth of food, plus I went out to dinner twice, and bought food out another time as well. Take those purchases out and it become $47.94! When I think about the amount of food I bought in excess of what I needed, and what I bought because I considered this past week a special occasion, it ends up being very affordable!

EAT LOCAL!

Day 9 Eat Local Challenge

To be honest, I'll be thankful when this is done and I don't have to take pictures of my food and upload it all to the blog. But it's been a great experience!

This morning, I drank some of Odwalla's Superfood drink; it's a favorite store-bought smoothie of mine, but expensive to buy the whole 1/2 gallon at over $8. It's all natural, and the plastic bottle is made of 100% plant material.

I woke up early to go to the local farmer's market with my grandfather this morning. We got a dozen ears of corn, a musk melon (cantaloupe- I just love calling it musk melon now that I know!), 4 tomatoes, 2 cucumbers, and some zucchini bread.

Day 7 & 8 Buy Local Challenge

The challenge is extending to span two weekends, and thus 9 days total. Yesterday, the 7th day, I started off with a local peach on top of peach greek yogurt.
As a pick-me-up, I bought a mocha latte from Atwater's. Like the many others that I've pointed this week, here's yet another obvious local food oxymoron: coffee can not be local. The shop, however, is local; Atwater's makes their own breads and foods using local ingredients. In addition, the latte was counter culture coffee. Counter Culture Coffee ensures that the coffee beans used in creating your drink were sustainably sourced. I don't drink much coffee, so I don't have much to say about Counter Culture and Atwater's. Prior to today's experience, most of the coffee I drank was made at home, using Baltimore Coffee and Tea blends and beans. Baltimore Coffee and Tea is another local seller of coffee products and offers Fair Trade coffees.

For lunch I ate yogurt with blackberries again, with granola on top. And I had some cereal to snack on.
I left for the beach after work, so I snacked on the way down. I ate a walnut brownie that I bought from Atwater's earlier. When I got to the beach I ate some musk melon and some almonds.

Eating at the beach may be a bit more difficult than I expected, but I brought some food with me. I have local yogurt left- which I used to make a smoothie this morning-
- and local eggs- which were used to make the pancake I ate this morning.

For lunch, we ate at a local pizzeria, and for dinner, my aunt made spaghetti. I don't think much or any of that meal was local. But it was family made, and delicious!

I couldn't get any local milk at the store down here, so I just bought organic. Tomorrow morning I'm walking with my grandfather down to the local farmers market, so I'll get some good stuff.

Day 6 Eat Local Challege

Who knew posting every night about what you ate would be so time consuming!? Really, I've spent as much- probably more- time writing these posts as I have preparing and eating the food! Anyway, today was a trouble free day. Breakfast was a parfait of MOMs' granola, farmers market blackberries, and local yogurt. Yummy and a good day starter.
For lunch I ate the rest of the ceasar salad from One World, and the rest of my fiance's meatless meatball sub. I still can't believe I ordered enough food to supply me with three meals!

And for a late dinner, I ate the rest of my nachos, chili, and guac from One World Cafe. Nachos never look appetizing after being reheated, but they were delicious!

If only I had some local ice cream for dessert!!

Well, tomorrow is the last day. I have plenty food remaining, not necessarily a good thing since I'm taking my vacation tomorrow after work. Looks like I'll be bringing 1/2 a loaf of honey whole wheat bread, a container of yogurt, a zucchini, s cucumber, a squash, granola, eggs, blackberries, and cherry tomatoes with me down to the beach. And that's just the local food in my fridge and pantry that needs to be taken! I have other non-local food that I should take so that it wont spoil! Obviously, I've bought way more food than I needed this week- all just to prove a point: buying local is easy, convenient, and affordable! If I am not broke at this point- you know it's not an expensive lifestyle!

More to write tomorrow!

Day 5 Buy Local Challenge

Today began as the least interesting local eating day of them all. I kicked it off with the 2nd Saw Mill Bread Co. bagel I bought from MOM's, topped with non-local cream cheese and with a glass of Trickling Springs local milk.

For lunch, I scrounged together a sandwich from some non-local cheese (muenster and swiss), non-local mayonnaise, local tomato, and vegetarian "pepperoni" slices; all on two slices of my honey whole wheat loaf, also from Saw Mill Bread Co. It was a huge sandwich, but mock pepperoni does not make for good sandwich filler. I also ate one of the juicy and really delicious peaches from the Burton Farm produce stand. Last week the peaches were good; this week the peaches were amazing!!

After work, I was going to stop by the Timonium Fair Grounds Farmers Market- but realized I have enough local food to finish the week, and not the money to afford excess produce. So to avoid the temptation, I didn't even drive by for a photo of it. When I got home, I finished off the Salazon chocolate bar (didn't last me nearly as long as I had hoped), at a few of the blackberries I bought from Three Springs Farm at yesterday's farmers market, and had another glass of Trickling Springs Creamery milk- the 1/2 gallon is almost gone. So alone, I would probably drink 2+ bottles a week. That's $7.98 a week on milk for just myself. In my opinion, it's worth it. As long as I can afford to buy this milk over a California organic milk, I will do so.

For tonight's dinner, my fiance and I met up with my cousin and her boyfriend for a double date at One World Cafe. It's a vegetarian restaurant in Charles Village in Baltimore. I've been there 3 times before, and loved it each time. If it were closer, I'd be there more often. We ordered so much food!! I got a ceasar salad to share with Shane, my fiance, but he was too busy eating a miso soup to make a dent on it. Then I got nachos, which are supposed to be a group shared appetizer sort of thing, but I ordered them just for myself. And on top of that, I ordered a cup of vegetarian chili and a bowl of guacamole! The waiter even warned me of how much food that was, but I insisted. I doggie-bagged a lot; I now have all of tomorrow's meals set to go!
I am stuffed but somehow still could have eaten dessert!!! What is wrong with me! This local food has me wanting more!!

On a side note, my work just started carrying a collection of home and kitchen accessories with phrases like "Eat Local", "Go Organic", "Homegrown", and "Farm Fresh" on them. How apropos!? If I wasn't trying to simplify my life and stop unnecessary purchasing, I would definitely have bought some stuff!

Day 4 Buy Local Challenge

Of all weeks to arrange dinner dates, the week that I am trying to eat strictly local meals would not have been my ideal choice. Luckily, I have awesome friends and family, and so the two meals out I am to share this week, will be at appropriate restaurants.

Tomorrow, my fiance and I will be going on a double date with my younger cousin and her new beau. She asked if we would be interested in going out with the two of them to One World Cafe- a great vegetarian/vegan restaurant that I had introduced to her earlier in the year.

Tonight, however, I met up with an old college friend. Without even having to say anything to him about the Buy Local Challenge, he had already taken into account my vegetarian diet and suggested a restaurant himself: Soup'R Natural

As found on their website, the family owners of Soup'R Natural pride themselves on being

"a community restaurant featuring fresh and natural foods, like the herbs and vegetables growing outside our restaurant and the local eggs, meats, and ice creams selected from farms just a few miles away."

How appropriate was his choice!? I arrived earlier than I expected, so while I waited, I snapped some shots of the outside and their garden. For our meal, I had some homemade lemonade (delicious!!!) and I ordered their Feta Melt Pita- a large portabella mushroom stuffed with tangy feta cheese, in a whole wheat pita. It was served with tri-color potato chips and a mini pickle. It was fantastic, I will definitely be going back for their local fountain milkshakes!





Before all of this local eatery fabulousness, I began my day with breakfast: a peach/pineapple smoothie. It was made from 1 whole fresh, local peach; 1 c pineapple chunks (not local); 1 Tbsp Flax seeds; 1/2 cup cottage cheese (not local); 1/4 granola; 3/4 cup yogurt...ugh, I'm stuffed just thinking about how much food I put in there! It was yummy, though; a great start to the day

My lunch was a bit less substantial, and a lot less local. I finished off the local musk melon (a.k.a. cantaloupe), and ate some cereal (not local).



After work, I made a quick stop at the farmers market before heading out to dinner. I didn't plan on it, but I bought a Graham Pecan Toffee Goodness bar- or called something to that liking- from Rare Opportunity Farm, a farm from Westminister, MD. It was only $1 and it was amazing! I ate it before I could get a photo! Atwater's, a local restaurant that cooks with local foods, sells Rare Opportunity jams.
I then proceeded to the stand of Three Springs Fruit Farm, from whom I frequently buy produce. Today, I bought a zucchini (for my zucchini mock crab cakes), and a small basket of blackberries. These two totaled $4.75. The zucchini will be used for one meal, though I can maybe I can stretch it into two; the blackberries will provide snacks and small additions to meals for a few days.

Looking back, I ate a lot of food today- and that wasn't even all of it! I had frozen yogurt from Tutti Frutti: a mix of flavors- Taro, Pomegranate, Mango, and Pistachio- with strawberries, pineapple, kiwi, granola, and nuts; and more of my Salazon Chocolate bar. Mmmm, that's okay- I already know I wont have time to pack a healthy lunch for tomorrow.

Yummy Salazon Organic Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt!

Day 3 Buy Local Challenge

Let me recap today's local meals:

For breakfast I had an everything bagel from Saw Mill Bread Co. with non-local (but USDA Organic) cream cheese. I also ate a banana- also non-local, but fair trade- and had a glass of Trickling Spring Creamery milk.

For lunch, I made a PBJ sandwich. I sliced my own bread (!!! Saw Mill Bread Co.) and spread an organic brand of crunchy peanut butter on one slice, and some local cider jelly and a homemade strawberry/basil jam (savory and delicious; courtesy of a housemate!).



I prepared a simple parfait as well, 1 c local yogurt with 1 fresh, local peach and some granola on the side to sprinkle on for lunch time. [Yes, I used a disposable spoon, I forgot mine. But don't worry, I have a system- for every piece of disposable flatware or napkins I have to use at work, I put a dollar into the "green fund" at my house.]



For my after work snack, I ate some cheddar cheese from Bowling Green Farm (PA local, if you'll recall) and some honey mustard (East Coast Local).

And for dinner I made the La Pasta local ravioli, oooh so yummy (organic, local, and RAW!) with fresh cut local tomatoes and fresh basil straight out of my garden! I was going to toast some of the whole wheat bread, but my fiance was sharing and I thought he might prefer some Pepperidge Farm Texas Toast garlic bread.

After work I was hoping to go to Weber's Cider Mill Farm, but my poor fiance who hasn't seen much of me lately, asked to go to the movies. I definitely have more than enough local food than I need for a week already, so it wasn't worth ditching him. Unfortunately, however, I wont be able to make it there until after the beach! I haven't been yet this Summer season. As the name suggests, they have great cider, cider donuts, and cider slushies!! Their cider will be best later in the season. But they also have pastries, produce, ice cream, condiments, honey, just about everything. If you go on a Saturday in fall, though, you'll find the Volunteer Fire Department there serving up food on the grill. I, as a vegetarian, eat their fresh cut french fries, yum!!!

Day 2 Buy Local Challenge

Today started off much better. I woke up early and went out to the market (MOM's, that is) to gather some of my local ingredients for the week. Here's what my grocery receipt looked like:

1 Tub Seven Stars Farm Vanilla Yogurt (Pennsylvania local)- $3.99
1 Dozen Nature's Yoke Large, vegetarian fed, free range eggs (PA Local)- $3.49
Spring Mill Bread Co. Honey Whole Wheat loaf (Maryland Local)- $4.95
2 Bagels (MD local)- $1.38
1 Salazon Chocolate Company dark chocolate bar (MD Local)- $2.99
1 block chedder from Bowling Green Farm (MD Local)- $5.71
1 package La Pasta ravioli (MD Local)- $5.19
1/2 Gallon Trickling Spring Milks (PA local)- $3.99
That's $31.69 and that gives me enough food for breakfast and lunch for every day this week, one meal for dinner, and some chocolate to snack on (the cocoa being . And I'll definitely have enough food to last me well into next week.

*Paper bag is not mine! I always bring a reusable (like the ones pictured at the top)! It belongs to a roommate, but because the food was from MOM's, it felt like an appropriate background for showing of my local bounty (sans Trickling Springs milk)! The blue lid under the bagels is my container of granola mentioned in yesterday's post. To fill that up, if you'll remember, costs just $2.97!

Today's breakfast included some (non-local, but healthy) Peace Cereal, with 2 more slices musk melon.
For lunch, I had some of the Bowling Green Farm cheese with honey mustard to snack on, along with 2 slices of the honey whole wheat bread with flax oil and dipping herbs.
To end the day, I had grilled the corn from the produce stand and sprinkled it with some old bay (a Maryland local ingredient!!). I also grilled a local green pepper stuffed with cheese and chunks from a tomato (also bought locally last week from the produce stand). My non-local portion of that meal included a veggie dog (East Coast local- Lightlife is a New England Company) and the whole wheat hot dog buns which I already had stocked in my pantry.

There are a few things I wish I could get local at MOM's. More yogurt would be nice, sliced cheese or cream cheese, and ice cream would be amazing. They do sell Moorenko's ice cream, but the flavors all seemed a bit too extreme for me, so I passed. When I got home, I found out a housemate had bought some of their ice cream. I tried it and it was great! Definitely will consider buying some next time.

P.S. The chocolate bar is almost gone! I bought dark chocolate because I can usually have just one small bite and be satisfied for the day- but it is soooo good! Dark chocolate with sea salt! Mmmmm! Oh and I bought some Biggs & Featherbelle Handle Bar Soap (pictured with the bounty, 4.49- it's a Baltimore company!)

The Maryland Buy Local Challenge Began Today!

The Maryland Buy Local Challenge started today, July 23rd. Each year, it happens during the 3rd week in July. I wasn't prepared as I hoped I would be- that, combined with the circumstances of the morning, meant my very first meal of the week was a failure by my standards. The challenge wants to see people incorporate one local food item into their diet each day. I've decided to see if I can make each meal of the day use one local ingredient.




So my challenge began with lunch: I ate a few pieces of musk melon (what we Americans wrongly call cantaloupe) bought from the Burton Family Farm, who sets up a produce stand on my street each weekend in the Summer.
This provides a few days worth of food, and cost about $3.00. In addition to the melon, I was able to buy 2 ears of sweet corn and 5 large peaches- togehter costing just $4.99. I ate the melon with some granola I bought in bulk with my own container from MOM's Organic Market. It's made locally, but uses coconut- which is obviously not local to Maryland. The granola is priced at $3.49/lb. On my way to work, I had some yummy organic chocolate milk from a local farm in Rockville, MD. It's the MOM's brand, and the 16oz bottle cost around $1. Not a substantial amount of food, but as I mentioned, the day hadn't gone as planned.
For dinner, I ate a vegetarian "chicken" pita pocket, prepared by Suneen Health Foods in Pennsylvania. Whether or not the ingredients were local, I can't be certain. I grabbed the sandwich since I was on the run and I didn't have the time (or food in my pantry) to prepare a healthy, local lunch on my own before work. The sandwich was sold at- you guessed it, MOM's- and put me back just $2.99. For dessert, I took that same granola from lunch, and sprinkled it over vanilla bean ice cream (Breyer's, not local) and a chopped peach from the produce stand! Yum!
Today's menu was not at all as I planned. It was, however, with the exception of my breakfast, entirely local. Regionally speaking, that is. Immediately local is a bit more difficult to achieve. The important message I want to deliver is that buying local food is affordable, despite what many believe. These two meals totaled around $7.00. They were small, but still satisfying and healthy.

Local Milk

A year ago, I tried local milk for the first time. I've had local ice cream, local cheese, but never local milk. Well I tried some from Trickling Spring Creamery. They sell it in the market in a glass bottle that can be refilled, at $2 off with the returned bottle. Well, it was an awful experience. It tasted terrible and looked strange. I couldn't even bring myself to finish the bottle, so I tossed it. For a year now, I couldn't even think about buying that milk again.

You've got it wrong if you think I'm about to slander this creamery. I love the creamery! I eat their cheese often. Well today, I decided to give it another shot. Maybe last time the milk I bought was bad, maybe I got the wrong kind of milk- whatever it was, the milk was different then. Today, however, it was AMAZING! So much better than the milk I've been buying. "The way milk 'ought-to' taste," as it says on the bottle. I only wish I gave it another try sooner!

Aside from taste, why is this milk better? It's local. Local milk supports local farmers and your local economy. Local milk doesn't have to travel hundreds of miles to get to your table. This milk is all natural, from grass-fed cows, it's chemical free, antibiotic free, synthetic-hormone free, and has no rBSTs. It's also Pennsylvania Certified Organic!

If you have the opportunity to buy local milk, whether from a farmers' market or a local grocery, I strongly suggest it!

Why Buy Local?

I found a terrific graphic on this website: elocal.com

(Click to enlarge)

Source: eLocal.com


It explains the process of not buying local- how it harms the environment and how it steals your money. It's a great design and I'd like to see it in poster form!