Esprit

You and eaters around the world are set to take the Challenge: 10 days, 100 miles, 10 exotics. It’s a game with simple rules but as many ways to play as people who choose to do it. That’s the beauty of it.

Doing the Challenge is free. You say you’ll do it and … do it. This website has simple yet complete instructions.

Your courage to try something new and your creativity, determination and desire to be a game-changer for the future of food will make the difference. There is no failure, only learning, because this Challenge is part of a far bigger game: restoring together the vitality, prosperity and abundance of regional food systems everywhere while we restore our own relationship with food.

There’s no right motivation. Our reasons are many: for our health… for the health of our families… for healthy soils, air and water… for eating more delicious, nutritious food… for unhooking from processed packaged mass-produced food… for our values… for our politics… and for sure for fun.

There is no right starting line. It starts where you are, as the eater you are, with the body you have, the age you are, the shape you’re in, your habits and preferences:

• Vegans, vegetarians and omnivores can do the Challenge.
• Dieters – from paleos to raw, to Atkins, to Weight Watchers – can do the Challenge.
• People who cook, have cooks, don’t cook and open cans, boxes and packages can do the challenge.
• People who eat for pleasure, for hunger, for nourishment, for fuel, for health, for flavors, and often for psychological needs like loneliness, exhaustion and boredom can do the challenge.

There is even no right definition of local. We choose 100 miles because games have rules and 100 miles as the crow flies is ample in most situations. Local, though, means more than food miles:

• Local food for all of us means the fresh, flavorful, often organic produce we find at Farmers Markets.
• Local food is relational – planted, picked, processed and prepared by real people you might meet and care about.
• Local food builds webs of relationships in communities, which are our real social safety nets. Local food builds stronger local economies and greater food security.
• Local food often comes from smaller scale diverse farms – unless you live next to a feedlot!
• Local food is often grown with organic methods.
• Local food arrives in our kitchens whole, fresh, minimally processed with fewer if any ingredients you can’t pronounce – unless you live next to a snack food factory.

Local signifies healthy food, healthy people and healthy communities.

Local is in no way the most important food value, but it’s one we need to incorporate it vigorously into our current eating style. Local vegans. Local omnivores. Local Paleos. Local late night snacking.

Bon Appetit!