Culinary Reformation

Caitlin H.

February 24, 2010 - 8:23 AM

I love to discuss the local food industry - how many miles a meal traveled before it stopped on my plate, how the food was grown, how the product was manufactured, how the product was packaged, where it was sold and at what price, etc.

Recently I came to the conclusion that there were too many proteins and sugars in my life, not enough of everything else. In response to this revelation, I have made some recent changes.

I have become part ‘vegetarian'...if you can call it that. I decided to reserve meat-eating for one day a week, and see how my life is impacted if I am vegetarian the other six days during the week. I hardly think being a fulltime vegetarian or vegan is somewhere in my future, but I am attempting to find a more appropriate balance. One could say Eugene is ‘famous' for its emphasis on earth-friendly/sustainable lifestyles and practices. I often joke with visitors Eugene is the only place on earth where it will be easier to find a recycle bin than a trash can. In other words, a change of diet like this hasn't been difficult to accomplish in a city like Eugene where being vegetarian or vegan is relatively popular.

While what I eat is certainly important, I also am very interested in where my food comes from. Yes, I too have consumed processed junk created by multi-billion dollar corporations. But I don't want that to be the only kind of food I eat. And I have spent enough time studying these topics to understand that ‘good, local' food is often expensive and inaccessible for much of the population. The great news is, I sometimes feel like Eugene is an exception to this common problem. I mean I am a college kid on a budget, but I still manage to eat all right. That tells me that there is hope.

The Eugene farmer's market is wonderful. Some of the best meals I have shared have been tied to the farmer's market in some way. It is available all year long but it is most visited by me in the spring/summertime. For weeks now I have been dreaming of a sunny Saturday morning where I ride my bike to the market and collect some locally grown produce. Several grocery stores around town also carry locally made breads, cheeses and more. The farmer's market will always hold a special place in my heart though. Perhaps there is something slightly romanticized about having a conversation with the farmer who grew the crop I am purchasing and later consuming. I like knowing where my food comes from!

Here's to healthy and happy dining!