Co-ops Host the 2007 Eat Local Challenge

Four Weeks of Locally-Grown Heaven...

By now, many of us have read that the average food item in our shopping carts traveled 1,300 miles to get to local stores. What to do? Our sales at the Wedge tell us that you are already embracing the concept of eating locally in a big way. So we decided to challenge all of us to try to increase our local consumption with the 2007 Twin City Co-op Eat Local Challenge from August 15 through September 15.

The goal of the challenge is to base 80 percent of your diet (four out of five items or ingredients) on food produced within the five-state* area. This includes fruit, vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, baked goods and grocery items. Of course, if you choose a smaller area, that's great - and do let us know how that works out! You can follow the Eat Local Challenge experience of a number of Wedge community luminaries on www.wedge.coop and find more information at www.twincitiesfood.coop - the web equivalent of Mix.

Sign up on the poster in the store if you wish to make your participation a matter of public record. To make it as easy as possible to identify local products, we are feverishly working on signs that identify local items in each aisle. Produce, dairy, meat and cheese are heavy on local products, but don't overlook locally produced items in the grocery aisles. Yes, you can still eat tortilla chips during the Challenge (Whole Grain Milling) dipped in Salsa Lisa or salsa made at the Wedge Deli. Our What's For Supper? recipes by local chef and teacher Jennette Turner feature the freshest locally-grown ingredients.

Our challenge is based on the honor system and is purely personal. Should you choose to accept, you'll find sample menus and plenty of tools to help ensure your success at your local co-op.

*Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and the Dakotas.