Lightweight Eats

As I was growing up, the Berkeley Bowl (our local grocery store) began labeling country and state of origin for all of its produce. At the time, I didn't think much of it. In my mind, a cucumber was a cucumber, whether it was grown in Mexico or 10 miles outside of town.

The more vegetables I eat, though, and the more I purchase my own vegetables, the more aware I become of what it means to eat locally.

Obviously, we are blessed with California sunshine. Living within 100 miles of California's Central Valley, and more particularly in a region that so values the homegrown, makes the choice a lot easier. Still, it is a choice, and one we've started to make more consciously.

Shopping at our local farmer's market provides us with an abundance of fresh, seasonal produce. Over the past 7 months, Dan and I have gotten used to eating in season: in May, we celebrated the first of the strawberries by eating an entire flat in three days. We eagerly anticipated corn, and are enjoying bell peppers, figs, stone fruit and cucumbers in abundance. In a month, we'll be noshing on apples and grapes, and starting to eat more broccoli and cauliflower.

While our hand was forced in this direction by our lack of car (our only option many weeks is to shop at the market), we love the result: food has gotten even better!

Where you're from, it may be out of your budget to eat locally. For us, it's the most budget conscious choice. If you have the option, and can afford it, I urge you to start making the change! If you can't afford it, try planting some of your own vegetables: radishes and spring mix are great, quick, easy options, and we've also enjoyed beets, cucumbers and tomatoes. It may be a bit late for those of you in less temperate climates, but at least in California, there's still another growing season left!