I am writing today about a way to rethink the way we shop for food. In this country, the norm for grocery shopping has become this: people make a list, then go to one store or more to find the items on that list. Often, people become angry if the store is out of items. This anger arises out of an expectation that the grocery store should always be in stock on every item. We spend emotional energy running from store to store to check off all the items on our list. We also spend money and fuel to get to all these different places.
Now this new norm of shopping completely ignores the actual factors contributing to our food supply. These factors include crop shortages due to droughts, blights, and flooding. There are also issues that can arise as the strawberries we have come to expect year-round on the grocery store shelves are on their way to the Eastern US in winter from Mexico or California. Truck drivers have accidents, get stuck in traffic, and run into bad weather. There is also the consideration of the huge amount of fuel required to fill our insatiable needs for year-round supplies of foods that are out of season in our area. By ignoring the cycles of food that we are given from nature, we miss out on the gift of seasonal eating.
What would happen if we decided to turn grocery shopping on its head? What if we just looked at what was available from our local farms or stores and then decided what foods we would make for the week? This type of seasonal eating is the basis of an Ayurvedic diet. Nature gives us the foods we need to balance during each season. Winter squashes provide us with warming and grounding in the cold months, while bitter spring greens help our bodies to clear out congestion from the winter. When we approach shopping by allowing our meals to be guided by the food supply, we also open ourselves up to creative experiences cooking and tasting new dishes.
Today, I went to the Waverly Market in Baltimore seeking leeks. What I found was even better! I found local scallions grown at Big City Farms. Big City Farms is an urban farming group that appropriates blighted urban lots to grow food for local schools and businesses using sustainable methods. I am passionate about supporting these efforts because they improve the environmental and air quality of the city and empower local farmers. I believe that these types of urban farms are also crucial to teaching urban children about what it means to eat whole foods. I would like to thank the guys at Big City Farms for letting me photograph them for this blog, as well as for playing such an important role in revitalizing our community.
I am not a fanatic. I want to be clear that I understand that winter offers slim pickings in terms of fresh produce. That is when we can take advantage of freezing and canning! I will buy mangoes now and then. Fanaticism about anything creates stress, which is just as unhealthy as anything else fanatics are usually trying to avoid. However, I do create my weekly meal plans according to what I see at the market, and I feel lucky to live in a city where local farmers have greenhouses and there is a year-round outdoor market! We should all support these local growers who are enriching our city and making our dinners more tasty.
Now this new norm of shopping completely ignores the actual factors contributing to our food supply. These factors include crop shortages due to droughts, blights, and flooding. There are also issues that can arise as the strawberries we have come to expect year-round on the grocery store shelves are on their way to the Eastern US in winter from Mexico or California. Truck drivers have accidents, get stuck in traffic, and run into bad weather. There is also the consideration of the huge amount of fuel required to fill our insatiable needs for year-round supplies of foods that are out of season in our area. By ignoring the cycles of food that we are given from nature, we miss out on the gift of seasonal eating.
What would happen if we decided to turn grocery shopping on its head? What if we just looked at what was available from our local farms or stores and then decided what foods we would make for the week? This type of seasonal eating is the basis of an Ayurvedic diet. Nature gives us the foods we need to balance during each season. Winter squashes provide us with warming and grounding in the cold months, while bitter spring greens help our bodies to clear out congestion from the winter. When we approach shopping by allowing our meals to be guided by the food supply, we also open ourselves up to creative experiences cooking and tasting new dishes.
Today, I went to the Waverly Market in Baltimore seeking leeks. What I found was even better! I found local scallions grown at Big City Farms. Big City Farms is an urban farming group that appropriates blighted urban lots to grow food for local schools and businesses using sustainable methods. I am passionate about supporting these efforts because they improve the environmental and air quality of the city and empower local farmers. I believe that these types of urban farms are also crucial to teaching urban children about what it means to eat whole foods. I would like to thank the guys at Big City Farms for letting me photograph them for this blog, as well as for playing such an important role in revitalizing our community.
I am not a fanatic. I want to be clear that I understand that winter offers slim pickings in terms of fresh produce. That is when we can take advantage of freezing and canning! I will buy mangoes now and then. Fanaticism about anything creates stress, which is just as unhealthy as anything else fanatics are usually trying to avoid. However, I do create my weekly meal plans according to what I see at the market, and I feel lucky to live in a city where local farmers have greenhouses and there is a year-round outdoor market! We should all support these local growers who are enriching our city and making our dinners more tasty.