It’s Time to Eat Real, Healthy and Safe
Boulder County’s Eat Local Challenge is part of the national Food Day happening on October 24. It gives Boulder County residents a way to stand up for local, healthful and safe food. Simply create or join an event that supports healthy, affordable food produced in a sustainable, humane way. Here’s how to create an event:
- Dream up an event
- Map your event
- Organize the event and invite friends, neighbors and others
- Host the event and enjoy being part of the movement for local, real, safe and healthful foods
Step 1: Dream Up an Event The possibilities are many. Simply commit to making a meal on Food Day that uses locally produced foods (great recipe ideas here). Or eat at a restaurant featuring locally grown foods (participating restaurants here.) Or use your imagination:
- Potlucks with Local Ingredient Dishes Host a potluck for friends, neighbors or a neighborhood organization (check out Recipes and Themes)
- Food Preserving Get Togethers Buy boxes of apples for an applesauce making party; bake and freeze pears for divine winter sweets
- Speaking Events E.g., invite a speaker to talk about why increased food awareness is important (Speaker Ideas here)
- Movie Screenings Here’s a list of informative movies and how to get them.
- Discussions E.g., Is local, healthy and safe food too expensive? Is there a way to make them more economical?
- Halloween Preparations Get some friends together and take a mall stroll wearing local food-themed costumes
- Farm Gleanings Join in a gleaning event.
- Parties Host a party catered with local foods (local foods caterers here)
- Cooking Classes Attend a cooking class on how to make meals with local, healthful and safe foods
Check out the sidebar to see what other Boulder County residents are doing, and be sure to share your great event plans in the comment section. Head to this page for even more ideas. And don’t forget that you can mix ‘n match events, e.g., a potluck + a discussion, or a movie screening + catered local foods appetizers.
Add your event to the Food Day map . . .
Step 2: Map the Event Once you’ve decided on an event, put it on the map. This is critical to measure our success, and it’s easy, too:
- Simply head to the national Food Day mapping page.
- Enter the requested information about yourself and the event.
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- . . . then watch as Boulder County events add up.
Under “Event Location,” choose “Yes” to keep an event private (for just those you invite personally) or “No” to open it up for anyone to attend.
- Hit “Host This Event. You’ll receive a confirmation email; click on the link to make the event visible on the map.
- A marker will now be added to the Food Day map (location kept anonymous for private events) . . . and we’re one event closer to a successful Boulder County Eat Local Challenge.
- P.S. A second email will also be sent, with a link to edit the event in future. Please keep it.
Step 3: Organize and Invite Putting together a Food Day event is just like any other party or gathering you’d put on in your home. For larger events, the Food Day Guide for Hosts will be helpful.
Step 4: Host the Event Although the official Food Day is on a Monday (to accommodate schools, colleges and offices), events can be held any time the week before or after Monday, October 24.
FAQ
What Does “Local” Mean? While there are many definitions of “eating local,” for the Eat Local Challenge it means eating foods that are grown, raised or produced in Colorado. Of course, the closer to home you can get, the better!
Can I just join an event? Of course. Participants are just as important as hosts. Find an event you’d like to join on the Food Day site, under “Participate.” Simply enter state, city or zip code to see your options.
What challenge number are we trying to achieve? Good question. Just how many events can we do on this first Food Day and first Eat Local Challenge? 25? 50? 100? We’re betting that Boulder County will turn in some surprising results. Be sure to map your event so we can include it in this first ever challenge.
Can I keep my event private? Sure. When mapping your event, under “Event Location” choose “Yes” to keep an event private (for just those you invite personally.)
Who can sponsor an event? Events can be sponsored by individuals or groups like neighborhood organizations, home owners associations, churches, schools, businesses, or non-profits.
Where Can Events Be Held? Host events in your home or office, at a local theater or store, in a park, at a farmer’s market–wherever best suits the event.
