Just the Facts When:  Sept.8-15, 2007 What:  Eat locally grown and produced foods for a meal, a day, or for the entire week - you decide what is the right challenge for you.  Exceptions:  Marco Polo exemptions apply.  Choose from 0 to 4  foods that you will eat during the challenge that are not local. Click here to sign up!   Support During the Challenge Week Host a potluck and invite friends to each bring a local dish. Check out our recipe page and email us your own local recipes. Find out where to find local products in the Mid-Michigan area. Celebrate!  Celebrate a successful week of eating locally by inviting others to join you for an all-local potluck on Sept. 15th.

The Localvore Challenge is not about deprivation.  It is a celebration of all the wonderful food that is available to us here in Michigan! Michigan produces over 200 different food products--the second greatest diversity in the U.S.! (Exceeded only by California).  The Localvore Challenge is a shared opportunity for us to stretch ourselves, be creative in our food choices, and learn more about where our food comes from.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do you mean by "local"?
For purposes of the Localvore Challenge, "local" means grown within 100 miles of Lansing.

Isn't this like the 100-mile diet?
Yup!  The only major difference is that the Localvore Challenge gives people an incentive to go whole-hog (pun intended) to eat only local foods for a period of time. The 100-mile diet encourages people to incorporate some local foods year 'round.

How far is a 100-mile radius?
From the heart of Lansing, the 100-mile radius stretches as far north as West Branch, as far south as somewhere in Ohio, west into Lake Michigan, and east to Port Huron and Leamington, Ontario. If you want to map YOUR OWN 100-mile radius, you can enter your zip code into the site at: http://100milediet.org/map/

What about Value Added Products? I know the address on the package says Michigan, but how do I know where the food actually comes from?
Good question! One idea is to contact the manufacturer and ask them directly. Just because food is processed in Michigan doesn't necessarily mean any of the ingredients were grown here.

Is eating locally more expensive?
Not necessarily. Most of us pay a big premium for out-of-season foods like cherries in winter or prepared foods like spaghetti sauce, usually with a long list of ingredients we might prefer not to have in our bodies. Eating locally, we can buy fresh ingredients in season and direct from the farmer–without paying for the embedded costs of trucking the produce across the country. Most people eating a typical diet could save money by eating locally.

Will it take a lot of time?
It can take time to find local food sources, to make food from scratch, to do canning for winter, and so on. But part of our goal as Localvores is to share resources and tips so that we don't have to do all the work by ourselves. Hopefully, you'll be strengthening relationships and building community as you shop, chop, cook and eat.

How do you monitor if people are sticking with the pledge?
We don't. We're not coming into your kitchen to check your grocery bags. It is strictly on the honor system. However, if you are not able to stick to your pledge, it would be really good to know why. This information could be helpful to others who take the pledge in the future.