The Insider: Celebrate the benefits of fresh food
May 31, 2016 4:45 PM
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The Eat Local Challenge encourages residents to eat foods that have traveled no more than 200 miles to their plate. (Photo by Paula Burch-Celentano)
In 2016, the Eat Local Challenge, co-founded by Tulane University alumnus Lee Stafford, is becoming Eat Local Month and the goal of healthy eating is expanding to include recipients of the federal nutrition assistance program.
“We are including citizens who would benefit the most from a fresh food diet, but often have the least access,” says Stafford, who earned a bachelor's degree from Tulane in 1989. “In a partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank and Eat Fit NOLA, we are donating all local produce for SNAP recipients.”
The challenge begins on Tuesday (May 31) and ends on Thursday (June 30).
Stafford says the money to provide the produce will come from the $25 participant registration fee payable at Propeller, Hollygrove Market & Farm and St. Roch Market. Each registration equals one box of food for a family. Their goal is to donate 500 boxes.
Rules of the Eat Local Challenge are divided into four categories: ultra strict, strict, lenient and ultra lenient. They range from eating only foods that were raised, caught or grown within 200 miles on a daily basis to eating local just two days out of the week.
The challenge begins on Tuesday (May 31) and ends on Thursday (June 30).
Online registration and additional information on "challenges within the challenge" and other related events are available here.