The 50 Mile Diet

Winter Eating

It’s true. Eating local in a Minnesota winter is just plain tough. It’s mid February and though we still have some serious blasts of snow yet to hit us, I’m thinking spring. I’m thinking spring because my south-facing front yard has grass again. I’m thinking spring because the layers of ice are gone from my driveway. I’m thinking spring because I haven’t started up my snowblower in a long time (okay, I haven’t been able to start it yet this winter for lack of something…strength? oil? gas?). I’m thinking spring because it gets me through winter when winter is not winter. I love the snow and the cold. But mud? Ugh. I know we’ve got a long time yet before my garden will be tilled and planted. I know.

So what has this local eater been eating since the summer?

Oddly enough, I’ve reverted back to non-local tendencies and lost a lot of weight. Is there a relationship? I don’t think so. But in my strictest of days eating local, I did find that local ice cream was in abundance and local oranges and bananas…well…they just weren’t. I still avoid anything processed except for some breakfast cereal. I’ve been eating local: eggs, cottage cheese, milk, cheddar cheese, beef and chicken. And then some not local foods: gruyere cheese, bananas, oranges, grapefruits, avocados, lamb, veggies. I’ve been making spring rolls on a regular basis and eating more protein than usual. As for the ice cream? None. Unless you count the Julie’s Fudge Bars (100 calories of sheer heaven). I eat one a day.

And what of my stores of tomato sauce and jams? They are going to bring me right into the summer! I made enough this year. Anyone like jam? I probably have enough for one more year.

Spring is out there. I know it.

2 Comments so far
Leave a comment