tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507829329403685696.post8054084148550902555..comments2023-12-09T02:34:01.121-06:00Comments on Veg*n Cooking and Other Random Musings: On Gradually Achieving a Sustainable Local Diet - Meal PlanningJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01760009169211682230noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507829329403685696.post-34924431175810918522008-07-15T11:20:00.000-05:002008-07-15T11:20:00.000-05:00Erin - Thank you. Haha, I never thought I would b...Erin - Thank you. Haha, I never thought I would be, but I just try, day to day, to do better, do more with less, waste less, use more of my fair share of the worlds resources. There is still much more that each and everyone of us can do, and we can all share our ideas and teach others. I have learned so much from you all's blogs!<BR/><BR/>You seem very mindful Erin, I read your blog! You always make good use of the things you buy, you eat your leftovers, and like you said, you get stuff to complement what you already have.Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01760009169211682230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507829329403685696.post-85796440531478224022008-07-15T11:18:00.001-05:002008-07-15T11:18:00.001-05:00Lizzy - I guess I am. :-) And thank you.I used t...Lizzy - I guess I am. :-) And thank you.<BR/><BR/>I used to be the exact same way. I only felt a little bad, and it was only when I had to come face to face with my waste on "fridge clean out day" (aka the day we went to the store to get more food that would likely be wasted). I thought there were better things to worry about, and to be honest, it didn't strike me as "abnormal" to waste as I did. Sadly, in many Western nations it's NOT abnormal to waste, but it should be.<BR/><BR/>I'm so happy you are trying to be less wasteful. You'll probably find yourself happily surprised that you are saving money by wasting less as well. I know we did.<BR/><BR/>Haha! See, it's not so hard to reduce your waste! You've already got one big aspect of the sustainable diet down (and you don't eat meat, that also helps a lot too). It's really rewarding and I feel very creative to make tasty meals out of what I have on hand and what I find at the market.<BR/><BR/>Hey, not a problem, I love writing, I love reading and learning, I might as well not keep it to myself. And while I may not have the best way of going about things, these are things that work for me. If I have something of value to offer, I might as well share it.<BR/><BR/>Take these ideas, add to them, and make them your own, that's what it's all about anyway!Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01760009169211682230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507829329403685696.post-71501608970030842932008-07-15T11:18:00.000-05:002008-07-15T11:18:00.000-05:00Great post! You are quite the inpiration for meal...Great post! You are quite the inpiration for meal planning and consciousness. I can't say I'm as mindful as you, but I've really gotten into using everything I have and not being wasteful. Like, if I grocery shop I'll buy stuff to complement what I already have.Erinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14532890894030753470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507829329403685696.post-72690493036554607432008-07-15T07:45:00.000-05:002008-07-15T07:45:00.000-05:00You're so passionate about this and it has been re...You're so passionate about this and it has been really inspiring to me. I used to not worry about this much, although I felt guilty when wasting food, but then I was like "Oh well, move on!" <BR/>Now I'm much more conscious. I try to produce as little waste as possible and what I found funny was your meal plan for the week, because just minutes before I had written down what was still in my fridge, what needed to be used and what kind of dishes I would create over the next few days with it ;)<BR/><BR/>I love all the information you provide! Thanks so much for taking the time to write that piece, I always love reading your ideas and adapting them to my daily life.Lizzyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10843977439200051570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507829329403685696.post-10929348733457029802008-07-14T19:07:00.000-05:002008-07-14T19:07:00.000-05:00Jessy - Thank you so much, it really means a lot t...Jessy - Thank you so much, it really means a lot to me that you said that. :-) <BR/><BR/>Aw, surely more people will have to start doing CSA shares soon, can't they see the demand is there? There have been a lot of waiting list situations here too, we were very lucky this year to be able to get a share, I hope for the same luck next year, I really like our farmer's, nice folks and very high quality produce. They've even put in fruit trees! In the next few years there might be a good fruit CSA option for me to take part in, I can't wait!<BR/><BR/>I am surprised there aren't more though.<BR/><BR/>It's hard, last year, when we didn't have a CSA, we didn't go to the farmer's market nearly as often. We didn't want to get up early on a Saturday morning, but in the end, not getting to sleep in late in worth it when you get a bounty of yummy farmer's market produce.<BR/><BR/>It's hard to shell out all the money at first, but when you see how much you save buying bulk, and how much more convenient it is to have them on hand, how much less packaging you use, it's worth it.<BR/><BR/>Lindsay (HH) - Thank you so much! <BR/><BR/>You make the world a tastier place with your whole foods recipes. And somehow I ended up forgetting to comment on the post, but I am really happy with your publishing decision and can't wait!Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01760009169211682230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507829329403685696.post-9519537890944937722008-07-14T17:27:00.000-05:002008-07-14T17:27:00.000-05:00informative and deeply awesome! you rock. you make...informative and deeply awesome! you rock. you make the world greener :)Lindsay (Happy Herbivore)https://www.blogger.com/profile/11254775369646541070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507829329403685696.post-33252635458176641052008-07-14T14:59:00.000-05:002008-07-14T14:59:00.000-05:00oh yes - your information from all your experience...oh yes - your information from all your experiences is most helpful! :) i love reading your posts - you offer some really practical advice and have some awesome ideas, too! <BR/><BR/>i love localharvest.org - that's how i found the few CSAs that are offered in our area. one would think that richmond has more, but i think that most of the farmer's rely on the farmer's market and stands that they have on their property more than they do the CSA programs. it's too bad, but i figure eventually we'll get on a CSA! i'm keeping my fingers crossed! each year i feel we get closer. but i need to stop being so lazy and get my butt to the farmer's market every saturday, and buy local at the store when i go, too! i also need to eat more in season - and buy more bulk! <BR/><BR/>w00t! :Djessyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01239751125232117374noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507829329403685696.post-88956375244726852852008-07-14T12:24:00.000-05:002008-07-14T12:24:00.000-05:00Jessy - That sounds like a great way to plan! Bre...Jessy - That sounds like a great way to plan! Brett and I noticed almost immedietly that we had less waste and saved money, and we no longer had that guilt that came with "cleaning out the fridge" (aka throwing lots of food into the trash can that is various stages of decay).<BR/><BR/>Oh, no problem at all. And you rock pretty hard yourself. ;-)<BR/><BR/>That has to be rough be on a waiting list for so long. Certainly you should eventually be able to get a share, though in some ways that is a good sign as people are purchasing a lot of CSA shares. Have you been to http://www.localharvest.org/csa/? Perhaps there are other CSA's in your area that you could look into.<BR/><BR/>We have a local grocery store here, I need to start frequenting that more over the winter. We are lucky with how close we live to the farmer's market, and we have to go every week to get our CSA, so we always get our produce and anything else we can there.<BR/><BR/>Glad I can be of some assistance. I'm no expert, all I have is my own experience and my interpretation of the information I am exposed to. If it helps others at all, then I've done my job.Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01760009169211682230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507829329403685696.post-80317400909130425942008-07-14T07:50:00.000-05:002008-07-14T07:50:00.000-05:00meal planning is indeed the way to go! i meal plan...meal planning is indeed the way to go! i meal plan every wednesday for dan & i and it saves us money, food waste, etc. i love it! i usually plan for 5 dinners and 5 lunches to take to work. i don't know how we did this before meal planning - it was a mess, and pretty wasteful, too. <BR/><BR/>this post is another great one, Jennifer! and it's reminding me that we need to take advantage of more local produce & the farmer's market! while we're still on a CSA wait list (we're on 2 wait lists and have been on both for 2 years now) we need to get our butts to the market every weekend, and there's actually a local grocery store chain here in richmond that offers a lot of local yummies, too. i need to make a point to buy more local & in season, indeed! thanks for all the wonderful advice, tips, and information - you rock so hard! :Djessyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01239751125232117374noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507829329403685696.post-15354467921872677722008-07-13T21:02:00.000-05:002008-07-13T21:02:00.000-05:00Cookiemouse - Thank you. You're right about where...Cookiemouse - Thank you. You're right about where you need to be, and when you get there, you can send me some of your homegrown olives and wine vinegars. I'd have to send some salsa or peppers in return though, it would only be fair. ;-)<BR/><BR/>Lisa - It's hard to do at first, but you even end up saving money in the end so to me, its a win-win situation, and it forces me to be creative.<BR/><BR/>I too enjoy a nice meal out from time to time, and don't think we shouldn't have one, I just think it should be just that, from time to time. <BR/><BR/>Courtney - I know, summer does make it much easier, the winter poses a challenge, and as the years go on, I hope to be able to prepare for that more and more, by preserving, growing what I can indoors. My eventual hope is to have a modest greenhouse attached to my home instead of a porch, then I would be good to go year 'round.<BR/><BR/>And you're right, you DO save money, who doesn't like that!<BR/><BR/>I know, I used to be one of them, it took me awhile to get comfortable in the kitchen, get an idea what I like, what that involved, all that, but once I did, it made things a lot easier, and I don't feel boxed in. I get to try new recipes all the time, enjoy great food, but it takes some thought.<BR/><BR/>Callina - I don't mean to make you feel bad about your habits, please don't beat yourself up. It takes time to get to where you know what you like, what you need to keep on hand, how to procure it, all that. <BR/><BR/>But you are right, it does take time and effort, you have to be willing to think on the fly and work with what you have on hand, you'll get there though.<BR/><BR/>And Italian and Mexican, those are good cuisines to like if you want to live local in Missouri. <BR/><BR/>You have to have a large battery of recipes to choose from, and a mental inventory of what you have. Depending on your tastes, this could take awhile. Something to think about for next year, if you like perhaps you, Andrew, Brett, and myself could go in on a full share CSA, we would get more food for less money than buying individual shares, and well, you'll have a buddy to try to figure out to do with some of the stuff you get. I wish I had had someone this year who was a master of making radishes taste good or to tell me what to do with beets.<BR/><BR/>I do have to state again for the record, of course you could do better, I could do better, most other people could still do better, but it's important to recognize the value in understanding that. Are you getting excited to move back to the Show Me State?<BR/><BR/>Do Andrew's parents live in Missouri? I saw you said you guys were going to be staying with them for a little while. If you are looking for a job in CoMo, start hitting up MU's job website now. You can get a decent paying job at the university with good benefits. It just takes for flippin' ever to get in for an interview. Probably a good place to start though.Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01760009169211682230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507829329403685696.post-5257120874701851292008-07-13T19:30:00.000-05:002008-07-13T19:30:00.000-05:00Great advice--I should be more conscious of this t...Great advice--I should be more conscious of this the next time I do some major grocery shopping. If I just put a little effort into it, I think it would really pay off. I think I'm halfway there--most of the stuff I cook is either Italian or Mexican, so I'm not so all over the place, but I bet I could do a better job if I thought about it a little more.cjhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18338468186546285399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507829329403685696.post-4650516050231451182008-07-13T16:39:00.000-05:002008-07-13T16:39:00.000-05:00While I am not a fan of the heat that comes with s...While I am not a fan of the heat that comes with summer, I DO love summer because it is so much easier to eat local, sustainable, and organic. I walked to the farmers market both yesterday and today, and as a result, I hardly had to buy anything at the "real" grocery store. I love supporting the local farmers, and I save money at the same time--what a deal! <BR/><BR/>So many people seem intimidated by meal planning/cooking, and your post made so many good suggestions and points. I am looking forward to reading your next post!<BR/><BR/>CourtneyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507829329403685696.post-86794367546440615992008-07-13T13:44:00.000-05:002008-07-13T13:44:00.000-05:00I've also been trying to waste less by first seein...I've also been trying to waste less by first seeing what veggies I have on hand and THEN deciding what the meal will be. Although I do enjoy eating out, eating at home is almost always more healthful, and often tastier. Thanks for a post to get us thinking.Lisa (Show Me Vegan)https://www.blogger.com/profile/06222499189852950447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507829329403685696.post-20479158999910179572008-07-13T10:17:00.000-05:002008-07-13T10:17:00.000-05:00Your idea of eating a "cultural diet" is right on....Your idea of eating a "cultural diet" is right on. For me that would have to be a Mediterranean diet with olives, olive oil, wine vinegar, lots of fresh citrus fruits and salads, courgettes, tons of garlic and good wine, all preferably from my own garden. That would be about as local as it could get. So now all I have to do is move to the Med!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15888732615181532548noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507829329403685696.post-89581022429016162582008-07-13T09:48:00.000-05:002008-07-13T09:48:00.000-05:00Chickpea - Thank you. I've seen some things aroun...Chickpea - Thank you. I've seen some things around the blogosphere and have wanted to share my "advice" on diet for awhile, I had just never seen the opportunity or been able to organize my thoughts into a coherent post.<BR/><BR/>I haven't read that book, but I know a lot of people have found it very influential. To me, eating locally is just common sense for a number of reasons (many I will touch on in the posts to follow in the series), but most importantly, it tastes so much better, more money stays in your community, less food miles are involved in your meals. The only downfalls really are the limits to what can be grown in your region, and seasonality, but if you preserve while fresh food is abundant, you can in some ways get around the seasonality part.<BR/><BR/>Alice - No problem. A couple of things about your beans (I will be touching on this more in detail in the coming posts), perhaps there is a cooperative or somewhere that you can purchase your beans in bulk (large quantitites), you can usally do a little research at these places and find out where your beans come from. Even if your beans do come from far away (our 25 lb bag of adzuki beans came from China, but the rest were sourced from the US), they have a fairly shelf stable and are likely to have been shipped to you by boat, if the item has a longer shelf life, they don't generally waste the money to have things like beans flown in. If you buy these non-perishable items that must be imported in bulk, you will save on your overall "food miles". Depending on where you live, you can only do so much. Sadly, beans can actually be grown in Missouri, but there isn't much of a market for them (beyond soybeans), so most of the beans we buy here in Missouri are grown in California. <BR/><BR/>You are already doing a lot by shopping at the farmer's market. Take advantage of it as best as you can, and if time, money, or motivation allows, think about preserving some of it for the winter months.Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01760009169211682230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507829329403685696.post-4463999345656597262008-07-13T02:01:00.000-05:002008-07-13T02:01:00.000-05:00I love this kind of posts :-). I've been trying to...I love this kind of posts :-). I've been trying to eat local the past weeks, and I often have this problem: I don't know where my beans come from. It's impossible to find out from the packet. I buy organic, but I'm guessing they come from faaaar away. Anyway. At least we're buying the veggies from our trusted guy in the farmer's market...Aliciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02113123607750114167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507829329403685696.post-11308232708167110722008-07-12T23:25:00.000-05:002008-07-12T23:25:00.000-05:00Quite the fascinating and informative post, Jennif...Quite the fascinating and informative post, Jennifer. I really enjoyed reading how you've come to eat the way you do in terms of type of cuisine, etc. I just started reading Animal, Vegetable, Mineral by Barbara Kingsolver, so my mind has been digesting the advantages of local eating lately.ChickPeahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01796488061660385286noreply@blogger.com