Join the Buy Local Challenge July 21-29
Have you heard of the Buy Local Challenge? The Challenge encourages all Marylanders to eat at least one locally grown or raised product each day of the Buy Local Challenge Week, which is always the last full week of July.
Why buy local? Buying local is good for you, good for the local economy, and good for the planet! You’ll enjoy fresher produce for you and your family, less energy is needed to transport products over short distances (which makes for cleaner air and water), plus your support of independent/family farms helps strengthen the local economy. When you buy local, you help to ensure that the benefits of our farms survive for many years to come. In Maryland, if every household purchased just $12 worth of farm products every week for just eight weeks, over $200 million would be put back into the pockets of our local farmers!
The ways you can participate in the Buy Local Challenge are as individual as you are. You may take a simple approach and add one or two farm items a day to your meals – perhaps fresh eggs with breakfast one day, a snack of local fruit, or go all-out and create an entire menu from local sources. Here are some ideas – enough to get you through the whole week – and we hope you will share your ideas, too.
Frittata – You can make this versatile egg dish in the oven or on the stove – I’ve even started one in the microwave and then finished it under the broiler when I didn’t want to heat my kitchen up on a hot day. Instead of limiting yourself to a recipe, try freestyling with whatever veggies are in season using a basic template like this one from Epicurious.
Whole grain or pasta salad – like this template for Farmers Market Summer Grain Salad.
Grilled tomato and cheese sandwich – or any combo of grilled veggie and cheese sandwich.
Salsa with vegetable crudités – make your own salsa or try one of the many varieties from Kelley Farms that are available at the farmers market.
Bruschetta – this is another dish that is very adaptable. Here’s one recipe to get you started.
Gazpacho – Garlic, cumin, and lemon juice give a zesty flavor to this cold, blended vegetable soup. Cilantro added at the end leaves a refreshing pop of flavor.
Greek burgers – I’m not meat eater, but I’ve been told this is delicious.
Grilled peaches with greek yogurt.
Fruit smoothies – you can also use the smoothie recipes to make popsicles.
For more information, recipes and resources, and to sign the Buy Local Challenge pledge, visit buylocalchallenge.com.