Here's what I took away from my two-week challenge of eating only locally grown and organic/chemical-free food:
1) It's expensive. I spent twice as much on groceries as I usually do.
2) However, it feels really good to support Iowa's hardworking small businesses. I learned about a lot of companies I had never even heard of before.
3) It's hard. Luckily there was some produce available since it's springtime, but to do this year-round and especially in the winter - ouch!
4) You can't eat at restaurants
5) I realized how much food plays a role in our daily lives. Food is such a social thing. We have many choices every day to eat or not to eat. I successfully turned it down every time.
6) I'll continue to support local businesses and eat more organic/chemical-free food.
7) I'll be more concious of what I'm eating. When I made a sandwich today with mayo and mustard, I thought the condiments looked awkward and gross. I didn't really want to eat them but did anyway. They tasted as good as always, but I'm thinking I'm much better off without them.
I also made a running record today: 7.5 miles. My legs are killing me. T-7 days to Tough Mudder.