Below please find Frequently Asked Questions from people considering a more locally focused diet.  All suggestions, thoughts and strategies are from many voices within the Eat Local Food community: (All helpful responses are welcomed and appreciated. Send to info@eatlocalfood.org)
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1) But I love bananas! I can’t live without chocolate. Or olive oil. Or rice. Or coffee. Or salt! How do I give up all the foods I love?

"You don’t need to be 100%. Use unique spices and foods that cannot be grown here. Focus on what can be produced in the Hudson Valley and make sure that those items are not transported from afar."

"If you really are not ready to give something up, research the best source. Develop a sort of ‘pecking order.’ Is it organic and fair trade? What corporation really owns the product? Are they environmentally and socially responsible?"

"You don’t have to commit, simply give it a try. You may find that not eating a certain fruit (i.e. bananas) is not so hard. You’ll also discover so many wonderful seasonal fruits to take it’s place."

"Keep upping your will power - remember that to reduce poverty and hunger, it would help for us to trade foods based on what cannot be grown locally. Think about the consequences as large mono-cropped fields displace sovereign small farmers and peasants in far-off lands. Limit long distance trade to unique products. Why are we growing temperate-zone vegetables in the tropics and flying them back here?"

"I try remembering that I am voting (giving my approval and support) every time I purchase something. Then, when the purchase is against my ideals, it is easy to just say-No Thanks!"

2) I can’t afford to eat locally, doesn’t it cost more?

"It costs all of us more in the long run. Cheap food has drastic, costly consequences when it is produced, preserved and transported using non-sustainable, environmentally- polluting production practices."

"No way. There is no more compulsive buying!"

"You no longer waste food as you would with cheap, convenient pre-packaged foods that you have no connection to or appreciation for. The vegetables that used to start composting in the fridge and bolting in the garden are now the main ingredients in my diet."

"I found much less waste because there was more appreciation."

3) I'm busy, isn't it an inefficient and inconvenient way to shop?

"Look at all the community has to offer - the tools such as the Eat Local Food Website and symbol system. I know of no other community with 9 CSA’s. The farmers are everywhere, markets are everywhere, food shops are stocking lots of local."

"All it takes is about a week of changing your routine, breaking some habits. Then shopping locally is as convenient as shopping non-locally."

"It isn’t inefficient, with all these convenient resources it really is simply changing routines. Instead of going to the supermarket, you go to the CSA and farmer’s market. If life was mixed up one week, you can go to the Food Shops and support their efforts to stock local choices."

4) Ok, let’s say I’ll give it a try - How do I prepare and /or preserve seasonal fresh, whole foods? Doesn’t that take a lot time and planning ahead? I’m not good in the kitchen and my gardening skills are a bit rusty.

"These questions came up a lot during the Eat Local Challenge last year and the community was ready and willing to share their knowledge. Many were already offering workshops to answer this call and any knowledge gaps were filled in very easily. Just go to the bulletin board of EatLocalFood.org and see what I mean."

"The potlucks are what saved me. The support, food prep ideas and gardening advice was very valuable and I had a lot of fun doing it."

"Again - it’s all about breaking habits and changing routines! Prepare foods when you have time, pre-make dressings and sauces, make enough to feed the family 3x over when making a meal."

" I remember when I was young and Mom used to always make an extra amount of whatever she was preparing. That was my lunch and sometimes we got a second dinner out of it if time was limited. I loved it. I always had homemade, delicious, fresh food."

"I thought that cereal was the only breakfast choice. Wow, was I wrong. We pre-made a pancake mix using Wild Hive local flour, we made our own granolas and eggs can create amazing things. I also found that leftovers were often the best breakfasts I’ve eaten in a long time."

"I tried not to let my garden get to crazy. Whenever I was in the garden, I’d do a small amount at a time. It never got too overwhelming."

"Hey, change doesn’t happen overnight. Enjoy the best you can do."

5) For those who have tried it, what surprises and challenges did you encounter?

"For us it was our tremendous reliance on processed organic convenience foods. We thought we were doing well but when we really committed to giving it at try, Wow, the first few weeks were very hard. But, once we knew we needed to over-prepare and pre-make a bit, everything fell into place quite easily."

"I thought it would cost more, but in reality it didn’t."

"I know this answer can be a frustrating response for some but - I don’t want to give you specifics about my own personal experience. It is for you to experience. There were many positive surprises as a direct result of a new found awareness and connection. I can only say - give it a serious try, with real conviction, and you won’t regret it."

"I discovered a lot about how I learn. You need to be patient and allow the process to happen via a slow layering process. Once I got comfortable with one small change and I did not have to really think about it anymore, I was ready to move on to another. Eventually, they built up and I was easily eating locally without too much extra effort."

"I found that it was easier and more enjoyable when I took steps without always looking, anticipating and reaching for the final goal. I just enjoyed the journey."

6) What's new and different this year?

A) Up your Cahllenge this year and try to consume foods that are grown and/or raised within 30 miles rather than 100 miles. Shouldn't be too hard, that is the same radius as the website.  And, you will really have the opportunity to KNOW YOUR GROWER.

B) There are two new outreach projects: 1) "In the field" promoters, more people remembering to ASK FOR LOCAL wherever you shop or dine, 2) Anyone wishing to use the Eat Local Food display at fairs, farmer’s markets, fund-raisers etc. please contact us and arrange to pick-up the portable display items.

To participate in these outreach projects please contact info@EatLocalFood.org.