Apple photo by Micky** (CC-BY-2.0)
This November, hundreds of people across the province have signed up for the Good Food Challenge, an annual event coordinated by the Food Security Network of Newfoundland and Labrador (FSN) designed to inspire people to think about food and eat better.
“Food and food issues have become complicated, so it can be overwhelming to make good food choices.” says FSN Executive Director Kristie Jameson. “With the Good Food Challenge the idea is for people to take the time to think about food, talk to each other, and to set their own goals.”
“With that kind of thought put toward food, it can be easier to make better choices.”
To participate, people register online to receive a weekly email assembled by FSN with information, resources, and topics for discussion.
There will also be mini challenges encouraging people to spark conversation on issues related to food. People will be encouraged to make a version of their favourite snack food at home, take a few minutes to eat a single raisin, or try a fruit or vegetable they haven't had before.
The Good Food Challenge can mean different things to different people, but much of it is rooted in considering the question, “What is good food?”
For many people the answer isn’t about taste or nutrition alone.
“Becoming more aware of your food—where it comes from, who made it, how it was produced, how it got to you—can reveal up a lot of important issues related to food,” says Jameson. “And many people come across that naturally when they start thinking carefully about what ‘good food’ means.”
“Much of our food is shipped from outside the province, many communities face high costs, low quality, and low availability of fresh foods, and we struggle with some of the highest rates of diabetes and obesity in the country,” says Jameson. “Just by regularly taking a few moments to consider the apple you’re eating, for example—to ask questions about it—helps connect you to a number of issues we face.”
People can sign up for the Challenge at www.goodfoodchallenge.ca.
The Food Security Network of Newfoundland and Labrador is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring access to adequate and healthy food for everyone in the province.
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