What is Food Day? Throughout the week, you’ve probably read emails about it, seen the ads flashing in Foco or join in by dining at Thursday’s Food Week Harvest Festival. Food Day is a lot of fun; how could it not be, since it’s about food? More than that, though, Food Day is a nation-wide effort promoting people to eat healthily and sustainably. Every year on October 24, health officials, farmers, college students and others join the network of food-enthusiasts to sponsor this event in their areas. It’s fun and really easy to join the effort; here are five ideas for making the most of Food Day.
1. Eat Local!
Dartmouth’s own Organic Farm will be celebrating Food Day with a Farm Feast in Collis 101; go there and eat some yummy local food! If you can’t make it, the farm has weekly events, so find a chance to head down there, learn about organic farming, and eat some fresh produce.
Photo by Victoria Li
2. Screen a Movie.
Have a movie night with your friends, but pick a movie from the Food Day organization’s Film Screening Guide. There will be lots of compelling films about food and agriculture to pick from.
3. Cook a Real Meal.
If you feel like skipping the Farm Feast crowd, ditch the microwave food and cereals. Instead, head over to the co-op, pick up some fresh ingredients, and make yourself a fresh meal. Here are a few tips to get you started.
Photo by Connie Fan of UPenn Spoon
4. Make a Potluck Supper.
If you hate the idea of cooking, you can still eat some real food. Invite your friends over for a potluck. There are lots of fun ways to make cooking a group activity; you could have a taco bar or even a DIY toast station.
Photo by Sharon Cho
5. Clean Your Fridge.
You might not want to trudge all the way to the Co-op in this rainy weather. If so, you could get together with your floor mates and eat everything in the fridge. Studies show that consumers waste 30% of the food they buy; chances are, you’ll be able to make a meal out of ingredients lying forgotten in the fridge that would otherwise be wasted.
Bonus: Enter the #SPOONFOODDAY giveaway for a chance to win a $50 Whole Foods gift card! Click here for the rules.
Photo from Spoon University’s Instagram
If you’re looking for more tips, check out this list from Care2. Have a delicious Food Day!