I think you’re doing just fine. Sure, local is ideal for produce and meat, but not everyone can swing it, either because of availability, expense, or other reasons.

You do what you can do, perhaps always thinking of ways to do marginally better over time.

I am a full-time college student. I have been eating Paleo for about six months now. Here is my story to share and I would like to her your perspective.

If I had unlimited funds to buy all of my food (i.e. medicine) at the farmers market I would jump at the opportunity. As of right now, I buy my vegetables at the farmers market because I know it’s good to support local agriculture, the vegetables are fresh, organic (even if they are not officially certified), and cheaper than the alternative. But I go to Costco to buy my eggs (5 dozen for $5.29) and whole chickens (99 cents/lb). If I bought this much animal product at the farmers market, a dozen eggs cost $4 and a whole chicken cost $12.

Two things would have to happen: I would have to spend a lot more money every week to eat the way I do now or I would have to eat much less animal product than I currently do. I learned from Michael Pollan in the Food Inc. documentary that the cheap food (that I buy at Costco) is actually much more expensive in reality. We are paying for the costs in processing, environmental, and health. I think it’s difficult for me to say, okay, this week I’m only going to buy 2 dozen eggs from the farmers market and 2 chickens from the farmers market. All of a sudden I’m receiving a lot less food for a lot more money. Because I’m active and use food to fuel school and workouts (about 5 small meals a day), I’m going to try sticking to 3 meals or using IF. Maybe if I just eat less, I can afford real food.

Thanks for the topic.

I’d love if there was a way to make flag commenters as “trusted,” so no matter what, it would go through. Obviously, you’d be there.\

So, I see you’ve waited a while. Hope you didn’t think I would hold or delete because of your criticism. I love constructive criticism.

Here’s the deal with that pic. I like it better than my smiley face, which is quite unnatural for me. My natural face is a serious frown, and it kinda goes with me.

Bea, my wife, picked this one. She didn’t like the previous one. And plus, I like the depth of field artistry of it. The pots in the foreground and the stainless fridge in background are blurred.

It was taken by my friend Ale, a green card Italian, and PhD physical chemist for Intel, while I was cooking dinner for him and friends (liver and onions, as I recall, which he devoured). I think it’s here to stay.

The bottom line is I have to go with what I’m mostly comfortable with.

But, I understand the need to show various facets of myself. I’ll endeavor to cater to the smileys from time to time.

Remember this?

http://freetheanimal.com/2008/07/one-for-all-you-smileys.html

Yes, indeed. It’s a bad situation, and getting worse.