Balance of Food

Food trucks road trip: Calgary and Edmonton

Since I live in a city where the government still struggles with the concept of food trucks, once again, I must take to the road to find food trucks that operate at full capacity.

This time around, I attempted to sample from the food trucks in Calgary and Edmonton in Alberta, Canada. Again, like the trek to Minneapolis, we were dealing with cities that are much smaller than Chicago.

The one disadvantage in Canada was not having regular access to 3G since roaming charges wouldn't have been worth accruing. Finding a food truck is a lot easier when you can rely on 3G anywhere instead of searching for wi-fi. As much as food trucks use Twitter, sometimes the messages don't come through even if you finally find wi-fi.

While Calgary has quite a few innovative food trucks, two of the more well-known entries are Alley Burger and Fries and Dolls. Finding them proved to be more challenging, even with Twitter and Facebook.

I had two windows in Calgary: Tuesday/Wednesday and Saturday afternoon. The weekdays would be easier, especially being downtown. But I needed that Saturday afternoon to accomplish my mission.

This isn't to say that I didn't see food trucks in Calgary during the week. Stephen Avenue (no relation to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who is from Calgary) is a pedestrian-only stretch. The food trucks didn't strike me as being unusual.

Alley Burger was out on Tuesday, but nowhere near downtown. And I had arrived too late into town to find them by 1 pm, since they weren't easily accessible by public transportation. Alley Burger took Wednesday off.

Alley Burger's Twitter feed spoke of a Saturday event with several food trucks. Unfortunately, we never found out from Twitter and subsequent research about this great Saturday event. I could have possibly found the truck outside Charcut House, its sister restaurant, but timing made that difficult.

Cool is one thing, vague is another.

Fries and Dolls was off on Tuesday but noted on its Twitter feed that it would be back on Wednesday. If Fries and Dolls was anywhere on Wednesday, Twitter didn't know anything about that.

Fortunately, Fries and Dolls had a Saturday location about a block away from where I was staying. For those who don't know what Fries and Dolls is all about, they serve up kicked-up fries with 50s diner waitress charm and attitude.

The fries are named after female sex symbols such as Farrah and Sophia. The fries come in two sizes: B cup and D cup.

The Farrah was garlic fries with parsley and cheese. I ordered the B cup Farrah since "B cups were the best." I really wanted the smaller size, but I figured part of the charm was being involved in the theme.

While I was waiting for my order, I overheard her address the sizes as small and large to a family. Some people can't handle the theme.

At $6.50 (B cup/small) and $9 (D cup/large), you are paying premium prices. They were mixed pretty well with good garlic flavor. Overall, the fries were worth the experience, factoring in the whole experience.

I supplemented my fries with a trip to the Red Wagon Diner, a handful of meters away from Fries and Dolls. I tried the Montreal smoked meat sandwich with housemade mustard ($7) with a kosher pickle ($1).

The difference between lean and fatty on a Montreal smoked meat sandwich is substantial. The sandwich came out real fatty; I'm a lean kind of guy. The pickle was really good.

The bigger surprise was that the sandwich contained hardly any mustard. This was the signature point — the housemade mustard. I went back to get more. They were very happy to give me more and took my feedback well (on the lack of mustard).

The housemade mustard was good, really strong, too strong but tasty. The taste felt like horseradish and some kind of pepper.

The Edmonton experience was hoping to find one food truck (Drift) while hoping that I would stumble upon more.

Drift's usual location was 108 Street and 100 Avenue downtown. Downtown Edmonton was filled with construction, so that intersection was in really bad shape. My wi-fi ability was not as strong in Edmonton as it was in Calgary. Fortunately, luck kicked in.

I came across Drift at Jasper Avenue and 107 Street. I settled on a braised pork shoulder sandwich with Swiss cheese, back bacon, pickles, cabbage & grainy mustard. This was the kind of sandwich that screamed "food truck."

This sandwich was a blend of nice flavors and textures. I also got fries with housemade ketchup. The ketchup was more of a finely ground tomato sauce. The ketchup was so unlike ketchup that it could have legitimately been called a vegetable.

I went back for malt vinegar for the fries — got to love that from the Canadians. I ended up using the ketchup on the sandwich.

Some hype is fine, but I want a bit more consistency in food trucks. Be somewhere. Be where you say you will be and let us know where that will be. People still want value, even with food trucks. They have to be better than brick-and-mortar restaurants since I can easily find the traditional restaurants, and they are less about hype than the food trucks.

Sad corn just the start of rising food prices thanks to 2012 drought

The sad, sad corn — we've all seen the pictures of the drought of 2012. In a normal world of food, this would be bad only for those who like corn. However, since corn is such a dominant force from chips to soft drinks to meat to ethanol, American consumers will be paying more for food that can be tied back to corn.

The stories we have read in the last few months can only warn us what the food world might look like. The impact of the drought will stretch to 2013 and beyond, unless next year is significantly better.

This might seem a boon for grass-fed animals. The drought affects grass but not in the same way corn is affected. And the price of corn is tied into subsidies, crop insurance, and the monoculture that corn has become in the food growing landscape. Even if meat goes up in price, grass-fed beef will still be more expensive. The price difference likely won't be close enough for those on the fence to make the jump to grass-fed beef. Some might try out grass-fed beef when they otherwise wouldn't go for it.

Relying on local farmers and growing your own food can protect against the effects of the drought. Yes, your local farmer has been suffering as well — e.g., the Michigan fruit crop — but by growing a number of different products, some produce will do better than others. Those who rely on corn — a lot of farmers — will be hurting.

Even if we spin some good news from this farm disaster, food prices going up puts pressure on families and individuals in times where a lot of people are still struggling to eat. People might be healthier by eating less meat and corn-related products, but chances are food consumption habits won't drop too dramatically. People still have to eat, and will likely pay more for food, finding some other way to make ends, er, meet.

Americans love to complain about the cost of food, even if they pay very low amounts compared to the rest of the world. Soon, they'll be forlorn, wishing back to the good ol' days … of 2008.

If the climate change is producing this type of weather pattern, this is only the beginning of what will be more sad pictures of corn. Even as we hate the dominance of corn in the food supply, this will make a significant impact on how people view the food supply for years to come.

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Politics can interfere in finding our Balance of Food

"So dictator Bloomberg now wants all baby formula locked up in NYC hospitals to impose, not promote but to impose,breast feeding only! I am afraid the crazies have this country too far to fix! What happened to a womans choice?"

I see this in my Facebook news feed. "Womans choice" is not language this friend normally uses. And as much as we have heralded breastfeeding at BalanceofFood.com, we certainly don't require it.

Turns out that New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has taken his quirky look at life and is trying to make sure formula is only used when needed.

Even as Bloomberg has his heart in the right place, his style can annoy people, such as me. So I have sympathy for my Facebook friend. "Nanny State" really does describe Bloomberg's thought process.

The problem for me is that I like the overall message, and those who have trouble breastfeeding can still get access to formula.

Health care costs go down with breastfeeding. Costs for the mother go down with breastfeeding. Kids turn out better.

Bloomberg's proposal comes as almost half of all babies born in the United States (47.2%) are still breastfeeding at 6 months, and the initiation rate for mothers had its highest jump in a decade, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act as of August 1, insurers have to cover comprehensive lactation support, new mothers counseling, and the rental of breast pumps.

Do I wish Bloomberg could tone down his approach? Absolutely. Is he being a dictator with forced breastfeeding? Uh, no.

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"Quit Digging Your Grave with a Knife and Fork" is one of the few books written by a politician that I have read cover to cover. Mike Huckabee's struggle with losing weight is a really nice look at the battle over eating better.

Watching Huckabee lead the charge last week in favor of Chick-Fil-A and against gay marriage produced a few chuckles in the press since he has become an advocate for eating better, yet was promoting fried chicken sandwiches.

I can sympathize with the reaction to his pro-fried-chicken stance. Suddenly deciding to eat Chick-Fil-A because they give money to groups that fight against gay marriage is pretty mean, and definitely not very Christian. Those who have access to the chain and eat the food and support what they support — well, I don't agree with them, but they are consistent.

If Huckabee does occasionally eat there — as part of his Balance of Food — and ate there on August 1, then he is somewhat consistent. If he hasn't eaten there in years, and picked August 1 to suddenly get a sandwich, he deserves more criticism than he has received.

John Goodman takes the opposite point to an extreme as a very pro-gay Col. Sanders in this Funny or Die video. The idea that someone from the South who died in 1980, someone who was friends with Billy Graham and Jerry Falwell, being that pro-gay is more ironic than funny. But the point that Goodman as Sanders makes at the end of the video: we're all a bunch of "big ol' moneymouths." The point of the video: Food isn't about politics; it's about food.

People who are large and those who used to be large (like all people) deserve the right to eat wherever they choose. The one element that I agree with in the Wednesday protest is that people have a right to choose where they spend their money. Thanks to people such as Huckabee, we know where they stand not so much about fried chicken sandwiches, but on gay marriage. Maybe we'll find out at some point where Huckabee and the other conservatives stand on fried chicken.

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Think the San Francisco ban on toys with regular Happy Meals was harsh? Kids meals are banned in all of Chile with no nutritional exceptions. Toys and food is a no-go in the South American country.

The ban kicked in June 7, and also applies to other food manufacturers, including cereal companies, that use toys, crayons, or stickers to entice children to buy the product.

Fast food chains are being sued in Chile for not following the law; McDonald's, Burger King, and KFC were singled out; KFC is a surprise by U.S. standards in that the chain doesn't usually give away toys in the States.

Sen. Giudo Girardi, who wrote the law, noted that he wanted to get this law passed because nearly 25% of Chile's 6-year-olds are obese.

See conspiracy theorists: this is the kind of behavior you accuse Bloomberg and others of doing, and Chile is actually doing it.

The funny part is that a number of these people who rail against the nanny state would love to have a similar law to the Chilean legislation. Imagine how much easier it would be to grocery shop if your kids weren't screaming or whining for a food product based purely on the toy inside.

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The point to all three of these food-related political stories is that consistency is really difficult in life. You support gay marriage, but you want to eat Chick-Fil-A food. You support breastfeeding but wish people would make that choice rather than pressure to do so. You think toys shouldn't be tied in with food, yet an actual nationwide ban is pretty creepy.

Most of the struggles to find a Balance of Food involve whether a food tastes good versus being good for you. Sometimes, the taste or nutrition isn't the main issue. Food being wrapped up in politics is still very sad, but as long as this is a part of our lives, finding that true Balance of Food becomes that much more difficult.

Fresh Fields is one way to bring fruits, vegetables to food deserts

Just because you bring fruits and vegetables to poorer neighborhoods doesn't mean that these people will embrace them. If you don't try doing so, you will never find out.

Some major cities are fighting poor eating habits in neighborhoods traditionally ignored by major grocery store chains. Those looking for quick solutions will be greatly disappointed. The current scenario took a long time to build, and convincing people to eat fresher produce won't be easy.

Making it easier are programs such as Fresh Fields in Chicago. Fresh Fields operates in the poorest areas of Chicago's South and West sides. The organization purchased a CTA bus and converted the bus into a portable fruits and vegetables market. Fresh Fields got a grant for a second bus that should arrive in September.

"Fresh Moves exposes kids to different vegetables," said Sheelah Muhammad, co-creator of the Fresh Moves Mobile Produce Market, at Chicago's Green Fest.

Kids can be the hardest sell and the program tries to help them adjust to life with fresh produce.

Muhammad pointed out that the bus offers a 50¢ bag of grapes, ideal for a quick snack for a child. Kids can also make the connection between what they have been eating versus what is possible, as Muhammad noted, as the people on the bus offer grapes or carrots to children in exchange for their Flamin' Hot Cheetos.

Previous coverage: Food trucks need to combine portability with accessibility

The idea of buying smaller portions of fresh produce appealed to a Chicago Green Fest audience member who was frustrated by buying a bunch of produce for a single person.

The program aims to be a community force with consistent scheduling and partnering with schools, health clinics, and senior citizens.

Chicago is also doing its part by approving portable fruit and vegetable carts in areas currently underserved by major produce programs.

For a long period of time, these neighborhoods have been underserved by major and local grocery stores. Kids in these areas know more about different types of Cheetos than the similarly colored carrot.

Patterns don't change overnight for people who have good/great opportunities. When time and money are crucial, people often make poor food choices. And they haven't been told they deserve better until fairly recently.

Some people who live in good situations still make bad food choices. The key word is "choice" as in you have good options and you don't choose to take advantage of them.

People who live in poor situations haven't had choices or good options. Offering them choices is a small yet necessary part of the process. If you are used to bad produce, even the kindest gentlest presentation may not convince you that fresher is better. Even if you like the idea of fresher, your taste buds have to get used to something new. And you have to have faith that this promising step will stay around for awhile.

As a society, we need to decide whether we want to help people make better food choices. Education and time can take care of the rest. While guarantees are not certain, trying is the only way to find out whether we can make a difference.

California's foie gras ban is latest example on why you can't ban foods forever

Will Reno, Nevada become the place to go in the West for foie gras?

After all, California's ban on foie gras kicked in July 1. And those Californians need to travel to make a score. Reno is right on the border with its own airport. The Nevada city can legally sell foie gras.

We are now in Day 11 of California: Vie sans foie gras (life without fat liver). Things have been calm, for now, but you never know when the people will take to the streets to get back their goose liver.

Having lived through Chicago's foie gras ban, you find two things to be true. The ban is silly, and at some point, the ban will be repealed. And you'll be back to square one.

"Well, San Francisco banned Happy Meals and you agreed with that. So why aren't you happy about California banning foie gras?

We are generally opposed to the idea of banning foods, though we are glad to make an exception for high-fructose corn syrup. Even then, all we really want is to stop using taxpayer money to subsidize the cost of high-fructose corn syrup.

Also, San Francisco didn't ban Happy Meals; the guidelines allowed for Happy Meals if certain nutritional requirements were made. Overreaching, yes. And we said that as well.

I'd be willing to bet that McDonald's sold more Happy Meals in the Bay area in a week that Californians ordered foie gras in a year.

What makes the foie gras ban even more remarkable is that so few, even in California, have ever had foie gras. Those who can afford it will likely find a way to get it. Most Californians won't find their lives changed by a lack of foie gras.

I've had foie gras twice in my life, the last time I had to be told that foie gras was in my dish. Both times I had foie gras in Montréal, so I haven't even had it in the United States. I honestly could take it or leave it, but this isn't about me.

In the time that California took to pass the law (September 2004) and when the law came into effect (July 1, 2012), the city of Chicago undertook a ban on foie gras (April 2006) and the lifting of that ban (May 2008). Perhaps Chicago's ban was before its time, but in a city known for deep dish pizza, Italian beef sandwiches, and cheesecake, foie gras seemed like health food. And Chicago doesn't share the level of indignation against foie gras that better suits California's id.

Chicago's ban crumbled in part because one restaurant purveyor (Doug Sohn of Hot Doug's) challenged the ban by outright selling foie gras, where some chefs got around the ban by giving it away for free (perfectly legal). Having a law on a state level will make that tougher, and California's penalties are steeper.

Decisions about food are better made when individuals make the decision themselves. Government has a role to make sure people aren't tricked into consuming something they otherwise wouldn't want to eat (e.g., castoreum). An informed society is a better society as a result, but you can't make moral decisions for other people.

This isn't to say that doing what they do to geese is a cool thing. The best way is to educate the public so people make solid informed decisions on what they choose to eat.

Will Allen gains new audience with 'Good Food Revolution'

You would think there would be a lot of duplication in comparing people who read BalanceofFood.com and those who know the work of Will Allen. Outside those worlds, some are discovering what is happening with Allen and Growing Power up in Milwaukee for the first time.

Stephen Colbert sure acted this way when the "Colbert Report" interviewed Allen on last night's show. Colbert was armed with urban farm jokes, and they never even talked about the worms.

If you don't know about the worms, well, you have a bit more to learn.

Allen is out promoting his new autobiographical book, "The Good Food Revolution: Growing Healthy Food, People, and Communities." For those who know or think they know Allen's story, this book is a natural opening to talk about Growing Power.

I first discovered him in "Fresh," but even if you saw that movie, how many of your friends saw that film? 

Allen pointed out that less than 1% of food in urban cities is locally grown, particularly troubling given all the serious food deserts in urban settings.

Colbert and Allen explored the concept of urban farms and vertical farms. Colbert mentioned Detroit as a prime opportunity for urban farms. Well, Mr. Colbert, Detroit already has a bunch of urban farms. Maybe this will inspire Colbert to come to Detroit or Milwaukee to see urban farms and bring attention to them in the same manner in which Colbert has brought attention to rural farms.

If Will Allen has anything to do with that, his 6 minutes on the "Colbert Report" will have greater meaning beyond introducing Allen to a wider audience.

Overusing 'food desert' diminishes those truly suffering from lack of fresh produce

According to the Chicago Tribune, I live in a food desert. This would be funny except stretching the definition of a food desert denigrates the real concern of residents who live in significant food deserts.

I qualify because I live "farther than a half-mile from stores larger than 2,500 feet that sell fresh produce." Those in rural areas and small towns would snicker at that definition, because over 99% of people would fail that test. In the inner city, a mile or two can make a difference.

Let me take you into my area and show you the "horrible" conditions of my "food desert."

Outside my window is a Mexican restaurant. Two blocks down (¼ mile) is a really good Mexican restaurant. But we aren't talking restaurants. I live one block from a 7-11 where there are bananas on occasion. Haven't bought a 7-11 banana.

About ¾ mile west is a store of at least 2,500 feet that sells fresh produce. I have another large grocery store about 1 mile northeast and another store from that same chain 1 mile east. These big stores all have door-to-door bus service from my corner.

I don't generally go to those big stores for fresh produce. Across the street from the big store northeast of me is a Mexican supermercado that has great produce for cheap prices. I just bought beautiful romaine lettuce for 89¢ that looks and tastes better (and cheaper) than what is across the street. Heading east but just under a mile, I can find a small grocery store that specializes in African and Caribbean products with good looking produce. Hard to find things for rather nice prices.

I have a specialty store that sells organic and fancier things that is virtually ½ mile, though that is new enough that it wouldn't be on the map. I haven't bought produce there, but they have some nice selection. There is the Middle Eastern place that is less than ½ mile; lots of food there but maybe not produce. All these places are smaller than 2,500 feet.

I have a sausage/deli specialty place slightly more than a mile away, and another Mexican supermercado about 1¼ miles away.

In the summertime, we have a weekly farmers market exactly ½ mile from my house and a smaller weekly summer market just under a mile away with lots of fresh produce. The larger market runs about 16 weeks a year.

The stories you hear about real food deserts involve bus rides of 3 miles or more, more than one bus to get to a large store with fresh produce, bus routes involving crossing gang areas, and lots of temptations that are quicker than cooking at home.

My nearest McDonald's is just beyond the distance to the grocery stores. And I have plenty of restaurants and cafes that are better and healthier all within a mile of my place.

If you are older or disabled, the difference between ½ mile and a mile isn't fun. We don't want to diminish that. If the standard was ¾ mile, I would not be in a food desert. But I can get better produce at stores a very short distance further for cheaper prices. In real food deserts, the smaller places have worse quality produce for higher prices. This is not a problem I or my neighbors have.

Do not cry for me or anyone else in my neighborhood. Cry for those with real issues and real problems in getting fresh produce. Expanding the definition of food deserts hurts those who really need the help, and diminishes their suffering.

Cranberry Caucus politicians want to protect cranberry juice, but few Americans drink it pure

Years ago, when I drank more mixed drinks, I liked vodka with cranberry juice with a splash of lime. Since I wasn't thinking much about my food, I know now that I drank a lot of "cranberry juice" that had very little cranberry juice in it.

I thought about this as Massachusetts politicians from both sides of the aisle fought to protect cranberry juice from the attacks on sugary drinks.

"The cranberry has very special characteristics in terms of health and also the way they're produced, the independent farmers who really are sort of the heart of America, if you will," said Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), a co-chair of the new group Cranberry Caucus. "There are also enormous benefits in terms of land conservation."

"I put cranberries on my Cheerios, like, every day," said Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA), the other Senate co-chair of the caucus. "I'm deeply concerned that cranberries should not be placed in the category of other sugar-sweetened beverages and products. That's critically important."

Cranberries are very healthy in their purest form, though Americans rarely consume cranberries in their purest form. Lots of good antioxidants and known to help urinary tract infections. Between cranberry sauce and cranberry juice cocktail, a splash of cranberry is more of what they get surrounded by water, sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, and low-calorie sweeteners.

Even if you get a cranberry juice product that is 100% juice, chances are highly slim you have 100% cranberry juice. Pure cranberry juice runs tart, especially in the context of the American sweet tooth. The amount and the type of sweetener put into cranberry juice cocktail is not something politicians should be protecting.

This is like politicians asking to protect lemonade to help lemon growers, except the term "lemonade" implies that it isn't pure juice. Ask your favorite bartender sometime whether the cranberry juice being served is a) 100% juice, b) 100% cranberry juice, and c) if not, what are the extra sweeteners. Good luck finding that out.

Wanting to know what we put in our bodies is a very reasonable request, as long as we are reasonable about this. "Cranberry juice" is one of those areas where bar and restaurant patrons are at the mercy of unknown factors.

The U.S. labeling system allows "cranberry juice" to be a lot of different things, which dilutes people's perception of what cranberry juice is. Maybe the senators from Massachusetts would agree to bipartisan legislation supporting the purity of cranberries and cranberry juice.

With careful consideration, you can buy 100% pure cranberry juice and dilute it yourself. You can cut it with grapefruit or pineapple juice for an exotic taste. Orange juice might be a nice touch. Or you can go almost hardcore: just a little bit of lime juice. Might not even need the vodka to make that work.

You can always resort to water to cut it further, but instead of paying someone to put water in a bottle, you can put water in your own bottle for the cost you already pay for water.

Sen. Brown says we shouldn't place cranberries in the category of "other sugar-sweetened beverages and products." Right now, most cranberries are in that category. Perhaps the politicians on both sides of the aisle would also work toward a cranberry purity bill, allowing to only use the word "cranberry" to apply to products with a sufficient purity level of cranberry health and goodness. I'd drink to that.

Temptation of the Week: Reducing drink sizes

If you like Mayor Bloomberg's proposal to limit drink sizes in New York City, know that the rule has a lot of loopholes (Big Gulps, orange juice has no limit).

If you don't like Mayor Bloomberg's proposal to limit drink sizes in New York City, learn to love those exceptions.

"It's about doing something. I think that's what the public wants the mayor to do."

Something. This is something.

Let's not pass good laws or just laws. Let's pass laws.

The temptation is to address the excess calories and sweetness consumed through liquids. "Empty calories." But this proposed legislation addresses the issue in a half-assed way.

16 ounces is the limit at restaurants, movie theaters, street carts, and bodegas but not grocery stores or convenience stores. So if you can smuggle your Big Gulp into the movie theater, same as it ever was.

"Colbert Report" take on Bloomberg's supersized soda scheme
"The Daily Show": Drink Different

The legislation does separate out "sugary drinks" such as pre-sweetened ice teas, sports drinks, energy drinks and soda away from diet/near-diet soda, fruit juices, alcoholic beverages, and dairy-based drinks.

If you order a large enough diet drink at a fast food restaurant (McDonald's, Burger King), would what prevent you from putting the cup underneath a full-sweetened soft drink? Maybe you know your server at a restaurant, and the server brings you a large "diet coke" when in reality you have a regular Coke. Same goes for a movie theater employee.

Will we have drink inspectors who will check to see if your large drink has artificial sweeteners?

Starbucks can serve you a [whatever they call large these days] drink if there is enough dairy in it. You can order a 24 oz. milkshake but not a 20 oz. soft drink.

Mayors do have a rough time. They can't exert much control, given federal and state standards. Until the handgun bans were overturned by the right-dominant Supreme Court, they were useful up to a point, since anyone with access to the suburbs could get around the law.

Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley decided to ban foie gras (an even sillier idea) in Chicago a few years back. In the fine print, we found out you couldn't sell foie gras, but you could give it away. Hot Doug's did sell foie gras (bless their hearts) and got fined. Soon after, the ban was lifted.

You get the negativity of the Nanny State without the effectiveness of a good law. And that message is delivered only to those people who would follow the law only because they are not likely to be drinking 24 oz. of Mountain Dew from one cup.

Noble ideas can make for crappy laws unless you construct something that people can respect, even if they don't agree with it. The proposed NYC law has so many holes you could fit a Super Big Gulp through them.

Temptation of the Week: Jamie Oliver's legacy of Food Revolution Day

Placing Food Revolution Day in the middle of May (tomorrow, May 19, to be specific) is ironic given that when ABC tried to run "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" during May 2011, the network pulled the program due to low ratings.

Having Food Revolution Day on a Saturday means more people can participate. The weekend before Memorial Day is a great time to start working about eating better.

Starting a new holiday, like starting new traditions, is a long and difficult road. Developing consistency takes growth over time. Food Revolution Day is about planting the seeds of the revolution and giving them time to grow.

Those seeds were actually planted in the last two springs as Jamie Oliver went to Huntington, WV, and Los Angeles to help us be more aware of what we have been eating and getting us to eat better.

This spring, we have to settle for one day, a Saturday, instead of 6 weeks of programs. Americans have short attention spans, but the fear is one day and gone isn't enough to make the kind of progress we found in the last two springs.

The advantage to having a day is bringing the idea of the revolution to the local level instead of watching a national show on TV.

Going to a farmers market is a duh! moment. If you have been growing food, you can take extra to someone who needs it or would appreciate the bounty.

You can always do an Internet search on what might be going on in your community for Food Revolution Day.

And of course, you can read the inspiration by Jamie Oliver's show through our coverage at BalanceofFood.com.

One day won't be enough to spread the message of eating better. But one day is enough to plant some seeds to grow the effort.