Whole Foods Finds

One of the reasons that I've fallen madly in love with Whole Foods (I go to the one in Dublin, generally) is because they very proudly carry and display products from this region! I'll try and share with you often the products that I've found.

I'm trying to be conscious and choose local when given the choice (and if it's not too much more in price).

La Gras is a really great and moderately priced pasta sauce from Bedford, Ohio. I enjoy the Spicy Marinara but they also carry other varieties such as garlic and mushroom.

Changes

Yesterday I ran around Whole Foods in Dublin and took a bunch of pictures of local products that I'm excited to share here when I have a moment... I'm moving!

GOODBYE, 'BURBS.

Local Favorite: Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams

Trying to think of all of my favorite things that are native to Columbus has been very difficult! The list is extensive. The top thing that comes to mind is a constant obsession of mine: Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams .

Jeni's is local to Columbus and can be found in the North Market, Grandview, the Short North, Bexley and Dublin. They create exotic (and often seasonal) flavors that use ingredients from Ohio and responsible ingredients from everywhere else. They incorporate one of my favorite products: milk from Snowville Creamery (I'll get into that in another post!)

My favorite flavor is Gravel Road. (It's Salty Caramel with nuts.) I'm a big fan of sweet and salty, chunky and nutty ice cream flavors. I also enjoy Smoked Chocolate, Honey Vanilla and Bourbon Buttered Pecan.

My near-fanaticism over Jeni's has led to my over-tweeting to and about @Jenisicecreams.

I'm such a sucker for a duo in a cup and have even walked in a blizzard to get to the Grandview location for a fix! You can find a pint in my freezer on occasion, though they don't last too long.

Explore the website for a list of flavors, locations and to read more about Jeni's.

Thinking Locally In Columbus, Ohio

My recent forays into becoming a greener me have led me to explore what it means to think locally and become an educated locavore.

I'll post some of my favorite brands, restaurants, markets and small businesses as well as links to local resources.

I have many inspirations to thank for my heightened interest in becoming a more integrated member of my community. Organizations such as the Small Business Beanstalk and local-matters.org encourage Ohioans to choose local options for food and business. You might have also noticed the slogan "Think Globally, Act Locally" popping up more frequently (I believe even the "Welcome to Gahanna" sign boasts these words).

I am sensing that on the coat tails of the ever-growing green and organic movements is this notion of sustainability and localism. "Locavore" was the Oxford English Dictionary's 2007 word of the year. So yeah, it's been around for a few years, but I think it's expanding more and more.

There is a lot to understand with localism and stick with me while I explore it more and try to implement it in my life!