GOOD FOOD ACTION IDEAS FOR
INDIVIDUALS AND FAITH
COMMUNITIES
For those who want to explore alternatives to our current food system through hands-on
activities, here are some ideas for next steps that you and/or your faith community may
take in your journey toward more meaningful and joy-filled eating. The ideas are pretty
basic and most do not cost much (or any) money or take a lot of time to do.
If you would like us to help you find educational resources, please feel free to contact
Project Officer, Darriel Harris at [email protected] or (410) 502-7578. Also check out our
website where we have many more resources and ideas posted:
www.jhsph.edu/clf/bffp.
For individuals and families:
o I will give thanks for my meals and
remember the people who grew the
food, the lives of the animals that we
eat, and God’s creation from which
our food comes.
interfaithpowerandlight.org/wpcontent/uploads/Table_Grace_Vol.2.pdf
o I will try eating whole, unprocessed
foods as much as possible, such as
whole grains or dry beans once or
twice a week.
o I will cook at least one meal/week with
seasonal fruits and vegetables.
o I will try to reduce the amount of meat
and dairy that I eat. I will go at least
one day a week without eating meat:
www.meatlessmonday.com
o I will read something about the food
system to learn more about different
issues. See BFFP’s recommended
reading list: http://bit.ly/1eooIyC
o I will eat mindfully by noticing and
savoring the smells and sounds of
cooking as I work.
o I will “vote” with my dollars by spending
my food budget on foods that reflect
my values.
o I will teach a child, or share with a
friend, why I choose the foods I do.
o I will visit a farmers’ market to see what
is in season where I live. For a listing of
MD Farmers Markets:
mda.maryland.gov/maryland_products
/pages/farmers_market_dir.aspx
o When I go grocery shopping, I will
select at least one or two organic
and/or locally grown foods that more
accurately reflect what it costs to grow
food sustainably. If not currently
offered, I will encourage my grocery to
start stocking such items.
o When I buy coffee, chocolate, or tea, I
will try to buy fair-trade products.
o I will join a community garden, start a
backyard garden, or grow herbs on
windowsill, and share what I’ve grown
with others.
o I will support local independent
restaurants that offer sustainable
and/or animal friendly choices.
o I will use reusable bags to save
resources.
o I will join a buying club or food
cooperative to purchase whole foods,
food in bulk, minimally packaged food
grown organically or sustainably, as
well as eco-friendly cleaning products.
o I will try to buy as many animal
products as possible directly from a
farmer: www.localharvest.org. If I can’t
do this, I will purchase from stores that
sell meat, eggs, and dairy from free
range, grass fed animals. I will also look
for meat that has been “Certified
Humane”: www.certifiedhumane.org/.
o I will choose fish and seafood based on
what is locally available, abundant,
and well managed. For a Sustainable
Seafood Guide:
seafoodwatch.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx
o I will auction off a sustainable
compassionate meal at my faith
community’s fundraising effort, or
volunteer to bring sustainable food to
bake sales and meals.
o I will teach a children’s religious
education class that emphasizes how
food gets to the table, and help them
understand the basics of just,
sustainable, compassionate food.
o I will join local advocacy groups or
national networks to stay informed and
politically engaged in sustainable food
systems issues.
o I will urge my elected officials to
support policies that support regional
and sustainable food systems, making
healthy food affordable and
accessible to all, protect the rights of
farm workers, and maintain
transparency. Check out
www.foodpolicyaction.org/index.php
for more info.
For the faith community/congregation:
o I will encourage my faith community to
consider its food budget and how the
budget can best reflect our values,
such as locally grown food and/or
wine.
o I will encourage my faith community to
use fair-trade items (coffee, tea, sugar,
cocoa, etc.) during social hour:
www.equalexchange.com/.
o I will encourage my faith community to
donate congregational space and find
other ways to support labor unions,
farmers’ cooperatives, and other
organizations that help the farmers and
workers within our food system.
o I will encourage my congregation to
teach our youth about good food and
caring for creation. Consider using our
Growing Faith with Food curriculum:
http://bit.ly/1i38xLa
o I will arrange a film screening for my
faith community about the food
system. View our Good Food Film
Library that has many films we are
happy to lend: http://bit.ly/1nFOXXE
o I will write something about the food
system for the bulletin or newsletter.
o I will encourage my faith community to
plant a vegetable garden on grounds.
o With my faith community, I will discuss
the idea of composting food and
grounds’ waste. See our “Composting
for Congregations” handout:
http://bit.ly/NWybH9
o I will work with my faith community to
explore the possibility of becoming a
Community Supported Agriculture pickup site: www.localharvest.org/csa/
o Collect healthy and seasonal recipes
and distribute to congregation and
community. Base a church potluck or
other event around them.
o If my congregation hosts a food pantry
or arranges food donations, I will help
to make sure that we incorporate fresh,
healthy foods in the meals.
o I will work with my faith community to
participate in a gleaning event:
www.midatlanticgleaningnetwork.org/
o I will encourage my faith community to
form an ongoing task force to work on
sustainable food issues.
o Work through our Good Food Toolkit to
develop an individualized action plan.
http://tinyurl.com/goodfoodtoolkit