Alaska News

Shannon Kuhn: This election day and beyond, vote with your fork

Election Day is four days from now and the stakes are high. But while people are working hard to get voters to the polls, we've got to remember: Politics doesn't stop in the voting booth. Eating is a political act and we vote with our forks, our ulus and our chopsticks.

Is Burger King your morning poll station? Or are you a registered member of the Locavore Party? We're all probably familiar with the sentiment that the food we eat reflects our values. But it is also a result of whom we give power to and put in office at both a local and national level.

In the United States, we have built an industrial food system based on cheap oil and exploited labor. We are in the midst of both a climate crisis and a health care crisis, connected directly to the food we eat. We live in a country where, paradoxically, citizens are both overweight and undernourished. For better or worse, our national food policies have a butterfly effect throughout the world and we can't ignore that responsibility.

We have an opportunity to vote Nov. 4 for candidates who'll have a hand in policies affecting subsistence hunting and fishing rights, local foods in schools and our commercial farmers and fishermen. But after doing that, there are ways we can vote every day at home this winter, by eating. As author Michael Pollan wrote, "The wonderful thing about food is you get three votes a day. Every one of them has the potential to change the world."

1. Buy Alaska-grown. Consumers have power. Make decisions at the grocery store and in restaurants that support our Alaska food economy.

2. Cook at home more. Cooking at home is a great way to declare your independence from the dominant culture of fast food. It requires intention and attention to each specific ingredient. Waffle taco? You can make that way more delicious with real ingredients than Taco Bell can.

3. Host a dinner party. We need each other. It's getting cold out and life slows down in the winter. Have friends and family over and experiment with new recipes and share the harvest.

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4. Avoid food products that contain ingredients that a third-grader cannot pronounce. Or that your grandma doesn't recognize. It's a safe bet that these foods are no good for your body or the environment.

5. Diversify your diet. Try to get as many colors onto your plate as possible. Dark leafy greens, beans and lentils, wild fish and game are all options that are highly nutritious. Make a game out of cooking with new ingredients like sweet potatoes, brown rice or harissa. Make spring rolls. Try a kimchi taco.

6. Attend the first Alaska Food Conference and Festival, Nov. 7-9 at the University of Alaska Anchorage. The conference runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 7 and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Nov. 8. Both days are held at Lucy Cuddy Hall and co-hosted by the Alaska Food Policy Council, the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service and UAA. Get engaged in the movement and learn how you can help improve Alaska's food security. See the full schedule, registration and self-guided tour information at bit.ly/akfoodpolicy.

Shannon Kuhn

Shannon Kuhn lives in Anchorage and is co-founder of the Anchorage Food Mosaic. She writes about food and culture and can be reached at play@alaskadispatch.com (subject line: Shannon Kuhn).

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