An Apple A Day

Sometimes I am such a trend-setter, I surprise myself. Check out the article on "Food Swapping" below!

I have been shopping for fresh produce as much as possible at the local Farmer's Markets. I love the community feel of meeting the farmers and families, walking stand-to-stand in a fresh-air market and seeing all the foods in their less packaged state. There is somethingly refreshingly simple about buying a bunch of zucchini for $3 cash, pointing to the little container on the table and watching it dumped into a bag. Perhaps, that is blasphemous from a former food scientist, turned marketer, but then again, it still comes down to the brand experience. I like asking questions about the foods that I don't recognize, and I love trying new recipes and preparing meals from seasonal and local ingredients.

I also feel good about the fact that my (future) children will be able to distinguish Burger King apple fries and McD's chicken nuggets from the real thing. I hope they enjoy and appreciate the creativity, planning, and certain sense of frugality and community that comes with sharing a meal with others... and hopefully, it TASTES GOOD! I want to thank my friend John for the 'recent delivery' of gala apples from his grandfather's land. I can't wait to make some yummy, apple recipes. I am glad you enjoyed the eggplant and peppers from our household!

FOOD SWAPPING
Food prices are increasing at the fastest rate in nearly two decades, and as consumers feel the pinch, they're looking for alternatives to the grocery store. One of the most creative money saving strategies we've seen is food swapping in which people barter food for other edibles they don't have in their own respective pantries.

In London, the organizers of an organic farmers market hold an annual event called The Great Food Swap. Hundreds of people show up looking to trade their homemade preserves for another's garden grown veggies, homemade bread or freshly caught fish. The event is not only a place for people to score quality local food, but it also fosters a unique community by giving consumers the opportunity to actually meet the people who make, bake, or pick what they eat. Also in the UK, a pub called The Pigs lets patrons exchange food for pints; items such as free-range eggs and homegrown fruit that regulars bring in then make it onto the food menu.

Stateside, we're increasingly seeing neighborhood message board postings with offers of food giveaways, shares and swaps. Not limited to those looking for budget cuts, people looking to cut waste are also trading and sharing food. Example include someone going on vacation getting rid of their perishables, CSA members who can't eat half of their large bounty of kale, and those who want to trade a home cooked meal for house repairs. And with the growth and success of online swapping communities in other sectors, such as crafts, expect to soon see a Craigslist-style site connecting consumers who want to swap and barter using cuisine as currency.

* trendcentral articles are designed to be trend reports, not endorsements * The Intelligence Group is a trend-forecasting and marketing Consultancy focused on Gen X, Gen Y and Tweens. For more information on our services, or to subscribe to our syndicated studies, The Cassandra Report, Tween Intelligence, Latino Intelligence, and Mom Intelligence, contact Liz Gray at 212-277-5244 or via email at egray@intelg.com.