How to Host a Local Food Dinner Party and Why It Matters
- Dana DiPrima
- Oct 11
- 3 min read
This is part of the Local Food Challenge, a program of the For Farmers Movement
This article was written by For Farmers Movement summer intern Shahid Islam, with some editing.
Farmers make up only 2% of our nation’s population. They feed the other 98%. And yet, many of us have never met the people who grow our food. As a matter of fact, according to a recent survey, only 8% of the US population has spoken with a farmer in the past year. What if something as simple as preparing and sharing a local meal could change that?
When food becomes local, the connection to community, land, and farmers becomes intentional. A dinner party can be more than a meal—it can be a celebration of trust, gratitude, and togetherness.
Why a Local Food Dinner Party Matters
When you share the story of a farmer along with your dish, you transform an ordinary dinner into something extraordinary.
A plate of food becomes a gesture of trust and kindness.
A table becomes a space for laughter, stories, and meaningful insights.
A purchase becomes an investment in families, farmland, and local economies.
Local ingredients don’t just nourish us—they root us in connection.
Getting Started
You don’t need to overcomplicate this challenge. Invite a few friends or family members and ask everyone to bring a dish made with at least one local ingredient from a farmers market or farmstand.
The special part is not just the food itself, but the story:
Share the farmer’s name.
Talk about how the ingredient was grown.
Tell why you chose it.
This way, the table is filled with more than food—it’s filled with connection, gratitude, and the joy of being closer to your farmers.
If hosting feels like too big a leap, start smaller:
Visit a farmer's market.
Ask one farmer, “How do you grow your food? What practices matter most to you?”
Share what you learned with a friend or neighbor.
The point isn’t perfection—it’s building meaningful connections, one question or one dish at a time.
The Transformation
I recently met farmer Stacey Roussel of All We Need Farm in Needville, Texas. Even though it was over a Zoom call, her passion and energy radiated. Whether she was talking about her farming journey or her goat milk popsicles, her enthusiasm was contagious and heartwarming. Here's a link to the podcast episode featuring our conversation. I think you will feel a connection here, too.
In that moment, I realized that connection doesn’t require years of friendship. It can begin in a single conversation. Stacey made me feel safe, inspired, and deeply connected. Imagine how much more powerful it would be to meet her, or another local farmer, in person.
That’s what this challenge is about: discovering how one interaction can change the way you see food, farmers, and yourself.
This Week’s Challenge
Host a local dish dinner party (big or small). Ask each guest to bring one dish that includes a locally sourced ingredient. Share where it came from and the story behind it.
Here's another idea if you aren't in the mood to host. When someone invites you to dinner, consider bringing something you've made with local ingredients. Some cheese? A salad? Then tell your hosts about the farmers you got the ingredients from. They will appreciate the thoughtfulness, and it will undoubtedly spark some good conversation.
Either way, you’ll be building connections, strengthening community, and honoring the farmers who feed us.
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Dana DiPrima is leading a national movement to support small American Farmers because our health, communities, environment, and regional economies depend on it. The For Farmers Movement supports farmers by sharing their stories, replacing myths with facts, and providing them with grants and other helpful resources.
Dana is also the host of One Bite is Everything, the podcast that connects the food on your plate to the bigger world by sharing conversations with thought leaders, helpful tips, and monthly recaps of key issues on the food and policy scene. One Bite is Everything is a proud member of Heritage Radio Network, home to some of the most influential voices in food.
Dana authors a weekly letter in addition to this blog. You can subscribe here. You can join the For Farmers Movement to support your local farmers here. You can also follow Dana on Instagram.
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