If you ask them, most people in San Diego County would probably agree that it’s good to have access to fresh, seasonal, and local food. On a daily basis, however, a variety of factors makes this the exception rather than the rule. Access, convenience, price, habits, preferences, skills, or knowledge can stand in the way of connecting people with local food and those who grow, procure, and process it.
For 13 years, Edible San Diego has produced a magazine—and more recently, digital content and events—to bring people together and build a movement around local food. The need for journalism that uplifts local people, programs, and places has never been more important. Edible San Diego finds thoughtful writers who seed inspiration and offer practical information by telling stories elevating the passion, knowledge, and experiences of our community. We believe that both inspiration and education are critical for changing behavior.
As a mainly free platform in a competitive, global media market, we do a delicate dance to educate readers about our food system, balancing the desire for immediate gratification, coupled with short attention spans, with the need for deep education. Edible San Diego is continually expanding our audience, appealing to ever broader circles of people to spark interest in local food, build enjoyment of whatever aspects of food appeal to them (beautiful photography, recipes, personalities, etc.), offer opportunities to deepen their knowledge, acquire practical skills, and ultimately develop a profound connection with our local food system.
To ensure the magazine remains free, we rely on advertising revenue, primarily from businesses—many based in San Diego County—who want to get in front of our readers. For this reason and many others, we view the owners, workers, supply chain participants, and countless other relationships across the business community as an inherent part of our mission.
Edible San Diego shares the vision of a healthier, more sustainable and more just food system in San Diego County with the many other organizations and people across the San Diego Food System Alliance. We invite ever more diverse people into this conversation about the wellness of our region by connecting with their hearts, their eyes, and their palates. Our articles, videos, and events complement the great work happening across the County. We create warm and welcoming narratives, and build connections with diverse San Diegans in an effort to uplift the intersectionality of the food system. Our door is open and we invite you into this conversation and shared movement to build a better local food system.
Katie Stokes is the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Edible San Diego, and long time Escondido resident. Katie applies her systems perspective to the food editorial, with a vision to connect people to good local food and eachother.
