About 24 hours 3 months ago, I watched Food, Inc. I cried. I was confused. I was apathetic. I still don’t know how I feel, I now have a grasp on how I feel and what I want to do to change. I’ve tried to figure it out in my head so obviously it’s not working. So I decided to figure it out here on my blog, out loud so to speak. This movie covers a lot of different aspects: Mass Food Production, Laws/Bills, Sustainable Foods, etc. There are many different emotions I had while watching the movie and so here goes my thoughts, there is so much in my head that to make it easier on myself and those 3 of you that read to understand, I’m going to take their 10 points of change from their site and discuss them, so here goes nothing…
1. Stop Drinking Sodas and other sweetened beverages - The one main reason I believe for this is because of the over use of corn in our lives, and it’s just not good for your plain and simple. I’ve already started to do this (except lately I fell off the wagon big time when Safeway was having their Buy 2 Get 3 Free sale), but it is something I’m working towards-not only does the corn syrup hinder your process of your digestive system, it causes calories to be misplaced and your body to store extra fat. The carbonation breaks down your bones and enhances arthritis.
2. Eat At Home Instead Of Eating Out - This I agree with at least for the majority. I don’t think there is anything wrong with eating out at restaurants in your town to help support the economy and local businesses - but I do want to try to stay away from the larger non-healthy places such as McDees, BK, etc… this has been going on for awhile since I watched Biggest Loser and the propaganda filled Biggie Size Me (which I was not a fan of how it was produced/directed), but believe there are healthier options by bringing your dinner/lunch from home (not to mention cheaper) – but if you need to grab something on the go, there are better/healthier places to do so in your area, google it and look around your office for some new choices.
3. Support the Passage of Laws Requiring Chain Restaurants to Post Calorie Information on Menus and Menu Boards - I personally like this idea but I think it should be posted where it is accessible via online, drive-thru, menu there are a lot of calories in food that we don’t know are there, and sometimes I do wonder about what is actually used in my meal preparation.
4. Tell Schools to Stop Selling Sodas, Junk Food, and Sports Drinks - I don’t think this is the way to go about this, I feel it compromises choice and agency to choose what you drink I think instead healthier options should be made available and let the person control their own desires, but I think to ban them from places is wrong. This should be taught/or not taught in the home – this lies with the parents to decide how they want to raise their children, in my high school (10 years ago, wow!) we had soda, sports drinks, juices, water, chips, organic granola bars, candy bars, corn chips, gum etc. It was up to us to make that decision on what we put in our mouth and body, not the government – which is how it should be. Take your own snacks from home, etc.
5. Go Without Meat Once A Week - This I think is a good thing, being raised LDS I have always loved having the Word of Wisdom to follow and live by, however it seems we focus a lot on the cannots (NO coffee, tea, drugs, alcohol, tobacco) and not so much on the what you should dos (eat fruits/vegetables in their season, eat meat sparingly-cold/winter/famine and this fits that, also that we should be eating lots of whole grains) - I’m not becoming a vegetarian/pescatarian/vegan/etc - I think that following the Word of Wisdom and eating in season and eating meat sparingly is the way it should be - our bodies need the fat, the protein, the carbs, etc - but in moderation, and in season. I love going to our town farmers market every Saturday with all the fresh produce, it’s so colorful and rich in flavor, and if I have to spend a little extra moo-lah to support that and have the better tasting fruit/veggies and help the farmers, then so be it.
6. Buy organic/sustainable foods with little or no pesticides – Ok. Sounds good, seems right – but in my personal family, I think eating in season and washing your veggies with a good ol vinegar/baking powder mix is good enough for us at this stage in our lives.
7. Protect Family Farms – Visit Your Local Farmer’s Market – Nooooo problem! As mentioned above this is one of my favorite weekly things to-do. There is an indescribable difference between grocery store produce that has been shipped in from who knows where and fresh yummy farmers market produce that has been brought in from behind my house.
8. Make A Point To Know Where Your Food Comes From – Read Labels – This I have started doing, and you would be surprised how much crap (can’t find a better word to use) is in the foods we’re used to buying on a daily basis. I’ve been sticking to the ‘outer perimeter’ rule when in the grocery store, and when I am buying canned items, I take my time to compare and read and then purchase my best option.
9. Tell Congress That Food Safety Is Important to You – this is up to you and your feelings, this can go either way for me, what’s too much, how far is too far – in limiting/telling the people what they should/shouldn’t be doing.
10. Demand Job Protection – I haven’t dug into this or researched it any so I am going to not write a ‘thought’ for this item.
So there is/are my resolutions: Eat more fruits/veggies in season. Buy from my farmers market. Read/Pay Attention to where my food is coming from, and for your pleasure my needing a place to list this for me I have typed out a seasonal eating chart for Northern California but this is a really good resource to find what’s in season where you live.
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Yearly Eats - Asian Greens, Avocados, Beans, Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cardoons, Carrots, Chard, Cauliflower, Collards, Dried Fruit, Endive, Fennel, Garlic, Herbs, Horseradish, Kale, Leeks, Lemons, Lettuces, Mushrooms, Onions, Oranges, Potatoes, Radish, Scallions, Spinach
January - Bok Choy, Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Gourds, Grapefruit, Guava, Kiwi, Limes, Mandarins, Parsnips, Pears, Persimmons, Pomelos, Rutabaga, Sunchokes, Tangerines, Turnips, Walnuts
February - Asparagus, Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Cress, Gourds, Grapefruit, Green Garlic, Guava, Kiwi, Kumquats, Limes, Mandarins, Parsnips, Pears, Pomelos, Rutabaga, Tangerines, Turnips, Walnuts
March - Artichokes, Arugula, Asparagus, Bok Choy, Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Cress, Gourds, Grapefruit, Green Garlic, Guavas, Kiwi, Kumquats, Limes, Mandarins, Parsnips, Pomelos, Rutabaga, Strawberries, Tangerines, Turnips, Walnuts
April - Artichokes, Arugula, Asparagus, Bok Choy, Cauliflower, Celery, Cherries, Grapefruit, Green Garlic, Guavas, Kumquats, Limes, Mandarins, Parsnips, Peas, Pomelos, Rhubarb, Rutabaga, Strawberries, Tangerines, Turnips, Walnuts
May - Apricots, Artichokes, Arugula, Asparagus, Basil, Blackberries, Blueberries, Bok Choy, Boysenberries, Cauliflower, Celery, Cherries, Green Garlic, Lemons, Mustard, Nectarines, Peaches, Peas, Plums, Pluots, Radicchio, Raspberries, Rhubarb, Shallots, Squash Summer, Strawberries, Walnuts
June - Apricots, Artichokes, Arugula, Asparagus, Basil, Blackberries, Blueberries, Bok Choy, Boysenberries, Cauliflower, Celery, Cherries, Corn, Cress, Cucumbers, Green Garlic, Melons, Mustard, Nectarines, Okra, Peas, Peaches, Plums, Pluots, Radicchio, Raspberries, Rhubarb, Shallots, Summer Squash, Strawberries, Tomatillos, Tomatoes, Walnuts
July - Apricots, Arugula, Asian Pears, Basil, Blackberries, Blueberries, Cherries, Corn, Cress, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Grapes, Melons, Mustard, Nectarines, Okra, Peas, Peaches, Plums, Pluots, Peppers (Bell & Chili), Radicchio, Raspberries, Rhubarb, Shallots, Strawberries, Summer Squash, Tomatillos, Tomatoes
August - Almonds, Apples, Arugula, Asian Pears, Basil, Blackberries, Celery, Corn, Cress, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Figs, Grapes, Melons, Mulberries, Mustard, Nectarines, Okra, Peaches, Pears, Peas, Peppers (Bell & Chili), Plums, Pluots, Pomegranates, Raspberries, Rhubarb, Shallots, Strawberries, Summer Squash, Tomatillos, Tomatoes
September - Almonds, Apples, Artichokes, Arugula, Asian Pears, Basil, Blackberries, Bok Choy, Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Celery, Corn Cress, Cucumbers, Dates, Eggplant, Figs, Grapefruit, Grapes, Kiwi, Melons, Mustard, Nectarines, Okra, Olives, Peaches, Pears, Peas, Peppers (Bell&Chili), Persimmions, Pistachios, Plums, Pluots, Radicchio, Raspberries, Rhubarb, Shallots, Strawberries, Summer Squash, Sunchokes, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatillos, Tomatoes, Turnips
October - Almonds, Apples, Artichokes, Arugula, Asian Pears, Basil, Bok Choy, Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Celery, Chestnuts, Corn, Cress, Cucumbers, Dates, Eggplant, Figs, Grapefruit, Kiwi, Kumquats, Limes, Melons, Mustard, Okra, Olives, Nectarines, Parsnips, Peaches, Pears, Peas, Peppers (Bell & Chili), Persimmons, Plums, Pomegranates, Radicchio, Rhubarb, Raspberries, Rhubarb, Rutabaga, Shallots, Strawberries, Squash Winter, Sunchokes, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatillos, Tomatoes, Turnips,
November - Almonds, Apples, Artichokes, Arugula, Asian Pears, Bok Choy, Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Celery, Chestnuts, Corn, Cress, Cucumbers, Dates, Figs, Grapefruit, Grapes, Guavas, Kiwi, Kumquats, Limes, Mandarins, Melons, Okra, Olives, Parsnips, Pears, Peas, Peppers (Bell & Chili), Radicchio, Rhubarb, Rutabaga, Winter Squash, Sunchokes, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatillos, Tomatoes, Turnips
December - Artichokes, Bok Choy, Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Celery, Chestnuts, Cress, Dates, Grapefruit, Grapes, Guavas, Kiwi, Limes, Mandarins, Parsnips, Pears, Peppers (Bell & Chili), Persimmions, Pomegranates, Pomelos, Radicchio, Rutabaga, Squash Winter, Sunchokes, Sweet Potatoes, Tangerines, Turnips, Walnuts
