I saw a short clip about Food, Inc. today where Martha Stewart interviews the producer Robert Kenner. They discuss how expensive it can be to eat healthy food, like locally grown organic produce. And how cheap it is to buy a cheeseburger/ fries for lunch. It seems our “cheap” food supply is the key suspect in our country’s obesity and diabetes epidemic.
I am struggling with this very issue. Over the past 3-4 years I began buying organic produce when I can, and now I always seek out organic meat with no antibiotics/hormones, etc. However, our grocery bills are getting out of hand. I can totally understand why families buy cheap meat in bulk. But this movie asks, what is the true cost of food? To our health, to our environment, to our communities and country?
Has anyone seen Food, Inc.? I plan to put it on my list. More to come.
Great Topic. I have not seen Food, Inc. but it is also on my list.
One step I am planning on making for my 2010 resolution is to buy my meats and dairy from a local farm. Well it is not totally local since it will be a 20 mile round trip. It may be a change to my gas bill and my free time but in the end I will know where the meat came from and how the animal was treated while it was alive. http://www.hendricksfarmsanddairy.com/Shopping.html
I know this is not an option for many. There are monetary or time restraints that would not allow for a weekly trip to a farm. Also, with so many mega stores offering affordable food why would someone want to take an extra trip? I do it all the time when I shop at a big chain grocery store. My heart sinks every time I see the meat or produce I about to buy is from three different parts of the world. It is really hard to understand why beef that traveled from Mexico is cheaper then the organic grass feed beef from Lancaster County. It should be interesting to see if I am able to pull off my 2010 resolution?
On a side note I heard on NPR about the book “eating animals” by Jon Safran. He brought up the issue about the cost of eating free range/ grass feed organic meats is struggle for many. He is a Vegan but does not make the meat eater feel totally awful about eating a hamburger!
Andrea, How is your resolution going? I can honestly say that since we’ve been part of a CSA farm co-op, I enjoy cooking and eating dinners at home SO much more. In fact, since the CSA doesn’t start up again until May, and it’s tough buying all of our produce in the grocery store. Knowing that it is shipped from so far away.
How does it taste? Bet it is 10 times better!!
Now that Oran is a little older, one of his favorite trips is to the farm for raw milk. We heard an advertisement on WDIY for an alpaca farm the other day and he yells from the backseat, “Go see alpacos!!” They even have a swingset there that he can play on. Just have to watch out for the turkey, he stalks us.