I recently borrowed the documentary, "Food, Inc." from our local library. After watching it, I have to say the movie raised more questions than it answered...in a good way.
I like to get information first-hand. So, I will be asking more questions, empowering myself with information to make the best decisions regarding what my family eats.
I have mentioned that I had a hard time paying the high prices for organic dairy; but, after watching this documentary, I feel I have to do this for my kids and my (future) grandkids. We will just eat less and find better options.
Here's the thing: I already knew that our food supplies were drastically altered even in their "natural" (unprocessed) state. I knew that the WAY our food is produced (before it is even blended with artificial ingredients and preservatives, etc.) reduces our meat and produce to merely APPEAR to be the same as an organically grown/fed product/animal that has absorbed generations of nutrients and was not, in fact, "bio-engineered".
I have a problem with something that is supposed to be created in nature being created in a laboratory.
I sometimes feel like "David" against "Goliath". What we, the consumers of these tauntingly disdainful products, don't realize is that WE ARE GOLIATH. We make choices every day that affect (and alter) the decisions of these "big corporations"! Every time we go to the grocery store, we choose. We can choose to support an organic operation or a non-organic one. We are telling people what we want by the choices we make.
From now on, I will ASK for products I can't find. I will not settle for what is on the shelves. From now on, I will buy ONLY organic dairy (my goal is to find a farm nearby).
From now on, I will buy ONLY organic meat (this may be more difficult).
I will be a responsible consumer. I will find out where my products are made and if the companies that make them treat their employees and our earth well. I will ask questions.
Yes, the prices are higher. No, I don't have the extra money. We already eat more vegetables and grains than meat; so, we will find a way to make it work. We will find a way to do what is right.
I hear you Melissa. I only bought organic meat for many years and then was seriously distraught when I couldn't find it (this was about 10 years ago) in a price range I can afford. Now, I make a lot more money, and so I try very hard to select products that are organic, BPA free (watch the cans and plastic), and that are free from a long list of ingredients. One of the frustrating things for me is that things that are packaged as "Organic" like Amy's organics are so incredibly high in sodium. I would like to have some processed foods that aren't so high in salt, but I guess the alternative is worse, so I buy very few "convenience foods" for my family. I spend my weekends cooking so that we can have healthy meals throughout the week. I'm not perfect, and we do stray, but we try and that is the best we can do. I buy organic milk, eggs, butter, some meat, vegetables, and fruit. I cannot find organic Turkey. Jeff can't eat chicken or pork because of allergies, and so we eat beef or turkey or fish. The beef is easy, the fish isn't "organic" but I try to buy the kinds that have the least amount of mercury. Turkey, however, evades me. Let me know if you find any (I found one whole turkey once for $75.00, YIKES!!)
ReplyDeleteMelissa,
ReplyDeleteMyrna and I have been trying very hard to watch what we eat...and, more importantly, what the ingredients are. Organic milk is a must, even though it is 6.00 a gallon. We also try to find cage free eggs from chickens that have not been stuffed with hormones and antibiotics. Produce is much harder to find in organic form...so we grow as much as we can in the summer...and we will have to start canning! chicken is not too hard to find ...but beef is much harder to find. Again...it all costs more...but we have no choice. Maybe we will move to a bigger piece of land and have some cows and chickens of our own....
You guys are both ahead of us. We will continue to do our best. We sincerely hope to plant an organic garden this year. Amanda, you can get organic turkey from www.tcforganics.net
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