It is frustrating when I go to the grocery store and commit to buy healthy food, be it organic or just plain “no junk” food, and my grocery bill turns out to be twice as much as I budgeted. Why is it that the food industry can support products that are full of additives and preservatives known to be bad for us, while making eating a healthy lifestyle diet cost prohibitive? It just doesn’t make any sense.
I’m not making this a political argument however, I was recently reading an interesting editorial in the LA Times entitled “America Needs A Farm Bill that Works” that calls for reform in agriculture that will make Americans healthier. It’s a fascinating point of view about how things have gotten so backwards in America when it comes to agriculture and food. It does make a solid argument that changes need to happen, soon, in order for things to get better. If you’d like to read the article visit: http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-imhoff-farm-bill-20120608,0,7923048.story
Allowing everyone to eat healthy, not just those who can afford it, is an issue I feel very strongly about. We all deserve the opportunity to eat and feed our families a healthy diet without spending an entire paycheck on a grocery bill. I’m just sayin’, we need to get this right! What do you think?
Do you have Bountiful Baskets is your area? They are nationwide and if not in your area, one can start up a site. For $16.50 each week, I get two small bushel baskets filled with 50% fruit and 50% vegetables. I don’t get a choice, but if you go to their facebook site, you can see pictures of what some of the baskets contain. The produce is delivered to a grade school parking lot every Saturday morning. I get the conventional basket, but an organic is available for a higher cost. (Of course!) I have lost weight and kept it off by making it my goal each week to eat the items in my basket. If I don’t want certain items, I share with neighbors. This program is very popular in the west. They will help people set up sites in their states. Check it out!
Thank you for your suggestion. I will check out this program as I am not sure we we have it out here. I am a fan of Farmer’s Markets as well for fresh fruit and veggies. I still think the “system” needs to change in order to make healthy foods, affordable, and convenient for all to have access to, such as the average grocery store. The article I reference makes some interesting points about the problems of farmers in the big picture of things too. Thanks so much for your input Teri.
Contact Anita Zurbrugg. She can give you all sorts of info and unfortunate reasons for the lack of support to the small farmer. We were having this same discussion a week or so ago and it’s the mass farm producers that are opposed to subsidies and help to the local farmer. Here is Anita’ s meal address: anitamzurbrugg@gmail.com