Food Inc., Food Revolution ... Struggling with Reality.

[Fairy]

This is long, I'm sorry, not sure how to make this shorter.

As I allow myself to see the truth at the horrifying way we are forced to eat food in this country, I grow more and more despondent about how to manage it for my family. I realize not everyone has an issue with it, and that's ok. But, I do, and I'm honestly just not sure where to go from here. I've only watched portions of Food, Inc. and Food Revolution, and I know I should watch the rest. But I'm already at the point where I feel like there's nothing I can feed my family just with what I know so far! So watching the rest of it will only cause more anxiety at the moment.

For me, I eat alot of chicken, and to see what those poor creatures go thru, I almost can't take it. Yeah, I'm gonna end up eating it, but I want it treated like a living creature before I do so. So, one of my main issues is the despicible treatment of chickens and cattle. I want these creatures treated humanely, allowed to grow at a proper rate of speed, and not treated with abx or hormones. My other issue is pesticides on produce juxtaposed with the fact that I don't want it going bad two days after I buy it. I cannot afford to go all organic all the time. I cannot afford whole foods' certified humanely raised food animals. I can afford processed foods, but those are some of the evils I'm trying to avoid. I also am a sh***y cook and try my best but often fail. And have very little time to prepare meals with these foods I speak of! So, I find myself at a serious crossroads, the elements of which I don't know how to marry up. I feel like every choice I have is bad and that I"m not doing enough. DH does not feel nearly as strongly about this, but he doesn't fight me on the decisions I make most of the time.

So, this is the approach I'm kind of mulling over and would appreciate any thoughts on what else I can do.

* Organic milk, I do that today
* I want chicken and beef treated like I described without being processed with bleach or amonia, but other than Whole Foods, where do I get these?
* Farmers markets for my produce during the summer. Not sure what to do in winter. Whole Foods does *not* have that many organics most of the time, contrary to popular belief.
* Grow my own herbs. I kill stuff easy, but I am going to try once again.
* Eat more fish. My guys won't go near it, but I will. Ah, but then there's the mercury (sob)
* No HFCS or the fakely named stuff that is really HFCS.
* No artificial sweetners.

Now, the harder part is what the heck to feed DS. He lives on Chicken Nuggets and Bagel Dogs. He loves veggies, thank God. He loves fruit, so great. But you can forget about most cheese, mac & cheese, tomatoes or anything made with them besides salsa; or beef or fish. It's been a real struggle. I tried the organic chicken nuggets, and he hates them. I even tried the next level done from costco, and he hated them, too. He'll eat an all beef kosher hot dog, tho :). And plenty of pancakes and waffles and eggs.

So, that's where I'm at. I try very hard to make the best choices I can for DS, and now for me and DH, too, but I feel like it's just a losing battle. Looking forward to hearing from other folks.

[DrSally]

I have it on TIVO, but haven't watched it yet. I know what I'm in for though. I did recently check out Fast Food Nation, and never want to eat another hamburger from a fast food joint. I actually have only been to one local restaurant that makes their burgers from hamburger, rather than frozen patties. Anyway, I was thinking the same thing, how do I find local, good chicken and beef wo/having to go to Whole Foods and spend an arm and a leg? I know several folks on here buy their beef, chicken and eggs from farmers. At least Costco doesn't use trimmings in their ground beef, and does regular testing.

I also try to avoid HFCS and artificial sweetners, grow my own herbs, and buy hormone free milk (not organic though). I will spring the extra $$ for eggland's best eggs b/c theire healthier *and* taste much better.

What I really need to work on is eliminating the processed/convenience foods from our diets.

[egoldber]

I hear you. I can hardly bring myself to buy chicken any more. I do buy it from Trader Joe (organic), and we just don't eat it as often anymore.

Of all things, I discovered that a co-worker of mine raises hormone free, antibiotic free, grass pastured, organic (but not certified) beef cattle and we bought a huge amount of beef from her last year. It was $3 a pound for everything from ground beef to T-bone steak. I will be buying even more of that next year. So we are eating a fair amount of beef. I need to find a local chicken producer.

So in general, I feel OK about what I cook. I'm a good, decent cook, not really gourmet, but I cook basic goods well. For me, a big part of it is time and energy. When I get home from work, it's so easy to pick up the phone for takeout vs actually cooking. That's where having a plan and a supply of basic foods helps.

I will say that part of my issue is learning to eat less. My kids do well with this, but DH and I are terrible at it. If we can manage our portion sizes and not waste, then we can eat better quality food and pay a little more for it. In the school lunch post, someone pointed out that as a nation, we spend less per capita on food than most countries. So I do think a big part of it is we are just not used to having to pay what good food really costs to produce.

[scrooks]

I agree with you...after watching or reading about what is actually in our food I feel like there is NOTHING healthy I can feed my family that isn't super expensive or challenging to cook. I'm just not very handy or creative in the kitchen and my DH loves meat which I would like to cut back on a bit. I would love to see tips from others....

[SnuggleBuggles]

I think that a way some budget minded people do it is by being vegetarian a lot more than our culture normally is. Like only eating meat 1-2 meals/ week. You could eat vegetarian the rest of the time. Think eggs and beans and rice. So cheap and nutritious. I save a good amount of money by buying spices and grains in "bulk" (fill a bag with as much as a I want vs buying it prepackaged. The fact that I can buy all my spices for $.30-.75 means instead of buying a $4 jar of McCormick means that I have more money to spend on my food priorities. Those are my $ saving solutions of the day. :)

Beth

[Beckylove]

I know the angst you feel. I feed my kid something and immediately feel guilty. I tell myself to just do the best I can. That is all I can do.

As far as chicken goes I buy Harvestland brand-- no hormones, antibiotics, or steriods & fed an all vegetarian diet. I don't know about their living conditions, but that is a good start. Please don't tell me if you've heard anything different.

I use the Hormel Natural choice lunchmeat. It is readily available and has no nitrates/nitrites, hormoes, antibiotics and has three ingredients that I understand.

I can't afford/find organic beef and pork. We only eat it once a week or so. That is how I justify it.

Veggies:
I always buy these organic: potatoes, apples, carrots, tomatoes, lettuce
I don't buy bananas or avacados organic
I wish I could find organic strawberries, peaches, broccoli but they aren't sold where I shop

Buy Annies crackers & mac n cheese. Natures own breads. Organic milk for the boy & no hormones for me.

This is the best I can do. I would absolutely buy better food if it were more available. I am constantly on the lookout for little things to improve how we nourish our bodies, but at the end of the day I have to tell myself that I can only do the best I can do.

[ThreeofUs]

Have you read Pollan's In Defense of Food? I found it at least a little helpful.

You're in a place where it's a little harder - just because of distances - to get wild, grassfed, etc., meats. But there are a LOT of folks (at least down near UC) who take food seriously and who are working to change that.

Free range, non-antibiotic, etc., meats and eggs are pretty easy to find, even in such as backward place as I now live. Try
http://www.eatwild.com/
contact some of the farms around you, and see if they have groups that get together so there's only one drive/season/family to the farm to pick up.

I think some friends use this place, but have no idea what the quality or standards are like:
http://www.moograssfarms.com/

GL!

[infomama]

I understand. It's all so overwhelming at times. It's amazing the information we have at hand with the internet to find humane farmers and products. http://www.certifiedhumane.org/about/whoiscertified.html (http://www.certifiedhumane.org/about/whoiscertified.html)
http://www.animalwelfareapproved.org/farms/
Just a few minutes of digging found these sites that have lots of good info. I try to buy organic every time I shop and I'll forgo a bag of chips for organic apples vs conventional ones. I buy Applegate lunch meat from the deli, I stop and read ingredient lists more often (amazing how many ingredients a box of bread crumbs can list vs another brand) and I often find myself going without rather than compromising. So much of this falls on our shoulders, the mamas, and it's a lot to lug around every day.
Do the best you can..that is all you can do.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Btw, it really does get easier. I started my healthier food journey about a decade ago and read lots of labels. Now I know what brands are good and feel like I have some easy, reliable picks. After you put in some leg work (and occasionally double check that no weird changes have been made to their recipes), it becomes normal and simple.

Beth

[hannah]

My main focus right now is to find some place (farm or store) that sells local organic chicken but like a PP, I can't bring myself to eat chicken from the grocery store. I told my DH as we were watching Food Inc that we should have watched it after cleaning out the freezer because I have a lot of frozen chicken that I am having second thoughts about eating.

We bought a 1/4 cow from a local farmer last fall which will most likely last us through this coming fall when we will reorder. It came out to about $3/lb of beef.

We belong to a CSA that runs from mid-June to mid-Dec so that forces me to eat lots of veggies. I am also trying to grow basil this year as well as tomatoes.

We have started to eat out less (as a family we eat about maybe 1-2 times per month). I did a meal plan for the month of April and I have found that that has forced me to eat more out of the pantry to make side dishes as well as look through the freezer and use up what I have before I shop.

We drink hormone free milk (not organic) and I try to buy organic when I can. I buy certain veggies/fruits organic but others not. Strawberries, apples, carrots, celery I buy organic.

[MamaKath]

I think that a way some budget minded people do it is by being vegetarian a lot more than our culture normally is. Like only eating meat 1-2 meals/ week. You could eat vegetarian the rest of the time. Think eggs and beans and rice. So cheap and nutritious.
:yeahthat:
I do a lot of what Beth is mentioning. I have a few staple meals that are easy, nutritious and meat free. We do eat pasta each week. We have vegetarian chili (lots of beans, barley and veggies in it, I cook it without the beans, throw everything in the blender, put it back in the pot, then add the beans) about once a week. We eat waffles and eggs about once a week also.

I have not seen the shows that were mentioned. I do know that having kids with "food issues" (one is very texture/taste sensitive and therefore picky, the other can not tolerate food dyes at all) has made me wake up to what is in lots of foods. I have seriously considered going vegetarian (lacto-ovo) but am struggling to make that complete leap. It sickens me though to think of what goes on with livestock in this country. I would LOVE to raise chickens for eggs, but dh won't go for it. And I don't think I could eat the chickens I raised.

I am watching to see what others add, I love learning from ya'll. :love-retry:

[boolady]

We joined a CSA for this summer, and I'm excited, because I'm frugal, and won't let all of those fresh veggies go to waste. DD and I can easily eat vegetarian 4 nights a week, but it's going to be more of a transition for DH. This is our first year at the CSA, and they don't raise their own eggs, but sell pastured, organically raised (but not certified) eggs from another local farm. We currently buy eggs, a small amount of beef, and, every now and then as a treat, the absolute best bacon I have ever had from a local farm that raises everything organically/pastured.

We're just constantly working on it...this isn't to say that we don't eat the "all-natural" Hans chicken meatballs or Amy's sausages from Costco that are better choices than some things, but I know aren't necessarily humanely raised, and I struggle with it sometimes, but we just do the best we can.

For chicken, I will buy organic chicken at Wegman's or WF, but we're not eating it near as often due to the price, which is better for us anyway, I'm sure. The farm where we get the eggs sells the eggs, not the layers. :)

[athompson]

Fairy, I'm completely with you. I find it difficult to feed my family knowing what I now know.

I think we live pretty close to one another (I'm in the far North burbs) so I'll make a little list of what I've found close to us that has been helpful.

The first thing is beans and lentils which you can obviously get anywhere. Soups, salads, vegetarian tacos etc. Super easy, nutritious and cheap. The trick is trying to get the little people to eat them, but we have a "you get what you get and you don't get upset" rule in our house when it comes to meals. If they are really hungry, the'll probably eat it. The Joy of Cooking has a great lentil soup recipe.

Costco:
Quinoa (huge bag for not much $-a grain that is very high in protein, can be made warm as a breakfast cereal, or served cold as a salad etc.)

Two pack of organic whole chickens (very easy to roast with vegetables or throw in the crockpot)

Huge bag of organic green beans (frozen)

Huge bag of organic brocolli florets (frozen)

Coleman natural beef hot dogs

Two pack Kirkland brand 100% whole wheat bread (no HCFS)

Pacific Natural Foods Organic, free range chicken broth (four or six pack, can't remember)-great for soups, stews etc.

Kirkland brand organic, natural peanut butter (two pack, the easiest to stir of the many brand of natural pb I've tried)

Earthbound Farms (refrigerated produce section) spinach-best price anywhere hands down

Pre-sliced and bagged organic apples-not cheap, but whole organic apples aren't cheap either.


Target
Just Bare brand chicken (not organic, but cage free, free of antibiotics, pesticide residues, added hormones, animal byproducts and arsenicals)

Organic turkey burgers (frozen)

Organic ground beef

Organic apples, pears, strawberries

Jewel
Organic Valley milk (grass-fed cows and organic)

Frozen organic ground turkey (can't remember the brand)

Organic natural pb (their house brand, in the natural foods aisle)

Not a perfect list, but thought I'd share since I've been struggling with the same issues.

Trader Joe's
While not perfect, I do have more confidence in the majority of their products compared to a typical grocery store. They don't have everything, but much of what they have is way better for you than most of the crap you can buy at traditional grocery stores.

Oh, and just to keep it real...my husband is at Portillo's and I asked him to bring me an order of fries:D You do what you can right?!

[edurnemk]

For me eating healthier and going for a greener lifestyle is something I've done taking little steps. I set certain goals for myself (i.e. this quarter we switch to natural cleaners, this month we switch to whole wheat pasta, etc.). Doing it all at once is so overwhelming! my goal for this year is to switch to greener cosmetics and transition to a mostly pescatarian diet (and I've divided that into more specific sub-goals to achieve throughout the year).

Since I switched to natural cleaners (homemade) and cut all processed food, I found my grocery bill went down, which makes up for buying organic, so I don't spend more than before. We also only eat meat 2-3 times per week. I don't make very elaborate dinners, nor am I a talented cook, but I've found a few recipes DH likes and that come out all right and I just stick to those.

I have no suggestions as to what to feed your DS, I suppose he needs to slowly get used to the new flavours and textures, and I'd do it one food item at a time. This may be extreme but my Ped used to tell my mom kids don't starve themselves, so if you're giving him a healthy meal, he may refuse it at first, but he'll eventually eat it, just don't give him the alternative (like regular chicken nuggets). With DS I've started telling him "this is what's for lunch, you can choose not to eat it, and in that case you'll have to wait until snack time." It's really hard to see him whine and cry from hunger, but after one or two times he got the message.

Sometimes it sucks having to make these choices.

[MamaKath]

Costco:
Quinoa (huge bag for not much $-a grain that is very high in protein, can be made warm as a breakfast cereal, or served cold as a salad etc.)


Huge bag of organic green beans (frozen)

Huge bag of organic brocolli florets (frozen)

Two pack Kirkland brand 100% whole wheat bread (no HCFS)

Pacific Natural Foods Organic, free range chicken broth (four or six pack, can't remember)-great for soups, stews etc.

Kirkland brand organic, natural peanut butter (two pack, the easiest to stir of the many brand of natural pb I've tried)

Earthbound Farms (refrigerated produce section) spinach-best price anywhere hands down



Haha! This looks a lot like my shoping list. :D

We have a Vitamix and make soup a few days during the week, and use frozen organic fruit for smoothies daily in it.

[boolady]

Why do I feel like I can never find the best things people reference on here at my Costco? I don't think I've ever seen a 2 pack of organic whole chickens, because I'd be all over that. I always hear folks reference the Coleman grass fed beef hot dogs, and I've never found them either. I am just missing these things, or do the selections vary by region?

[kijip]

Some tips:

My Costco has Organic boneless chicken with 2-3 breasts or 3-4 thighs in a pack, sold in packs of 3. It works out to be a pretty decent solution for when I don't have time or interest in cooking a whole chicken or dealing with the resulting mass amount of broth. ETA: While I know that organic does not mean humane in all cases, there is only so much I can do at once. I don't really trust the stuff marketed as humane at WholeFoods because the companies business practices do not impress me at all. Maybe some day I will get it together to get my chickens from local farms like our beef. Not today though. :) I can't die on every hill.

Do you have a freezer? Buying part of a side of beef, from a local organic or in-process of becoming organic, farm works out to be almost as cheap as conventional beef on sale and WAY cheaper than meat from Whole Foods.

Eating meat as a garnish or a small part of the dish is also more economical and healthy.

F just woke up, gotta go. :)

[niccig]

I think you take one step at a time. Make one change, everyone gets used to it, then move on to the next. Over the last few years, I've swapped us to whole grain everything, hormone free dairy, free range eggs, no trans fat, no HFCS. We always ate a lot of vegies, but I'm now finding different ways to prepare them. I still need to find a source for meat and chicken. I've started to make vege chili and lentil soup - I did used canned soup, but I bought dried beans last week and need to soak them overnight and then make the soup the next day. My last batch made enough for three dinners, I froze the extra in ziplock bags.

So small steps Fairy-girl, make one change at a time.

[MissyAg94]

I feel the same frustration in feeding my family. I always feel like I'm doing something wrong and we eat a pretty healthy diet.

This might be a silly question but when I see "organic chicken" (like kijip mentioned from Costco) can I assume it's cage free, treated humanely and fed well?

Also with respect to mercury in fish, is eating wild-caught salmon once per week okay?

[niccig]

I feel the same frustration in feeding my family. I always feel like I'm doing something wrong and we eat a pretty healthy diet.

This might be a silly question but when I see "organic chicken" (like kijip mentioned from Costco) can I assume it's cage free, treated humanely and fed well?

Also with respect to mercury in fish, is eating wild-caught salmon once per week okay?

I've got the same question about the chicken.

I believe wild caught ALASKAN salmon is the best option.

[MissyAg94]

I didn't know about the Alaskan part but I just checked and ours is from Alaska. Thanks!

[TwinFoxes]

I think it's one of those things where once you start it gets easier. PP had some good links. Also try localharvest.org It will help you find farms, including those that sell beef and poultry in your area.

Trader Joes is cheaper than whole foods, and has some things that go a long way, like their organic frozen fruits and veggies. (their fresh produce is pretty weak). And organic no-nitrate hot dogs. They're still processed, but healthier than your run of the mill hot dog.

There are still a lot of changes I'd like to make, but I'm trying really hard to feed my kids better food than I ate growing up in the 70s/80s.

Can I make a cookbook suggestion? Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything" is easy to use, and he explains things very well. It's a little weak on Mexican and other ethnic foods, but it's a great book for someone who wants to try to cook more (and better!)

[sste]

Fairy, not sure how far north you live or how far this delivery service goes but they do deliver to some of the suburbs. They are kind of like a farmers market with delivery and with some staples in addition. They also have meats raised on small, local, humane farms -- I think mostly frozen. I am going to try them this spring or summer when I can't get to the farmers market.
http://www.freshpicks.com/cms/

I have also been trying to slooooowly incorporate the Andrew Weil diet stuff and his own food pyramid into my life . . . I started with white tea a weeks times ago, then increasing tofu to twice a week, and I am step by step phasing way down our eating of animal/dairy products (though not DS's milk) with a goal of only eating chicken/meat 2x per week - - which means I can spend up to buy local farm products.

Hope that helps.

[Katigre]

I would recommend shopping at Trader Joe's instead of Whole Foods - they have organic chicken that I buy (and if you buy thighs it's relatively inexpensive).

Not a single item in their store has HFCS or artificial color/flavor but they have the basics your DS likes which is convenient. I really like their fish selection too - I can always find an ethical/non-toxic frozen fish fillet option there.

Also consider joining a CSA - Chicago has a ton of them (www.localharvest.org I believe is the website for you to find them).

[daisymommy]

This might be a silly question but when I see "organic chicken" (like kijip mentioned from Costco) can I assume it's cage free, treated humanely and fed well?

YES! :thumbsup: As long as they aren't a renegade law-breaking farmer/company (which does happen on occasion), organic laws/ethics state that they must do all those things you mentioned, and then some more more.

[LarsMal]

I've been having a lot of the same thoughts lately, too. I haven't seen all of Food Inc. yet, but what I did see was enough to make me take another baby step in the right direction!

My biggest problem (sometimes blessing) is food allergies. DS is allergic to beef and pork. I eat little pork and haven't eaten beef since I was 13 years old. I've never bought or cooked beef, and pork is out because of DS, so that makes that easy for me. As far as chicken- I have been buying some sort of free range Perdue chicken from Harris Teeter lately (another one of those "don't tell me it's still bad" requests!). I had never seen it until a couple weeks ago. It is definitely more expensive, but not outrageous, and it makes me feel better.

As far as other things go, DS is allergic to eggs and dairy so I don't buy eggs, they drink organic soy milk and DH and I drink hormone free cow's milk (not organic). I avoid as much HFCS as possible. I also try to follow the 10 ingredients or less rule, and buy as much "all natural" as I can. Not necessarily organic, but natural ingredients.

My closest TJ's and WF is a 20-30 minute drive so I don't go very often. I've also found a lot of the stuff in those stores are processed on shared equipment, so I can't buy a lot of it because of the allergies.

Oh...I also found organic Kraft mac and cheese (so good!) last week...just had to throw that in!!

I'm planning on hitting the farmer's markets this summer as my next step.

We definitely still eat some things I'm not proud of, but you just do the best you can and try to make those part of that "sometimes foods" category.

(and I need to stop here for now because I'm typing this on my phone and it has taken forever. I hope this makes sense because I can't seem to preview my whole post!)

[bubbaray]

I'm with Julie. I'm more concerned about food allergies -- the organic stuff has completely fallen off the table. We used to eat a huge portion of our diet organic (probably 75% or so) and now, its very low. I just don't have the energy to worry about how chickens live when I'm worried about food allergies.

Do the best you can, 1 step at a time.

And stop watching those DVDs. I really do not think they are useful unless you want to go vegan. JMHO.

[eyedoc_01]

This might be a silly question but when I see "organic chicken" (like kijip mentioned from Costco) can I assume it's cage free, treated humanely and fed well?

YES! :thumbsup: As long as they aren't a renegade law-breaking farmer/company (which does happen on occasion), organic laws/ethics state that they must do all those things you mentioned, and then some more more.

But broiler chickens (the ones you eat) aren't kept in cages, so cage free doesn't mean anything for chicken meat. Unfortunately, by the letter of the law, free range doesn't mean that much either.

They are fed very well. They're fed so well and get so heavy that many can't stand normally by the time they're slaughtered. About 25% of chickens have stress fractures because they can't support their own weight.

Treated humanely? Each chicken gets about half a square foot of space. That's a little less than a piece of typing paper.

The laws and regulations are written by the factory farming industry, and generally not enforced.

The NOP does not specify indoor or outdoor stocking densities but many organic certifiers look for a lower stocking rate than the industry average of 0.7 square feet (0.07 square metres) per bird. Most look for at least 1.5 square feet (0.14 square metres) per bird. There is no limit on the number of birds that may be raised in one house; nor is there a requirement for the amount of bird exits or popholes that should be provided. The NOP also does not specify the amount of outdoor access a bird should have. Organic programmess in other countries have details on these issues to limit the size and density of flocks.

In other words, organic chicken can be crammed just as tightly as conventional. A house with thousands of chickens can have one exit. And there's no specification on the amount of access to the outside a bird should have.

[AnnieW625]

I'm with Julie. I'm more concerned about food allergies -- the organic stuff has completely fallen off the table. We used to eat a huge portion of our diet organic (probably 75% or so) and now, its very low. I just don't have the energy to worry about how chickens live when I'm worried about food allergies.

Do the best you can, 1 step at a time.

And stop watching those DVDs. I really do not think they are useful unless you want to go vegan. JMHO.

We don't have food allergies, but I think this way a lot in regards to food. I buy the same chicken brand (Foster Farms) that I have been eating my entire life, it's from central California and I now I am sure if I did some digging I could find out some dirt about them, but for me right now it's not really something I have the time or energy to do. If I had more money sure I'd buy organic chicken all of the time but I don't. Since the only red meat DD eats is ground beef we don't eat nearly as much red meat as we used to so I plan on spending a bit more this summer during grilling season on my tri tip steaks.

I read Fast Food Nation many years ago and it didn't disgust me except for the fact that I didn't buy Con Agra products for a very long time.

I am trying my darndest to keep HFCS out of our diets and so far that has been pretty easy. HFCS and people not liking it is getting a lot of press these days and companies are noticing that so it almost makes it easier to find lots of things that are HFCS free.

[JoyNChrist]

I haven't read all the responses, but wanted to chime in.

This stuff concerns me greatly too. To add to my issues, I live in the middle of nowhere and don't have access to a lot of the better options. There's no Whole Foods or Trader Joe's or Costco where I live. We have two grocery stores, and then there's a Wal-Mart about 30 minutes away. The nearest Sam's Club is an hour away and we don't have a Super Target.

I'm very tempted to move to being completely vegetarian, but there's no way DH would go for that.

Sigh...

ETA - No CSA's or local organic farmers that I've found either.

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

I was a veg. before, and "fell off the turnip wagon". After the videos a few years ago with the downed cows being poked with a forklift, I knew my values and supporting that industry didn't match.And KNOWING that the meat that was recalled was in schools made me ill. I DO NOT want my DD eting processed school lunch with nasty meat in it. I haven't eaten meat since. I eat organic free range local eggs, and organic milk/dairy. I feel guilty for that. We do a lot of almond/hemp/whole grain rice milk.

Quorn is an excellent faux meat! (http://www.quorn.us/Stores/)

No one is prefect. Baby steps!

[elektra]

I am totally not ready to feel guilty for not restricting myself to only organic, free-range, hormone free, no HFCS, all day every day.
I am still burying my head in the sand and am not watching these videos. Not because I don't care. I actually do buy organic often, but I know I have purchased meat that is not cage free, etc.
It's because I just know I am not ready to make that full lifestyle change, and watching will only stress me out and I stress out/worry about enough as it is.
Maybe that makes no sense to anyone else, but it's how I know I need to operate right now.
So compared to me you are doing great! Maybe I'll be where you are at at some point.
Just thought I'd share to hopefully make yourself feel a tiny bit better. :)

[essnce629]

The PP is right-- "organic" chicken has nothing to do with how they are treated, it just means they aren't fed any genetically modified feed and are not given hormones and antibiotics.

If you want chicken that has not been raised in super tight living quarters with little or no access to the outdoors, then you need to look for chicken (or eggs or meat) that has the "certified humane" label and/or the "pasture raised" label. When we lived in VA, my local WF's had ONE brand of eggs that had the certified humane label, that's it. My current WF's doesn't sell any certified humane or pasture raised eggs. "Cage-free" and "free range" don't really mean all that much. Here's the website to find "certified humane" food:

http://www.certifiedhumane.org/

And this link tells you the difference between "cage-free," "free-range," "organic," "pasture-raised," etc. Ideally you want pasture raised AND certified humane.
http://www.care2.com/news/member/785880716/1174922

[elephantmeg]

we make our own chicken nuggets since I'm allergic to corn meal. I make several pounds at once and then freeze it. It takes an hour or so to do but I do it on a weekend while DD is napping/DH helps with DS. I also make things up in bulk like pigs in a blanket or mini pizzas. The kids love to help with those.

[egoldber]

And I do think it is important to do one thing at a time. You can't do everything all at once, it's just too overwhelming.

Honestly, since one of your big barriers seems to be cooking and cooking daily, maybe work on that? Don't worry about the other stuff. Find a cooking class or just work on trying to cook one more meal everyday. Once you start cooking all (or almost all) your meals at home, you may be surprised at how much money that frees up in your budget.

[maestramommy]

I understand where you're coming from Fairy, because I had the same visceral reaction after seeing Food Inc (saw the whole thing). But there's reality too. It's taken me a year to mull things over and consider how I can feed my family better food without breaking the bank. We are doing things in baby steps.

This year, Dh's aunt who raises a lamb each year, is raising one for us. The cost actually turned out to be not bad at all, and we lurrrrrrve lamb.

Then we joined a CSA. The cost/lb of produce is more than I would usually spend at the store on regular stuff, but way LESS than if I bought all organic, and this farm is all organic. I was really surprised about that actually. The biggest thing for me is whether I can manage to cook such a huge variety of veggies without do much fuss and whether my kids will eat them. My kids aren't big veggies eaters, but they will eat most stuff raw. I am hoping that with this immersion of veggies they will end the summer eating more than they did before.

The CSA just started a meat option, so we are looking into whether it would be worth it for us to plug in our extra fridge in the basement to use the freezer for storing meat, and whether the cost would be worth it. When talking to the farmer, I found it interesting that although he is organic he's not all that militant about food, except when it comes to chicken. His take was, "you might as well eat twinkies." Guess that says it all.

As for your DC, I really don't know what I would do. My kids go through picky stages (Dora has been on a yearlong boycott of chicken!), but otherwise they will eat enough things. There are many things they don't want to eat consistently, so I just keep putting it on their plate in different ways, and they know they don't get anything else. So far that has been working. Last week Dora actually ate half a chicken wing, and both kids started out refusing roasted cauliflower, and ended up eating several florets. Now Dora's asking when are we having it again:p Although they will eat chicken nuggets, it's actually not on their list of preferred foods, and even mac n cheese is not a guarantee.

My advice is, do what you can for you and Dh, and take baby steps. Trying to change everything at once is too overwhelming. Even a single step is better than where you were before, kwim?

ETA: Oh, and I totally agree with Beth about the cooking. Eating better does often involve cooking whole foods. So even if you don't eat organic, eating fresh and whole on a regular basis is already a huge step.

[calv]

ITA that it's very overwhelming. Another thing is that we're huge meat eaters. HUGE! Have steak at least once a week, w/chicken and the other days is added in by a week of pizza and fish. Last day is TBD. :)


Ugggh, do I DARE watch Food Inc? I'm scared. VERY, scared.

[Melaine]

This is exactly why I haven't watched it yet. I know enough about the content to know it would add a lot of stress to my already stressed life. I just don't know if I can handle it. I would kind of rather just make the changes I can one at a time and get my info from threads like this, rather than watch the actual movies. And can I say, I am SO jealous of some of your shopping choices. We just don't have many options here.

[shawnandangel]

Hey Fairy,
Don't have a lot of time to read all the replies, so sorry if this is a repeat, but I would encourage you to look up CSA's in your area. CSA's are community supported agriculture. My DH and I are joining one this year that goes from May-October. This is what we will get for $60/week: 1/4 bushel (abot the size of a oversized man's shoebox) of fresh fruits and veggies, 1 dozen farm fresh eggs, 1 portion ( each portion feeds 2-3) of breakfeast meat, 3 portions of meat (which can be chicken, beef, or pork.) And also a loaf of bread.

edited to add: All the fruits/veggies from the CSA are organic and all the meat is no antibiotic, no hormone and grass fed.

I don't know if you have a big back yard to grow a garden, but if you have a patio or balcony you could grow tomatoes and peppers on the topsy turvy. They can be found just about everywhere. I know Lowes and Home Depot both have them.

Last year I saw an indoor herb garden that you could buy at Bed Bath and Beyond.

Also if you have a Kroger - they have their own brand of organic milk and it ends up being about $1 cheaper/gallon. So that's something you could check out. Oh! And if you're just worried about the growth hormone in milk, then regular Kroger milk does not contain any growth hormones.

A great site I like for recipes is http://www.allrecipes.com

[gatorsmom]

It's hard, I agree with everyone. I take it one shopping trip at a time. I'm slowly building up a list of "preferred" food items that have met with aproval from my family. Also, I'm slowly building up a pile of recipes that use these safer food items and my family has ok'd ( and don't take a ton of time to cook). I am slowly trying new foods and new recipes with safe, humane ingredients but it takes a long time and honestly it takes a long time to wean my kids off their favorite "junk.". But Rome wasn't built in a day so I do as much as I can when I can. In the end I rest assured that I'm still doing more than my mother or her friends ever did to fight this fight.

[icunurse]

we make our own chicken nuggets since I'm allergic to corn meal. I make several pounds at once and then freeze it. It takes an hour or so to do but I do it on a weekend while DD is napping/DH helps with DS.

How do you make them? Do you coat and then freeze and fully cook later or fully cook and then reheat when ready to eat? I'd like to make my own, just not sure what way to make them to hold up in the freezer and cook well. Thanks!

[elephantmeg]

I've made a variety of different kinds. But essentially cut up chicken into small peices (I generally do tenders as well as nuggets), dip in some sort of liquid-egg, ranch dressing, honey mustard and then in some sort of bread crumb. Then I bake them for 10-15 min and flash freeze (freeze on a cookie sheet) and then pour them into a freezer ziplock.

[ThreeofUs]

Is it really that easy? I think I'm stuck on how the chicken sticks together.

[boolady]

Is it really that easy? I think I'm stuck on how the chicken sticks together.

I think she means cut the chicken into nugget-sized pieces and bread them. That's how I've always done it-- I've never ground or chopped the chicken. It makes them pure breast meat, almost like a small tender. This probably isn't the thread to be making the comparison, but like Chik-Fil-A's nuggets, if you've ever had them.

[Piglet]

For me, the solution is to buy less prepared foods. I would rather bake my own cookies and know exactly what I have put into them. It is fun and the kids enjoy helping. It also leads to healthier eating (no fast food, etc.). Someone recently said that we should eat food that our grandparents would recognize. That rang true for me. I am not going to change the meat and chicken (though we keep kosher, so I am not sure if that changes anything about the treatment of the animals). I am just trying to work through the prepared food I already own and not buy any more than I have to. I also stick with products with less ingredients, so more plain yogurt, less non-fat, sugar-free flavoured yogurt. The yogurt I eat has 3 ingredients - milk, cream, culture. Simple and healthy.

[MZS V]

I hope I am allowed to paste this here. This blogger is on a food journey, and has some good info about it. This is just one post, but she has a whole section on her blog. I hope this is helpful without adding to the stress.

http://www.musingsofahousewife.com/2010/04/real-food-on-a-budget-2.html

[mamicka]

For me, the solution is to buy less prepared foods. I would rather bake my own cookies and know exactly what I have put into them. It is fun and the kids enjoy helping. It also leads to healthier eating (no fast food, etc.). Someone recently said that we should eat food that our grandparents would recognize. That rang true for me. I am not going to change the meat and chicken (though we keep kosher, so I am not sure if that changes anything about the treatment of the animals). I am just trying to work through the prepared food I already own and not buy any more than I have to. I also stick with products with less ingredients, so more plain yogurt, less non-fat, sugar-free flavoured yogurt. The yogurt I eat has 3 ingredients - milk, cream, culture. Simple and healthy.

I've got a long way to go also, but the key for me is keeping it simple. Simple, whole foods whenever possible. Sometimes its boring, I admit, but the kids have all learned to appreciate the taste of good healthy food. I also stopped worrying about fat & stuff so much. If it's a whole food, it's good for you. Everything in moderation.

Like many have said, baby steps. Do what you can for now & reevaluate going further when you feel like you've made solid progress.

[essnce629]

A great site I like for recipes is http://www.allrecipes.com


I LOVE this site and get most of my recipes from there. You can search by ingredient and put in what you want to cook with. Like if you have chicken and corn, but no milk, you can type that in and it will pull up all the recipes that meet your search. And all the recipes are rated and reviewed so I only do recipes that are 4 1/2 or 5 stars!

[salsah]

i feel the same way sometimes, but i try to just have some faith so that i don't stress out about it too much. i just remind myself that i am doing what i can with the information that i have. i am also grateful that i am aware (or at least have a clue, even if there are things i don't know about yet) and i'm grateful that i can control, to a certain extent, what we eat. we are fortunate to live in a country that offers some control and companies have to disclose certain things. i know people living in other countries who say that the only they can be sure, is to live on a farm and grow/raise their own food. even then, they have no idea what is in the soil and water and what other dangers hide. even plastics might not be marked (with the number indicating the type), and on and on.
to preserve my sanity (because i am worrier by nature, and a perfectionist), i just do the best i can and not think about the hidden dangers.

[alirebco]

First off, I loved Food Inc and think EVERYONE should see it. I know some people who are scared to see it and want to remain ignorant and in denial about what they're putting in their own bodies and their children's bodies.

Second, definitely start small steps - meat, dairy, then organic soy and corn (b/c of GMO's) and the dirty dozen for organics. In terms of meat, organic chicken or eggs has nothing to do with living conditions. Look for pastured poultry and 100% grassfed and finished beef. Definitely check out eatwild.com and poke around yahoo groups and see if there's a local food group near you. Farmer's markets are starting up and a lot of them will have small farms providing meat and eggs at better prices than Whole Foods. We get most of our meat from Polyface right now (they deliver every 5 weeks) and I also found a local farm through my acupuncturist that delivers meat/eggs/dairy every week and he is very good to his animals - pastured, living outdoors, etc. It might be too late to start a CSA, I think I signed up for mine in January and they start delivering in a month but you should be able to get fruits and veggies at farmer's markets. Also, if you have other smaller natural grocery stores near you, they will sometimes have farm fresh eggs that will be better than even the packaged brands from Whole Foods.

In terms of the expense, I agree that you might want to cut back on your meat consumption a bit. You can try doing it a few times a week for dinner or even just using it as more of a flavoring rather than the main part of the dish. You can also supplement with beans but I would definitely be wary of replacing meat with fake meat products - for one, they're really pricey, and two, they suck nutritionally. If you get rid of all the packaged products and start making stuff from scratch, you will save a lot of money. We really only shop the outside of the stores - produce, dairy, eggs, meat - and also try to buy other stuff in bulk - granola, nuts, etc to save on costs.

Also, the movie Fresh, which is coming out soon is more of a solutions oriented approach about the food industry. I haven't seen it yet but everyone I know who has says that it helps you figure out where to start.

The important thing is that you want to change the way you eat and by taking baby steps, you will get there. We started off with organic produce and dairy and then moved into meat and so on. Now, shopping and eating the way we do has become habit and we do spend a little bit more on food, but we plan meals and we also have cut back on some frivilous spending. Good luck!

[bubbaray]

My issue with these types of alarmist movies/books is that they scare people off. I'm very supportive of organics in general and even *I* don't want to watch Food Inc.

Frankly, I don't need to puke up my last meal to be motivated to make a change.

I could shop at our local organic market. But there is very little there that I can actually purchase because many vegans/vegetarians supplement their diet with nuts -- which we can't have in the house due to food allergies. ETA: we also can't have fish in the house and I don't eat pork, so that leaves beef and chicken. And vegetarian meals, which we already do at least once a week. So, I purchase mainstream foods and don't worry about the GMOs, organics, etc. I can only fight so many battles.

[hillview]

It is overwhelming.

I try to
buy local
buy organic
buy unpackaged
we do NO HFCS
purchase ONLY items I am ok with my kids having a lot of (vs restrict 2 of this blah blah)
read labels of pbackaged items and see if it is a short list and things I recognize (odd that say cheerio type cereal and bread has a HUGE range of what it is made with)
once I research an item (say bread) we purchase that item all the time (brainless)
we eat meat 1-2 times a week (including chicken) and fish once and meatless (usually pasta, quesadillas, eggs) the other 4 nights (roughly)

It is not perfect. There is BPA in the cans I use -- how to avoid this is hard. Veggies are often frozen. We need more fruit on hand. Etc.

/hillary

[elephantmeg]

I think she means cut the chicken into nugget-sized pieces and bread them. That's how I've always done it-- I've never ground or chopped the chicken. It makes them pure breast meat, almost like a small tender. This probably isn't the thread to be making the comparison, but like Chik-Fil-A's nuggets, if you've ever had them.

exactly what I meant.

[DrSally]

Free range, non-antibiotic, etc., meats and eggs are pretty easy to find, even in such as backward place as I now live. Try
http://www.eatwild.com/
contact some of the farms around you, and see if they have groups that get together so there's only one drive/season/family to the farm to pick up.

I think some friends use this place, but have no idea what the quality or standards are like:
http://www.moograssfarms.com/

GL!

Great links! I found a number of places to buy meat and eggs. I'm psyched. I'll have to clear out my freezer. I'd love to buy some beef in bulk.

[egoldber]

even *I* don't want to watch Food Inc.

No, me either. I read Fast Food Nation and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and that was enough for me. :p

I think we all just do the best we can. I started with organic dairy because older DD drinks a lot of milk. And then eggs, because it's the only protein she will reliably eat. Then I added in organic fruits. Then I eliminated HFCS. And then when DH lost his job we started eating in a lot more and we started making all our own whole grain bread. Then I found the woman at work with the beef cattle. Now I'd like to find a source for local, pastured (?) chickens.

My big question now is fish. I have no idea what is safe or remotely environmentally friendly, so I just kind of avoid fish right now because there's nothing I can eat and not feel guilty about it.

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

Beth,
Here is some info about better fish to eat regarding overfishing, etc. (http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx)

[DrSally]

I'm watching Food Inc right now. I've seen the mom who's 2 yo boy died of ecoli poisoning before. It just makes me want to cry, it's so horrible.

Anyway....For fish, I trust sardines and wild canned salmon for the kids (in terms of low mercury levels). I haven't gone further than that yet.

ETA: I am horrified by the soybean thing. These poor farmers. I was also so, so saddened by the family in the grocery store, where the girl wanted pears, but couldn't get them b/c of the cost. What kind of world do we live in where a child who wants a piece of fruit can't have it :(

[alirebco]

'm very supportive of organics in general and even *I* don't want to watch Food Inc.

Frankly, I don't need to puke up my last meal to be motivated to make a change.


FWIW, just because you buy organic doesn't mean that you're in the clear. You can have organic chicken, beef, eggs, etc that are not humanely raised - i.e. crammed in feedlots and eating grain or in a chicken house with no lights and no access to outdoors. Organic mostly refers to the food they eat. For example, Horizon organic dairy feeds their cows grain, not grass. Organic Valley is the better choice for organic dairy since they are from small co-op farms that have grass-fed cows.

In fact, if you buy eggs that say they're vegetarian fed, you can be assured that they are inside and not roaming around in the pasture like they should because if they were, the chickens would eat a few bugs because that is what they do.

Also, just because something is organic doesn't mean it's good for you. Organic cookies are still cookies. Organic sugar is still sugar. Just because it's organic doesn't mean it's good for you.

I know tons of people who have watched Food Inc and I don't know one person who has thrown up because of it. I myself did get teary, especially when the mother who lost her son was telling her story and the reason behind Kevin's Law but as a mother, I am so glad she shared her story so I can be more aware of what I am putting in my child's mouth, whether we're at home or eating out.

[gobadgers]

I have one more CSA reference - this is the most complete list I've found of Chicago area CSAs. There are a surprising number in the north suburbs!

http://www.thelocalbeet.com/2010/02/11/2010-csa-guide/

I face so many of the same questions. We subscribed to a CSA last year and I think it helped us eat healthier. It definitely took some time and energy. But we HAD to pick up that box of veggies every week and I had to do something with them! I am not a great cook, so having so many fresh veggies in the house was kind of a crash course for me - I learned quite a lot and am probably more able to put together healthier meals because of it. And I really, really missed the CSA mid-winter when there are so few options for fresh produce and even fewer organic choices.

[Naranjadia]

I feel like it is overwhelming - a Sisyphean task.

The hard thing about a lot of these movies and books is that they're really good at making us pay attention to what we do as individuals, but it's really difficult to spur an audience on to collective action, like lobbying for changes in agricultural subsidies that result in the overproduction of corn. It's so fascinating to me that the prevalence of HFCS is a result of that policy.

Or that recent NYT piece of processed hamburger meat and the lack of quality and safety controls. I'm sure a lot of people who read it stopped eating hamburger, but how do you get the audience to collectively demand a better food safety system?

Honestly, the more you know, the more grocery shopping is like an ethical battleground. Should I compromise and buy X for my family?

[brittone2]

I accept that we'll never attain perfection. We live in an area with great options though and I'm thankful for that, so we do what we can to support those options. However, not everything we buy is local/pastured, etc. Sometimes I buy organic but not necessarily humanely raised, kwim? We do the best we can as we can. I think trying to attain perfection with it just leads to paralysis and frustration. Just trade out one or two products at a time for "better" options. Price some local grassfed beef via eat wild and see if you can swing buying in bulk (we pay about $4 a lb for a mix of ground beef, roasts, and fantastic steaks that would run $16+/lb otherwise). Switch over your eggs or dairy to a better option as you can.

We currently live in an area with abundant CSAs, great farmer's markets ("real" ones, where the stuff MUST be grown locally and 90% of the farmers are organic or don't spray with chemicals) grassfed beef sources, pastured lamb, chickens/eggs, etc. We truly "know" our farmers by name. Our area does a local farm tour every year (it is this weekend :) ) where you buy a badge and can tour any number of farms in the area that are participating (a few dozen). I think it is fantastic for raising awareness of where our food comes from...why it costs what it costs, etc. The consumers in this area really demand these products, and there has been a growing group of farmers rising up to fill that demand.

The farmers mentor other farmers in sustainable practices. There is a local experimental farm thing where experienced farmers mentor new farmers, and the new farmers can lease small plots of land (like 1 acre at a time) to learn/perfect their techniques. That way they only take on a small amount of financial risk until they figure out what they are doing.

Our co-op grocery has 3 locations in the area and sources as much as possible from local growers (so a lot of the same stuff sold at the Farmer's Markets in the area is sold at the co-op grocery).

We are moving back to PA and I know of a lot of sources there as well, but I think the system is more abundant in this area and the consumers really demand great, local, sustainable food.

The whole system here is set up to encourage farmers to move to sustainable/organic, etc. practices. I :heartbeat: it.

I think we'll have fewer choices after our move but have already identified some great sources for food.

I haven't seen Food Inc yet but have been wanting to catch it. Life's a little crazy around here lately...

[Fairy]

This is such a good discussion. Thanks for all the PMs and links to local CSAs! Thanks for all the replies and comiseration, Guys. It's been a true epiphany these last two days. I am not exaggerating when I say it's almost all I've thoguht about since I posted.

Food Inc. is on PBS Channel 11 here in Chicago tonight at 10pm, and then again tomorrow at 3pm (the program showing the documentary is called POV), which, oddly, I only know cuz my MIL called last night to tell me so. Two days ago I wasn't going to watch the whole thing, but now I am, tho not sure when I'll get thru it all, and I'm sure I'm going to be an emotional wreck when it's over.

The taking baby steps and choosing one or two things at a time that I can change, gettign "normal" with that, and then choosing another thing or two is very good advice. Because I am overwhelmed, and I am trying to control a desperate feeling about it all. There are several pieces that make up this big picture (organic vs. humanely raised vs. cost), and I thought it was telling that the first link I clicked in this thread was the certified hmane. I clicked them all, but the certified humane was first, and that clued me in to what is upsetting me most. Sure enough, I watched the short video on their site, which isn't even graphic, and I got incredibly upset. Does not bode well for me when I watch the actual show.

I took this thread with me to Trader Joe's yesterday, and I won't lie, I was a basket case trying to choose chicken and in the frozen aisle. I tried to say "do what you can ... do what you can ... do what you can ..." cuz I couldn't find a single thing stamped "certified humane," and finally settled on a package of "Organic Free Range Chicken: raised on sustainable something'or'other without antibiotics." And my blood pressure was literally spiked as I did it. Only later clicked on the link defining all the terms and realize that Organic Free Range is probably not good enough for me. Not sure. But my $7 pair of chicken breasts is a step. Can't say the same for the turkey meatballs I picked up in the frozen section. I had on my big dark "Britney sunglasses," as DH calls them, and I was fought to control myself and not cry as I got them -- cuz no way were those turkeys humanely raised. Not even free range. I had to kick myself and get a grip. I made pasta w/those turkey meatballs for my guys last night; I did not eat the meatballs, I had a salad and the TJ's packaged beans with some cashews thrown in for protein. But I cooked a real dinner, and I have one planned for tonight and tomorrow. That, alone, is a big step for me, cooking all three weekend dinners, and planning ahead what they'll be.

DH and I had a serious discussion about it all last night, and he's not 100% on board, but he refuses to watch Food Inc. So, we agreed to make the following big changes:

* He won't watch it, I won't force him to eat foods he hates (fish, tofu), we will cut back on certain kinds of things (clothing, Starbucks), and he will allow me to make all the decisions on where we get our food, especially our meat and our eggs.

* We will plant tomatoes & strawberries in a topsy turvey and see how that goes. I am not a good grower (currently killing my African violet as we speak), so this is going to mean a big effort on my part to get it RIGHT.

* I will go to the Farmers Market every weekend during the summer and get only what we will eat that week. We will eat in on the weekends as much as possible, meaning I will plan the dinners and try to stick to it.

That is for now. My next step is going to be a CSA and looking into meat options. We don't have a freezer, but we talked about getting one. Com Ed will pay us $25 to take away our ancient freezer that doesn't work that we got when we cleaned out my G'Mil's house. Once we get ried of that, we can get a freezer.

Anyway, THANK YOU. I'm still overwhelmed, and the thoguth of going to Mc'D's today before the movie we're goign to see (Dragon) is giving me serious shpilkies -- trying to think of a better FAST option. But I'm trying with the baby steps.

[LarsMal]

* He won't watch it, I won't force him to eat foods he hates (fish, tofu), we will cut back on certain kinds of things (clothing, Starbucks), and he will allow me to make all the decisions on where we get our food, especially our meat and our eggs.

* We will plant tomatoes & strawberries in a topsy turvey and see how that goes. I am not a good grower (currently killing my African violet as we speak), so this is going to mean a big effort on my part to get it RIGHT.

* I will go to the Farmers Market every weekend during the summer and get only what we will eat that week. We will eat in on the weekends as much as possible, meaning I will plan the dinners and try to stick to it.

That is for now. My next step is going to be a CSA and looking into meat options. We don't have a freezer, but we talked about getting one. Com Ed will pay us $25 to take away our ancient freezer that doesn't work that we got when we cleaned out my G'Mil's house. Once we get ried of that, we can get a freezer.

Anyway, THANK YOU. I'm still overwhelmed, and the thoguth of going to Mc'D's today before the movie we're goign to see (Dragon) is giving me serious shpilkies -- trying to think of a better FAST option. But I'm trying with the baby steps.

Those sound like great steps!! Don't be too hard on yourself!

As far as a better fast option- is Chipotle fast enough? From their website:
http://www.chipotle.com/html/fwi.aspx


Chicken: To meet our naturally raised standard, chicken must:
· Never be given antibiotics.
· Have more room to move about than in conventional chicken
operations.
· Be vegetarian fed, never given animal by-products.

more than fifty percent of our beef is from farmers across the country who meet the naturally raised criteria set forth in our Food With Integrity standards. Naturally raised beef costs more, but we think it's worth it. We're working overtime to make all of our beef, in all of our restaurants, naturally raised within the next few years.When you order naturally raised beef at Chipotle, here is what you are getting (and not getting):
· No added growth hormones, ever.
· No antibiotics, ever.
· Vegetarian feed with no animal by-products

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

I am a Veg, and Taco Bell will replace any meat item with beans (lard free).

[mctlaw]

That is for now. My next step is going to be a CSA and looking into meat options. We don't have a freezer, but we talked about getting one. Com Ed will pay us $25 to take away our ancient freezer that doesn't work that we got when we cleaned out my G'Mil's house. Once we get ried of that, we can get a freezer.



Fairy, you've probably already gotten some good CSA recs, but just wanted to share mine. It has veggies, meats, eggs, and even a preserve share option. We are doing the eggs, 1/2 veggie, and a preserve share. Only my husband eats meat and we do not have deep freezer, otherwise we would try it too.

http://www.simplywi.com/

Oh, and if you are less of an advenurous cook, they even have a "basic four" option for the veggie share in which you will only get recognizable stuff.

[egoldber]

I will go to the Farmers Market every weekend during the summer

I resolved to do this two summers in a row and it never happened. :o This was why I finally joined a CSA. Since I had already paid for it, I picked up the stuff and I actually followed through.

The downside is that we got a lot of veggies is we wouldn't have necessarily bought. The upside is we got a lot of veggies we wouldn't have necessarily tried. :)

[Fairy]

Thank u Julie! Tried to sell the chip, but dh said not enuf time. So guess what? I PACKED A LUNCH! No meat for me, but the boys have ham/salami sandwiches. I am thrilled to know that the chip has taken steps, thank u!

[alirebco]

Chipotle is definitely the best chain fast food place out there.

That stinks your DH won't watch Food Inc - after DH watched it, he was so motivated to change things and finally knew I wasn't crazy anymore!! It really helped him see the other side. Hopefully, he'll change his mind and watch it someday.

[KBecks]

For me, if I even read too much about what's good and what's not good for people to eat, I start to not eat anything or just give up. Haven't watched the food processing-meat processing TV shows or anything yet and don't know if I want to.

I'm still working out the basis of cooking more and offering a good reasonably healthy meal to the family. I've been cutting back on packaged foods and see that as progress. We are also going to go to the farmers market more this summer.

Otherwise, I shop at the regular grocery store and don't go out of my way to buy organic.

I thought one of the TV shows was about helping families see what they are eating and help them make modifications that work better. But perhaps I've been misinterpreting some show trailer.... never watched one and don't see much TV.

Good luck! Feeding our families is one of the biggest jobs and it's really such a satisfying task sometimes, but it can feel like a burden too. Do baby steps like Flylady and don't worry about perfection.

[Pepper]

Look for Empire brand kosher chicken, or any other kosher chicken in your grocery store. The kosher chickens are not quite as pricey as the organic ones, generally...and the processing of the meat does affect the taste. Kosher chickens are not bleached, I think, and they are air-chilled rather than water chilled -someting to do with how they prepare the chickens for plucking the feathers. An air-chilled chicken will still have a few pinfeathers sticking in its skin.

I empathize with you and the difficulties in trying to eat better, but I have to say that I'm also very happy that you WANT to eat better :-) I live in MA and we are soooo lucky - we get our meat and eggs from a CSA farm that raises animals on pasture, veggie from various CSA year-round (not always local in the winter, of course) and there's even a fish CSA (haven't joined it, yet).

I love to cook so that makes it easier too - and I find that meal planning is easier when I base it on, what do I have that needs to be used instead of facing all those choices at the grocery store. Yes, it is a lot more expensive than the grocery store (we pay $8/lb for meat - chicken, lamb, beef and pork) but that forces me to be more frugal with everything. I save bones to make stock, even the drippings from chicken and pork to cook with later. I am cooking like my grandmother :-)

[alexsmommy]

Haven't read all the responses...
The whole thing is overwhelming. I feel like once I started researching one tiny thing I discovered 1000 more I should do. I try to set a big year long goal (usually start in spring, not NYE resolution type thing), and one quarterly goal. So this year the goal is back to cooking whole foods 3-4x a week (which means meal planning, shopping in advance etc). I try to buy organic etc as much as a can, but I don't torture myself if I don't. I figure just cooking from scratch gives us health points. My current quarterly goal is to stop buying salad dressings. They taste so. much. better. when homemade and it's not hard to do. I'm not sure if DSD will go for her beloved Hidden Valley Ranch disappearing, but she's the only one who uses it and if the choice is buy it or her stop eating salad so often (she'll eat it as a snack) then that will be my one concession. This month I spent finding recipes I like and asking for suggestions and next month I plan on typing them up and turning them into laminated cards that can live on a clip in the cabinet so I have instant access. So far, so good.
Baby steps, even this much awareness and attempt is better than a lot of people.
What shocks me is how much more expensive it can be. I'm grateful for some suggestions on this thread though!

[daisymommy]

Alaina, good for you :) And I for one would love a copy of the salad dressing recipes when you find some good ones! That has been a goal of mine for awhile that I have never gotten around to doing.

[kijip]

I just want to chime in that Food Revolution is more about individuals eating well, not at all about animal treatment. If someone is interested in shows on eating healthier without the food source activism (for whatever reason), Food Revolution is not going to be hard to watch like something like Food Inc.

[DebbieJ]

Finally read through the whole thread (DH and DS1 are at church, DS2 and I are staying home this morning, so I get a little "me" time! Hooray!) I had quoted a bunch of people, but I guess only these few worked. Oh well...

I am catching up on the Jamie Oliver series. It's all in my DVR and I've watched just two full episodes, but already it's making me thing again about what I am feeding my kids. I started off well with DS1 and then, well, you know--you get busy, you give in once and before you know it he's asking for a Happy Meal several times a week. Ugh!


This is such a good discussion. Thanks for all the PMs and links to local CSAs!

Food Inc. is on PBS Channel 11 here in Chicago tonight at 10pm, and then again tomorrow at 3pm (the program showing the documentary is called POV),



Food Inc is also available on Netflix as a DVD and an Instant selection. I haven't watched it yet, only the Jamie Oliver show.

I was SHOCKED at the number of CSAs that deliver in Chicagoland when I searched on www.localharvest.org (http://www.localharvest.org). I found one that delivers a few miles from me, way down here in the south burbs, and we are signing up! It's a start! We will be gone for two weeks of pick up in June, so I'm excited to give those weeks of food to a friend whose kids have food allergies and they are struggling financially, so through this I'm able to give a little too. Feels good.


For me, if I even read too much about what's good and what's not good for people to eat, I start to not eat anything or just give up. Haven't watched the food processing-meat processing TV shows or anything yet and don't know if I want to.

[snip]

I thought one of the TV shows was about helping families see what they are eating and help them make modifications that work better.

[snip]

Do baby steps like Flylady and don't worry about perfection.

Yes, Jamie Oliver's show is about feeding our kids whole, fresh foods, not processed crap that shows up in most school cafeterias. I have found it compelling, but it can be overwhelming. Babysteps are key. Change what you can, when you can. Little by little.


I just want to chime in that Food Revolution is more about individuals eating well, not at all about animal treatment. If someone is interested in shows on eating healthier without the food source activism (for whatever reason), Food Revolution is not going to be hard to watch like something like Food Inc.

Yes, this is true. I have found it to be easy to watch, although the ground up chicken experiment was kind of nasty!


Haven't read all the responses...
The whole thing is overwhelming. I feel like once I started researching one tiny thing I discovered 1000 more I should do.

[snip]

Baby steps, even this much awareness and attempt is better than a lot of people.
What shocks me is how much more expensive it can be. I'm grateful for some suggestions on this thread though!

It can be overwhelming, which is why baby steps are key. We are joining a CSA for produce and I'm going to work on clearing out our freezer. I'm going to be on the lookout for a good deal on a stand alone freezer and once I have one, then I'll look into buying a side of beef or several chickens from a local farm. We have an extra fridge in our garage, but I don't think that freezer will be big enough. Right now it is full of pounds and pounds of chicken, beef, and pork bought on sale from Jewel. And frozen breastmilk. :)

I think a side effect of eating more whole foods is that we'll eat less of it and maybe that will help the food bill go down, not to mention my weight! LOL!

Oh, and I need to stay OUT of the McD's drive-thru. Both DH and I have a very bad fast food addiction. The $1 large Cokes aren't helping!!!!

[TwinFoxes]

Look for Empire brand kosher chicken, or any other kosher chicken in your grocery store. The kosher chickens are not quite as pricey as the organic ones, generally...and the processing of the meat does affect the taste.

I really am torn about posting this, because I hate to add another layer to the confusion of OP, but Kosher chicken processors have had a lot of problems with inhumane treatment of animals. Empire was singled out several years ago for its treatment of chickens. I don't know if they've improved. I wouldn't mention this, except OP stated she was concerned about how the animals she eats are raised. So don't assume that all Kosher chickens are slaughtered humanely.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/13/dining/13kosh.html?pagewanted=2

[alirebco]

I really am torn about posting this, because I hate to add another layer to the confusion of OP, but Kosher chicken processors have had a lot of problems with inhumane treatment of animals. Empire was singled out several years ago for its treatment of chickens. I don't know if they've improved. I wouldn't mention this, except OP stated she was concerned about how the animals she eats are raised. So don't assume that all Kosher chickens are slaughtered humanely.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/13/dining/13kosh.html?pagewanted=2


I'm glad you said something cause I was thinking the same thing! Kosher does not mean anything in terms of letting the animals have pasture or other humane conditions.

[Fairy]

You are right, TwinFoxes and others, the inhumane conditions seem to be my #1 issue. The other issues aren't far down the pole, and abx/hormones are right up there just about sharing that top spot, actually. It's the whole package that makes it so difficult, but for me, the humane treatment is more important than meat that is certified organic.

I sent a couple emails out yesterday asking where eggs from farmers listed on the certified humane site (http://www.certifiedhumane.org/) are sold in the Chicago area, as eggs are something we eat alot of and that I can do something about right away.

By end of this week, my goal is to have researched all the possible CSAs and then reassess what we can do right away, and then what I can do longer term. So, we held off on buying the topsy turveys till I know what the CSAs around us have to offer that we can realistically do.

Re: Food Revolution, no that show's not hard to watch, but it overwhelms me, nevertheless.

[alexsmommy]

Alaina, good for you :) And I for one would love a copy of the salad dressing recipes when you find some good ones! That has been a goal of mine for awhile that I have never gotten around to doing.

Humbled - seriously! Your lists have been bookmarked for years - I update each time I change computers. Your lists were the template for my master grocery list and helped me organize a meal list that works for us. Your organization and dedication to both cooking at home consistently and keeping the food resonable was very helpful when I slowly realized that the way I had been eating as a single woman did not translate well to family life. I'll be happy to share what I have thus far! I'll update in the cooking forum when it's not about to be bedtime meltdown around here!

[mommylamb]

I'm watching Food Inc as I type. You can watch it online at PBS.org

So, ok, horrified. I hate the farm bill. I hate the fact that I can choose to spend more of my take home money to buy better, grass-fed food, and yet my tax dollars are still going to prop up the corn industry. I'd like to take that money and divert it to allow me to buy better quality food. It makes me angry.

I bought organic ground beef at costco today... baby steps.

Question for folks: I've always bought hormone free milk but not organic. I'm almost afraid to ask, but what is so much better about organic than regular hormone free?

[DrSally]

I'm watching Food Inc as I type. You can watch it online at PBS.org

So, ok, horrified. I hate the farm bill. I hate the fact that I can choose to spend more of my take home money to buy better, grass-fed food, and yet my tax dollars are still going to prop up the corn industry. I'd like to take that money and divert it to allow me to buy better quality food. It makes me angry.

I bought organic ground beef at costco today... baby steps.

Question for folks: I've always bought hormone free milk but not organic. I'm almost afraid to ask, but what is so much better about organic than regular hormone free?

I didn't know that Costco has organic ground beef?

Btwn Fast Food Nation and Food Inc, I prob will never eat another Fast food hamburger.

[daisymommy]

Question for folks: I've always bought hormone free milk but not organic. I'm almost afraid to ask, but what is so much better about organic than regular hormone free?

Welllll, do you really want me to tell you? :wink2:

It's definitely a step in the right direction, and its better for YOU milk from cows given hormone injections. BUT that doesn't have any bearing on whether or not the cows are raised humanely, and they can still be given antibiotics, grain filled with pesticides, etc. As you probably saw on Food Inc., cows bodies were not meant to eat grain and it makes them sick. They were meant to be grass eaters, Better for them, better for you.

http://www.eatwild.com/basics.html

Oops, almost forgot to add that just because it's organic doesn't mean it's 100% grass fed though. Although there is a new ruling that organic milk cows have to be on pasture a minimum of 120 days a year, so at least that's something. Organic Valley and Natural by Nature milk is from grass fed cows. Whole Foods holds their supplies to 2/3 of the cows life for both milk and meat cows.

[kristenk]

I am so glad to hear the positive comments about Organic Valley milk. That's what we usually buy. I need to look into grass-fed beef and better chicken options, but it's nice to know that I can stick with what we typically do for milk.

[natness]

Fairy, look into Earthboxes (http://www.earthbox.com/index.php) instead of the Topsy Turvey planters if you have patio/yard space. More yield and they last forever! Super easy, too. We had copious strawberries and tomatoes.

[TwinFoxes]

Fairy, look into Earthboxes (http://www.earthbox.com/index.php) instead of the Topsy Turvey planters if you have patio/yard space. More yield and they last forever! Super easy, too. We had copious strawberries and tomatoes.

That looks cool! I've been wanting to grow strawberries, I really think I might give this a try! Thanks for the tip. :)

[essnce629]

It looks like Clover Stornetta is the only Humane Certified U.S. dairy. I saw their milk at Whole Foods the other day and saw the Humane Certified seal and decided to look them up. They have organic milk, cream, yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, eggs, butter, and kefir. I think I saw all their products at Whole Foods, except for their eggs. I think I'll start buying their milk and other dairy products. Their milk comes from 15 different family farms and you can read about each farm on the website.

In November 2000, Clover Stornetta Farms became the first and only dairy in the U.S. to be certified by the American Humane Association (AHA) for their animal welfare program, American Humane Certified.

http://www.cloverorganicfarms.com/Default.asp

[essnce629]

Fairy, look into Earthboxes (http://www.earthbox.com/index.php) instead of the Topsy Turvey planters if you have patio/yard space. More yield and they last forever! Super easy, too. We had copious strawberries and tomatoes.

Ooo, that looks cool! I've been wanting to plant some veggies, but the one place I want to plant gets almost no sunlight. This would solve that problems since you can move it around! Do you just plant one type of veggie/fruit per box? So did you have 2 boxes-- one for strawberries and one for tomatoes?

[Rainbows&Roses]

I didn't know that Costco has organic ground beef?

Btwn Fast Food Nation and Food Inc, I prob will never eat another Fast food hamburger.


I was excited to find it at Costco (3lbs for $13), but then my daughter found a chunk of bone (about 1cm) in her hamburger and I don't think I can buy it again. Ick.

[natness]

Ooo, that looks cool! I've been wanting to plant some veggies, but the one place I want to plant gets almost no sunlight. This would solve that problems since you can move it around! Do you just plant one type of veggie/fruit per box? So did you have 2 boxes-- one for strawberries and one for tomatoes?

One of each for strawberries and tomatoes, one mixed herbs, one mixed lettuces. You can mix plants in one box as long as they are supposed to be planted in the same configuration (http://www.earthbox.com/consumer/grow.html). You can also make your own (http://www.seattleoil.com/Flyers/Earthbox.pdf). The 5 gallon bucket version works great for tomatoes.

[LexyLou]

Does organic beef/chicken automatically equal grass fed/humane treatment?

We've been really struggling with this too and we are very much hi protein low carb type eaters so we consume quite a bit of chicken and meat.

We're not even sure where to start our search for grass fed.

Everytime we pass the cows on the hill by our house my DH announces, "look girls, look at the cows, they're eating the grass, like cows are supposed to."

[Fairy]

Does organic beef/chicken automatically equal grass fed/humane treatment?

We've been really struggling with this too and we are very much hi protein low carb type eaters so we consume quite a bit of chicken and meat.

We're not even sure where to start our search for grass fed.

Everytime we pass the cows on the hill by our house my DH announces, "look girls, look at the cows, they're eating the grass, like cows are supposed to."

NO. That's part of what overwhelms me so much. If it were just one of these things, I could find a way, but all of it is a perfect storm of stress. This might help with the terms --> http://www.examiner.com/x-914-NY-Wellness-Examiner~y2009m6d22-The-difference-between-freerange-cagefree-organic-natural-omega3-eggs. Of course, this is just eggs, but you can extrapolate and get a general idea.

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

It looks like Clover Stornetta is the only Humane Certified U.S. dairy. I saw their milk at Whole Foods the other day and saw the Humane Certified seal and decided to look them up. They have organic milk, cream, yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, eggs, butter, and kefir. I think I saw all their products at Whole Foods, except for their eggs. I think I'll start buying their milk and other dairy products. Their milk comes from 15 different family farms and you can read about each farm on the website.

In November 2000, Clover Stornetta Farms became the first and only dairy in the U.S. to be certified by the American Humane Association (AHA) for their animal welfare program, American Humane Certified.

http://www.cloverorganicfarms.com/Default.asp

We had this in the SFBA growing up, tastes better!

[mommylamb]

I didn't know that Costco has organic ground beef?

Btwn Fast Food Nation and Food Inc, I prob will never eat another Fast food hamburger.

Yup, it's called Verde Farms Organic Ground Beef.

The thing is, I haven't eaten fast food for over a decade because I think it's gross (with the exception of subway every once in a blue moon... but no Mcdonalds, BK, Wendy's etc). DS has never had it in his nearly 3 years of life, and I hope he never will. But, clearly that is not enough.


ETA: Ick on the bone thing... Though I've had the organic ground beef from costco before and never had a problem with that. I'm hoping that's an isolated incident.

[MamaSnoo]

I have to admit, I only read about half the thread....probably for the same reason that Fairy is having trouble watching Food, Inc (I have not seen it yet, either).

I do feel guilty about some of our choices, and I know we could be much more *perfect*. We eat out too much IMO, the skin deep people would be horrified by what I use on myeslf, and I sometimes we do not eat enough veggies because by the time I make the main course, I do not have time/energy for veggies.

Currently, though, I am mostly at peace with the notion that we are doing things better than every before at our house!---organic milk, some organic fruits/veggies, organic cereals and eggs, reusable bags, better cleaning choices, growing some tomatoes, no herbicides/pesticides on the lawn, sometimes I bake our bread. And this week, I am researching and likely will join a CSA (I have wanted to for about 2 years, but none of the pick-ups were good for where I live/work). I am really excited about the CSA:boogie:.

All of this is things that I have changed slowly, one thing at a time. I guess I just know that I will keep working on it.

So, this is my message for Fairy: "Chin up! Just having the issues on your radar is half the battle! You pick one (realistic) thing you want to change, and give it a go.....we will all do better day by day."

[daisymommy]

Fairy, I know how overwhelming it can be, there have been times I've nearly had a panic attach over it :)

If I can offer one word of encouragement: start with organic. While it doesn't guarantee that it is is perfectly raised, I would venture to say that 90% of the time it is humanely raised, and grass fed for at least a portion of the time (minimum of 120 days out of the year).

Most farmers who go through all the trouble of trying to farm organically and get their certification and pay all the money to go through the process do so because they CARE about their animals and the land. Not everyone (hence Horizon who almost got their license pulled for repeated violations)--but most.

So I would say it's a very good start. And then you can work upwards from there to buying from a local farmer you can trust (go visit the farm for yourself if you can!) or from one you read about and has been proven to be trustworthy of caring for his animals and land well.

FWIW...While I know that Whole Foods isn't perfect, I like them because they do hold some pretty high standards for their suppliers that get labeled with their name on them (such as meat, poultry, eggs, milk, etc.). I actually had an hour long conversation with the lady at the corporate office in charge of their animal welfare division. I came away from that talk quite impressed. She told me about a certification process that all of their supplies have to go through (the entire document used to be up on their website, but it's not there anymore)--that detailed all of the humane practices that the farmers have to follow when it comes to handling the animals, slaughter, care, etc. and I read it all. It is what I would have wanted for the animals if I had a voice.

Here is a link with a few points:http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/meat-quality-standards.php

[alirebco]

Does organic beef/chicken automatically equal grass fed/humane treatment?

We've been really struggling with this too and we are very much hi protein low carb type eaters so we consume quite a bit of chicken and meat.

We're not even sure where to start our search for grass fed.

Everytime we pass the cows on the hill by our house my DH announces, "look girls, look at the cows, they're eating the grass, like cows are supposed to."

Check out eatwild.com for pastured/grassfed meat near you. Organic meat does not mean it's pastured or grassfed or even humane treatment. It mostly means that they are fed organic feed. This is why a lot of people won't buy Horizon dairy because they have their cows in feedlots.

[calv]

Fairy, look into Earthboxes (http://www.earthbox.com/index.php) instead of the Topsy Turvey planters if you have patio/yard space. More yield and they last forever! Super easy, too. We had copious strawberries and tomatoes.

please tell me more about these. $50 seems steep for a box. so if I purchase 1 box, it includes the strawberries or tomatoes or whatever one plant I pick?

[arivecchi]

I am totally not ready to feel guilty for not restricting myself to only organic, free-range, hormone free, no HFCS, all day every day.
I am still burying my head in the sand and am not watching these videos. Not because I don't care. I actually do buy organic often, but I know I have purchased meat that is not cage free, etc.
It's because I just know I am not ready to make that full lifestyle change, and watching will only stress me out and I stress out/worry about enough as it is.
Maybe that makes no sense to anyone else, but it's how I know I need to operate right now.
So compared to me you are doing great! Maybe I'll be where you are at at some point.
Just thought I'd share to hopefully make yourself feel a tiny bit better. :):yeahthat: This is me. I am trying to learn and do better but can only do so much at a time. Baby steps for me too. The fact that you are even thinking about these issues and trying to implement changes is great IMO. Go Fairy! :thumbsup:

[Percycat]

Another option to the Topsy Turvey/Earthboxes planters is the Upside Down Patio Garden.

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=486267&pid=_Froogle&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=337925

We bought ours last years at Sam's for a lower price than the online price. A quick search suggests it is also available at Walmart and Sears. In each of the four corners, we had different tomato plants hanging down. In the planter on top, we grew strawberries. The tomatoes grew fantastic.... probably better than the tomatoes in our garden and they were much easier to pick. We are trying the strawberries again this year; I think last year they died because we were still learning. It is not the most attractive container, but it worked great.

angela

[natness]

please tell me more about these. $50 seems steep for a box. so if I purchase 1 box, it includes the strawberries or tomatoes or whatever one plant I pick?

Hmmm. The $54 price is for the full kit, which has soil, fertilizer, and wheels. The box itself is $30, plus shipping. You can buy your own soil and fertilizer. Also, maybe see where you can buy them locally?

They work well and last forever. No plants included, though.

[Pepper]

I really am torn about posting this, because I hate to add another layer to the confusion of OP, but Kosher chicken processors have had a lot of problems with inhumane treatment of animals. Empire was singled out several years ago for its treatment of chickens. I don't know if they've improved. I wouldn't mention this, except OP stated she was concerned about how the animals she eats are raised. So don't assume that all Kosher chickens are slaughtered humanely.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/13/dining/13kosh.html?pagewanted=2

Oh, I didn't know that about Empire - so I'M glad you posted it. Sorry to have given bad information!

[C99]

* Farmers markets for my produce during the summer. Not sure what to do in winter. Whole Foods does *not* have that many organics most of the time, contrary to popular belief.


I have not watched Food Revolution, etc., although I have read part of Barbara Kingsolver's book and it has influenced the way I eat and what I buy in large part. So for the winter produce, it is simple. If it's not in season, I don't buy it. My kids whine at me because I won't buy grapes from Chile or the conventional strawberries that are in the stores now. Strawberries are not in season now, not even really in Cali and certainly not in the Midwest. When they come up in June/July, however, I buy copious amounts.

Also, I have the blackest thumb ever, but I have managed not to kill herbs for several years running. Oregano, thyme, chives (they are about to take over my yard) and mint (ditto) come back year over year. Basil requires a new plant every year -- not sure what the term is for this, perennial/annual? Like I said, black thumb.

[alirebco]

I have not watched Food Revolution, etc., although I have read part of Barbara Kingsolver's book and it has influenced the way I eat and what I buy in large part. So for the winter produce, it is simple. If it's not in season, I don't buy it. My kids whine at me because I won't buy grapes from Chile or the conventional strawberries that are in the stores now. Strawberries are not in season now, not even really in Cali and certainly not in the Midwest. When they come up in June/July, however, I buy copious amounts.



Yeah, we've switched in the past year from buying all organic to buying mostly organic, seasonal, and local which has limited us even more. I will buy some frozen fruit (blueberries) for DS from Maine but we just eat a lot of greens in the winter. And we definitely don't buy outside of US for produce. Too many control issues there.

[boolady]

I have not watched Food Revolution, etc., although I have read part of Barbara Kingsolver's book and it has influenced the way I eat and what I buy in large part. So for the winter produce, it is simple. If it's not in season, I don't buy it. My kids whine at me because I won't buy grapes from Chile or the conventional strawberries that are in the stores now. Strawberries are not in season now, not even really in Cali and certainly not in the Midwest. When they come up in June/July, however, I buy copious amounts.

This is what we've been doing since I read A, V, M this fall. We've been trying so hard...occasionally, I'll buy something non-local, but haven't bought any non-U.S.A. produce in quite a while. My sister brought some strawberries to our house on Sunday to slice in a salad, and DD lit up like a Christmas tree. I let her have a few, because I wasn't going to make a big deal of it, and she scarfed them down. After my sister and bil left, I just told DD we'll have lots in a few weeks when the CSA's crop comes in.

[jse107]

It hasn't been mentioned here yet, but I have started reading Marion Nestle's book, "What to Eat." Her writing style makes it easy to read and it is helping me make better, if not perfect, choices when we're out shopping.