Food Inc.

CoffeeQueen · Guru

RE: Food Inc.

kdrew · Guru

OK, just watched the movie, haven't read any replies, going to read these 5 pages over the next couple of days.

The thing that was really sad, besides all the crap I've been putting into my body, was the family who ate $1 burgers instead of good food and veggies because it's more affordable.

Then the husband has diabetes and they have to spend all their money on his medicine so they have to eat like crap which is what's making him sick in the first place. That is just so sad.

Ummmm, amonia in my burgers. Gross, yuck, nasty, sick. Well besides all the other nasty stuff in burgers.

daisy · Guru

kdrew wrote:

OK, just watched the movie, haven't read any replies, going to read these 5 pages over the next couple of days.

The thing that was really sad, besides all the crap I've been putting into my body, was the family who ate $1 burgers instead of good food and veggies because it's more affordable.

Then the husband has diabetes and they have to spend all their money on his medicine so they have to eat like crap which is what's making him sick in the first place. That is just so sad.

Ummmm, amonia in my burgers. Gross, yuck, nasty, sick. Well besides all the other nasty stuff in burgers.

yes, this was my biggest moment of "whoa this is VERY wrong" as well. that's what all my posts in this thread are considering (when i say i need to stop making bad choices bc they are bad for me, and bad for EVERYONE). i would choose the same as that mom probably - something to fill their tummies and get them through the night. it's suuuuuch a shitty decision that mom has to make.

and yeah, beef - i'm pretty much done with that. i simmered some barley and steamed broccoli for my dinner last night.

-- Edited by daisy on Monday 8th of February 2010 06:42:08 AM

supergrover · Guru

I've only watched 1/2 of the movie (fell asleep), but even on our road trip this weekend I really (really) struggled with what to eat since fast food were the only options.

I need to watch the second half this week.

CoffeeQueen · Guru

supergrover wrote:

I've only watched 1/2 of the movie (fell asleep), but even on our road trip this weekend I really (really) struggled with what to eat since fast food were the only options.

I need to watch the second half this week.

I hear ya on this one. We are headed out of town this weekend and I have to plan ahead I am packing a cooler and making some food for lunch. If we do at at fast food it is normally like Panera. I would love a McDonald French Fry, but I am saying those days are gone for me. I am pretending they do not exist.

daisy · Guru

CoffeeQueen wrote:

supergrover wrote:

I've only watched 1/2 of the movie (fell asleep), but even on our road trip this weekend I really (really) struggled with what to eat since fast food were the only options.

I need to watch the second half this week.

I hear ya on this one. We are headed out of town this weekend and I have to plan ahead I am packing a cooler and making some food for lunch. If we do at at fast food it is normally like Panera. I would love a McDonald French Fry, but I am saying those days are gone for me. I am pretending they do not exist.

i havent had fast food in AGES. it's so easy to forget about it once you get going. i hear ya on the road trip thing. i'm lucky bc the only place we go is the cape, and we're at my moms so she usually packs lunch/dinner for our return-trip. otherwise there arent many options at all. we had to stop at a rest stop on our last trip home form the cape bc of traffic - the kids were starving - and we went to sbarro. they hated it.

Juni · Guru

kdrew wrote:

OK, just watched the movie, haven't read any replies, going to read these 5 pages over the next couple of days.

The thing that was really sad, besides all the crap I've been putting into my body, was the family who ate $1 burgers instead of good food and veggies because it's more affordable.

Then the husband has diabetes and they have to spend all their money on his medicine so they have to eat like crap which is what's making him sick in the first place. That is just so sad.

Ummmm, amonia in my burgers. Gross, yuck, nasty, sick. Well besides all the other nasty stuff in burgers.

Was it really more affordable or did they think it was more affordable? Honestly curious because I haven't seen it. Because you can make sandwiches that end up being cheaper per sandwich than those $1 burgers.

I don't mean it in a rude way - and I'm pretty sure that once I see it I will feel differently - but I guess I just keep thinking about how many of these medical problems we cause ourselves, ya know?

Juni · Guru

supergrover wrote:

I've only watched 1/2 of the movie (fell asleep), but even on our road trip this weekend I really (really) struggled with what to eat since fast food were the only options.

I need to watch the second half this week.

If it were me, I would pack sandwiches and if we did need to stop it would be at a subway. I honestly think if we stopped at mcdonalds on a road trip I would have a very hard time finishing out that road trip afterwards.

daisy · Guru

Juni wrote:

kdrew wrote:

OK, just watched the movie, haven't read any replies, going to read these 5 pages over the next couple of days.

The thing that was really sad, besides all the crap I've been putting into my body, was the family who ate $1 burgers instead of good food and veggies because it's more affordable.

Then the husband has diabetes and they have to spend all their money on his medicine so they have to eat like crap which is what's making him sick in the first place. That is just so sad.

Ummmm, amonia in my burgers. Gross, yuck, nasty, sick. Well besides all the other nasty stuff in burgers.

Was it really more affordable or did they think it was more affordable? Honestly curious because I haven't seen it. Because you can make sandwiches that end up being cheaper per sandwich than those $1 burgers.

I don't mean it in a rude way - and I'm pretty sure that once I see it I will feel differently - but I guess I just keep thinking about how many of these medical problems we cause ourselves, ya know?

i'm really not totally sure. youre probably right that you can make a sandwich for less than a dollar. they showed the family in the super market rejecting the broccoli bc of cost per pound, but they didnt go into alternatives or details.

CoffeeQueen · Guru

Juni wrote:

kdrew wrote:

OK, just watched the movie, haven't read any replies, going to read these 5 pages over the next couple of days.

The thing that was really sad, besides all the crap I've been putting into my body, was the family who ate $1 burgers instead of good food and veggies because it's more affordable.

Then the husband has diabetes and they have to spend all their money on his medicine so they have to eat like crap which is what's making him sick in the first place. That is just so sad.

Ummmm, amonia in my burgers. Gross, yuck, nasty, sick. Well besides all the other nasty stuff in burgers.

Was it really more affordable or did they think it was more affordable? Honestly curious because I haven't seen it. Because you can make sandwiches that end up being cheaper per sandwich than those $1 burgers.

I don't mean it in a rude way - and I'm pretty sure that once I see it I will feel differently - but I guess I just keep thinking about how many of these medical problems we cause ourselves, ya know?

I think a lot has to do with educating people on nutrition. One rather get burger then make something from scratch. I mean you can do a lot of healthy things on a low income.

Even making rice would be better then a burger.

It was very sad to watch that guy with diabetes make those choices.

It also angers me because we all think we can use and abuse their body and then want free medical. I made it a goal when I had gestational diabetes to watch my diet to the Q. I mean I educated myself on what would spike my blood, etc. Some people I know who are not poor eat so bad and have diabetes. It is like they think it will not be them that loses a leg. I know that sounds awful of me, and I can sympathize because I know it so hard to watch your diet 24/7.

We do need to make healthy food more affordable, but also we need to get away from fast is good. I personally think we need to go back to making more of our food and controlling what we eat. We have become such a busy society that everyone says there is not time to cook. My Mom did it and still ran all over with us for sports, etc. She just planned meals for the weekly schedule or cooked ahead. I myself have been guilty of saying I do not have time, but I now realize that if I do not make time to get healthy, then I may not even have that time. My time may be decided for me by the simple fact that I did not take the time.

Like anything it comes down to what is important to us. We tend to make happen what we want to make happen. If we want 100 jeans then we plan a way to buy them, but someone would not do the same for healthy food, etc.

Gosh, I am just a chatter bug.

-- Edited by CoffeeQueen on Monday 8th of February 2010 10:14:29 AM

Juni · Guru

CoffeeQueen wrote:

Juni wrote:

kdrew wrote:

OK, just watched the movie, haven't read any replies, going to read these 5 pages over the next couple of days.

The thing that was really sad, besides all the crap I've been putting into my body, was the family who ate $1 burgers instead of good food and veggies because it's more affordable.

Then the husband has diabetes and they have to spend all their money on his medicine so they have to eat like crap which is what's making him sick in the first place. That is just so sad.

Ummmm, amonia in my burgers. Gross, yuck, nasty, sick. Well besides all the other nasty stuff in burgers.

Was it really more affordable or did they think it was more affordable? Honestly curious because I haven't seen it. Because you can make sandwiches that end up being cheaper per sandwich than those $1 burgers.

I don't mean it in a rude way - and I'm pretty sure that once I see it I will feel differently - but I guess I just keep thinking about how many of these medical problems we cause ourselves, ya know?

I think a lot has to do with educating people on nutrition. One rather get burger then make something from scratch. I mean you can do a lot of healthy things on a low income.

Even making rice would be better then a burger.

It was very sad to watch that guy with diabetes make those choices.

It also angers me because we all think we can use and abuse their body and then want free medical. I made it a goal when I had gestational diabetes to watch my diet to the Q. I mean I educated myself on what would spike my blood, etc. Some people I know who are not poor eat so bad and have diabetes. It is like they think it will not be them that loses a leg. I know that sounds awful of me, and I can sympathize because I know it so hard to watch your diet 24/7.

We do need to make healthy food more affordable, but also we need to get away from fast is good. I personally think we need to go back to making more of our food and controlling what we eat. We have become such a busy society that everyone says there is not time to cook. My Mom did it and still ran all over with us for sports, etc. She just planned meals for the weekly schedule or cooked ahead. I myself have been guilty of saying I do not have time, but I now realize that if I do not make time to get healthy, then I may not even have that time. My time may be decided for me by the simple fact that I did not take the time.

Like anything it comes down to what is important to us. We tend to make happen what we want to make happen. If we want 100 jeans then we plan a way to buy them, but someone would not do the same for healthy food, etc.

Gosh, I am just a chatter bug.

-- Edited by CoffeeQueen on Monday 8th of February 2010 10:14:29 AM

YES! Education is the key. This is really what I was getting at. In my line of work I have lost a lot of sympathy but also gained a lot of experience. It's really hard. You CAN eat healthy (or at least healthier than fast food) on a very low income. Most people have food stamps and can get healthy things but choose to get crap still. That goes for people not on food stamps too - just saying that even on a low income you CAN do it.

But really, that whole issue is a whole can of worms. On one side it's like - make better choices, educate yourself, you can do it! But then on the other side it is this real feeling of keeping up with everybody and wanting your kids to have what everybody else has - electronics, toys, etc. so the money goes there. I have yet to fully understand it and still have a hard time going into homes with 52" flat screen TV's and listening to them ask for help because the power bill is months behind and they have no clothes or food for their children. But then I hear other people in my field who have done extensive research and there are all sorts of psychological things in play relating to what I said above.

I guess for me though it is about priorities. So, in some ways yes, it's so sad that family is eating that crap that put them in that situation. BUT - there are always alternatives and they should have sought them out or figured things out. You can eat better at home for the same price or less as crappy fast food and you can deny your children every new video game in favor of food - what a concept!

CoffeeQueen · Guru

I read this little article. I think it is true and people rather have a burger then fresh fruit and a salad. They feel like they are not "eating"

Look how many people do not even feed their kids vegetables with meals or look how many kids eat those sugar cereals from a young age. Do not get me started on Pop and kids.

http://www.inspire.com/groups/diet-and-fitness/discussion/is-junk-food-really-cheaper-than-healthy-food/

I do not want to sound as if I am on some high horse and am this healthy/perfect person. However, I have always taken pride in the fact I do feed my girls well and balanced. I totally live by the 80/20 rule for them.

I have seen one too many grocery carts with people on WIC and Food Stamps that buy crap. You tell me how buying a lunchable is better then a block of cheese, whole wheat crackers and something else. You can buy all of that and have it 10 more times verse the one lunchable.

CoffeeQueen · Guru

I must sound very insensitive, but I am running out of compation.

You know my grandparents were from Poland and had zero money. They always had a huge garden and grew half their food. Why do we not do that now?

We need to just face that we are a lazy generation that wants everything when we want it. The idea of growing and waiting for something must seem so silly to most people. If you are that poor and really want to feed your family, would you not do this?

We need to bring back some of the old work ethics, home made items, community.

I am going to knit all my work clothes now,lol. I crack myself up, but I am serious in the sense we need to take some control and credit for our own choices.

daisy · Guru

CoffeeQueen wrote:

I must sound very insensitive, but I am running out of compation.

You know my grandparents were from Poland and had zero money. They always had a huge garden and grew half their food. Why do we not do that now?

We need to just face that we are a lazy generation that wants everything when we want it. The idea of growing and waiting for something must seem so silly to most people. If you are that poor and really want to feed your family, would you not do this?

We need to bring back some of the old work ethics, home made items, community.

I am going to knit all my work clothes now,lol. I crack myself up, but I am serious in the sense we need to take some control and credit for our own choices.

my fear of radon and snakes gets in my way- LMAO.

i agree in general with what you guys (you and juni) are saying - education is KEY, and people need to take responsibility.
the prob is the addictive behaviors too though. the more crap you eat, the more you eat. it's like a dependency - still no excuse, but really hard to break the cycle when there are so many other stressors in their lives. it's like a classic cycle and so hard to put yourself in their place when it really is a totally different world. it's so hard to reach the individual family - if the government would deal with this on a policy level, more than half the work would be done. (not that that's an "easy" solution -- but might be more efficient than depending on extremely stressed individuals to make the changes).

juni i agree - huge flat screens and then complaining about a power bill. stuff like this makes me nuts - especially when it's so easy to just do without some of these things.
our flatscreen is waiting till our house is alarmed (occurring as we speak!!) and the basement is de-molded. it's totally priorities - and we dont have a ton of wiggle room budget wise.

cracking up about knitting work clothes - rachel's teacher just told me that rachel told her that i was going to knit her a "cat suit" for halloween - LMAO. her teacher actually just asked me to bring in all my knit dolls - rachel is so proud of them and brings them to school everyday - so cute.

i just nearly drooled on the macrobiotic woman's knit boots at preschool. i'm losing it.

daisy · Guru

i'm on the stonyfield website right now reading on how to eliminate junkmail and save the planet (lol) - and i came across this interesting tidbit:

"Babies, toddlers, and kids are more vulnerable than adults to pesticide exposure. But research shows that you can immediately and dramatically reduce the pesticide content in your child’s body by switching to organic foods. Young digestive tracts absorb toxins more readily than adult digestive tracts, and young kidneys don’t detoxify as efficiently as adult kidneys. As a result, toxins circulate longer in babies’ bodies, boosting exposure to four times that of adults.

Researchers at the University of Washington found that by putting children on a mostly organic diet for just five days, they could “virtually eliminate exposures to a dangerous class of insecticides known to disrupt neurological development in infants and children.”

Exposure to pesticides can cause cancer, nervous-system and lung damage, reproductive dysfunction, and possibly dysfunction of the endocrine and immune systems.

CoffeeQueen · Guru

daisy wrote:

i'm on the stonyfield website right now reading on how to eliminate junkmail and save the planet (lol) - and i came across this interesting tidbit:

"Babies, toddlers, and kids are more vulnerable than adults to pesticide exposure. But research shows that you can immediately and dramatically reduce the pesticide content in your child’s body by switching to organic foods. Young digestive tracts absorb toxins more readily than adult digestive tracts, and young kidneys don’t detoxify as efficiently as adult kidneys. As a result, toxins circulate longer in babies’ bodies, boosting exposure to four times that of adults.
Researchers at the University of Washington found that by putting children on a mostly organic diet for just five days, they could “virtually eliminate exposures to a dangerous class of insecticides known to disrupt neurological development in infants and children.”
Exposure to pesticides can cause cancer, nervous-system and lung damage, reproductive dysfunction, and possibly dysfunction of the endocrine and immune systems.

Nice, see we are not neurotic, we are pioneers,lol.

I swear there will always be something. I just feel better knowing I am trying and making changes where I feel I can.

I have to go now. I need to start on my journey home from work since I am now doing a horse and carriage as transportation to reduce carbon and pollution :)

Juni · Guru

daisy wrote:

CoffeeQueen wrote:

I must sound very insensitive, but I am running out of compation.

You know my grandparents were from Poland and had zero money. They always had a huge garden and grew half their food. Why do we not do that now?

We need to just face that we are a lazy generation that wants everything when we want it. The idea of growing and waiting for something must seem so silly to most people. If you are that poor and really want to feed your family, would you not do this?

We need to bring back some of the old work ethics, home made items, community.

I am going to knit all my work clothes now,lol. I crack myself up, but I am serious in the sense we need to take some control and credit for our own choices.

my fear of radon and snakes gets in my way- LMAO.

i agree in general with what you guys (you and juni) are saying - education is KEY, and people need to take responsibility.
the prob is the addictive behaviors too though. the more crap you eat, the more you eat. it's like a dependency - still no excuse, but really hard to break the cycle when there are so many other stressors in their lives. it's like a classic cycle and so hard to put yourself in their place when it really is a totally different world. it's so hard to reach the individual family - if the government would deal with this on a policy level, more than half the work would be done. (not that that's an "easy" solution -- but might be more efficient than depending on extremely stressed individuals to make the changes).

juni i agree - huge flat screens and then complaining about a power bill. stuff like this makes me nuts - especially when it's so easy to just do without some of these things.
our flatscreen is waiting till our house is alarmed (occurring as we speak!!) and the basement is de-molded. it's totally priorities - and we dont have a ton of wiggle room budget wise.
cracking up about knitting work clothes - rachel's teacher just told me that rachel told her that i was going to knit her a "cat suit" for halloween - LMAO. her teacher actually just asked me to bring in all my knit dolls - rachel is so proud of them and brings them to school everyday - so cute.
i just nearly drooled on the macrobiotic woman's knit boots at preschool. i'm losing it.

The thing is though - I get an opportunity to reach the "individual family" and guess what? 99% of them don't show up to help themselves. I know this is generalized but we bring in nutritionists, financial planners, etc. etc. FREE OF CHARGE to them to educate them and they don't come. They can come meet with a nutritionist ONE ON ONE, totally work out a plan for their family and they don't. So, yes I agree that the government can only look at it in the big picture but we are federally funded and equipped to give individual families one on one services but there is only so much you can do, kwim? It is beyond frustrating. We've even done healthy meals on a budget. So, yeah, it's hard.

daisy · Guru

CoffeeQueen wrote:

daisy wrote:

i'm on the stonyfield website right now reading on how to eliminate junkmail and save the planet (lol) - and i came across this interesting tidbit:

"Babies, toddlers, and kids are more vulnerable than adults to pesticide exposure. But research shows that you can immediately and dramatically reduce the pesticide content in your child’s body by switching to organic foods. Young digestive tracts absorb toxins more readily than adult digestive tracts, and young kidneys don’t detoxify as efficiently as adult kidneys. As a result, toxins circulate longer in babies’ bodies, boosting exposure to four times that of adults.
Researchers at the University of Washington found that by putting children on a mostly organic diet for just five days, they could “virtually eliminate exposures to a dangerous class of insecticides known to disrupt neurological development in infants and children.”
Exposure to pesticides can cause cancer, nervous-system and lung damage, reproductive dysfunction, and possibly dysfunction of the endocrine and immune systems.

Nice, see we are not neurotic, we are pioneers,lol.

I swear there will always be something. I just feel better knowing I am trying and making changes where I feel I can.

I have to go now. I need to start on my journey home from work since I am now doing a horse and carriage as transportation to reduce carbon and pollution :)

lmfao. i'll go sit on a pile of eggs out back till we decide on our next source of neuroses (pretty sure the house must be repainted with all low-VOC).

Juni · Guru

I know this is going along with the tangent but I don't think food stamps should cover soda, ice cream, junk food, etc.

CoffeeQueen · Guru

Juni wrote:

I know this is going along with the tangent but I don't think food stamps should cover soda, ice cream, junk food, etc.

Totally agree. I thought there was some kind of limit on what you can spend it on, no?

I know WIC has only listed items, but maybe I am wrong.