I have turned into an unabashed grocery cart snoop. I can't help myself. I don't get to the store that often, and have often lamented that only 10% of the store is available to me. I find it a real bore to be honest. Its the same humdrum variety all the time. Selection is limited for us because we are cautious about what we eat. It's a real exercise of patience trying to achieve this. I spend most of my time in the produce department trying to justify the organic spinach for $7.99 or the cauliflower for $6.99 or the two single peppers for $5.99. As I wander the store on my mission to find what I need, I can't help but make observations and ponder about food, health and humanity.
The Casual Glance
I don't mean to but I frequently glance at people's carts as they pass me and I am a bit embarrassed to confess this. One might perceive me to be judgemental. I am really just curious and concerned. I guess when I look at carts and see no produce, no fresh food, loads of colored food, diet pop, packages ...my stomach curdles. I feel angry. Not towards the shopper. Towards the industry that pumps out all this non food that is designed to make us crave it.
Health = Contents of Shopping Cart
The first thing I notice is the weight and health of the person pushing the cart. I have observed that it often it correlates with the contents in their carts. This saddens me deeply. There are a lot of unhealthy people who are stuck in a bad place because of poor food choices. Packaged food often seems to be the cheapest option and it is pushed on us through the media and advertising. Fresh produce can be expensive and it takes more time to prepare. Packaged food is also addictive and I understand why it is winning in the game of food. Unfortunately it's the people that are losing.
Eating Healthy Can Be Cheap
I know from experience that you can cook filling, nutritious food with cheap ingredients. Give me some onion, parsnip, potato, carrots and lentils and I can whip up a wide range of meals that cost less than anything you can buy in a package. It might seem intimidating but anyone can do this, it just takes practice and a willingness to learn. We used to be taught about food nutrition and health in school. Our son had no such classes. Something so vital as food and health, belongs in schools. It belongs everywhere.
Seniors Are Struggling
I have been noticing a lot of seniors lately standing in the produce section with their little baskets. They stare at the food, trying to decide how to spend their tiny budgets. It is shocking to see how little they end up going home with. Popular are inexpensive root vegetables. I rarely see any fruit, meat or processed food in their baskets. I have not asked, but I assume they understand the value of nutrition and careful purchases that have carried them through all kinds of economic struggles and changes.
Change
This problem with food deeply concerns me. It feels like a crime on humanity. Things just have to change and I think we have to be the ones to do it. Here are some things that come to mind that we can do.
- Community gardens.
- Special "stand up height" raised bed gardens for seniors and old age homes.
- Cooking and nutrition classes free of charge.
- Free nutritional packages with menus for low income families.
- Food banks with real whole foods and gardens.
- Subsidies for farmers that donate fresh food to the community.
- Food sharing/swapping clubs. Less rules. More sharing and caring.
- School Gardens that teach kids about where food comes from
Are there any initiative like this happening in your community? What do you think about the industrial food situation?
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The food situation especially in the US can be very dis-heartening. So few realize or have any concept of alternatives and what is nutritious, health enabling food. Add to your observation the large number who eat mostly at franchise restaurants, leaves a lot of opportunity for improvement.
You asked for initiatives, one that hopefully can gain more attention is the ‘dacha’ as described in the Ringing Cedar series of books. Basic description is families have small plots of land for growing food for their own use. Many benefits including better food, physical activity, and outside.
I am so glad I am not the only one who is noticing all of these things in the grocery store. I have to admit I do almost all the same things. I was thinking that it was wrong of me but I really think that the more we notice and help others the better things will get.
Great post. Thanks
I went grocery shopping with my mom a few months ago. I wanted to take her aside and give her a good talking to about what she had in her cart. I think almost every item was loaded with sugar!
I know for myself, I just did not have the willingness to learn or do the work in cooking from scratch. But I am starting to wake up and tell myself my family deserves better.
I had to teach myself because my mom shops like yours does and that is how we were raised. I suggest one step at a time. Small changes are easier to integrate into your life especially when you've got kids. I find that soups are a really fast and easy way to start when it comes to from scratch meals.
My mom takes pills to counteract the effects of her other pills and all kinds of scary things happen with her health. The funny thing is that most of her issues could be controlled with a change in diet.
My mom's poor health and diet was as a strong motivator for me.
That reminds me, I wanted to try making homemade chicken noodle soup. I will have to look up the ingredients and write them on my list. I am a big believer that diet and lifestyle would fix a lot of our problems. Maybe not all, but most!
Wonderful article! Yes, it's a struggle for many seniors, these days...and with what's coming down the pipeline, it's only going to become harder. Many seniors, like myself, are blessed to own our homes, but the ever increasing property taxes will, annually, take a larger and larger bite out of the monthly budget. Couple that with increasing insurance costs, and that's pretty much a person's allowable healthy food budget. After doctors, medicines, utilities, there's often not much left. It's pathetic that in this day and age, so many still go hungry!
This is a crazy world @mamajeani, the priorities are so mixed up. It costs a lot of money to simply wake up and get up out of bed each morning. The Canadian government just took two months of pension from my dad, for no good reason. They have savings and can manage just fine but many of their friends don't eat when things like this happen. There won't be a pension for my generation I am sure of it but I don't think anyone is realizing this yet. Our plan is to count on nothing from anyone.
On a positive note: I have convinced my parents to grow some food and this year they are finally doing it!
I have always had a dream to create a whole foods food bank, though I am not nearly ready for it. I'd like to have an acre of tower gardens one day! ^_^ And be able to give out food that ACTUALLY helps people. I am still learning health in my own life though :) I am determined
I love your idea @inamorata I would volunteer at that kind of food bank! Tower gardens are really neat. We are off grid so they aren't really great for us but I am thinking about getting just one for winter.
Off grid would be a great place for tower gardens actually!! https://steemit.com/sustainablefuture/@inamorata/juice-plus-tower-garden they can even be run off of solar panels :) One for winter is always good too though ^_^
I have a tendency to do this too! We live in a poorer area and I hate to say it, but obesity levels are much more noticeable than in the wealthier areas. Even the foods supplied in the supermarkets vary depending on the area. Locally, we can get organic, but the choice is limited. If I travel an hour south, nearer the city there's a supermarket that is positively gourmet and people flock to it! The organic section is huge, several aisles have wholefoods, gluten free and paleo. It's so healthy looking that when you get past these aisles it's like you walked into a different supermarket, because there's the junk again.
Here in Adelaide we have a Grow Free initiative which is expanding rapidly. I wrote a but about it here: https://steemit.com/food/@minismallholding/taking-back-control-of-our-food-production-sharing-the-growth
what wonderful initiatives @minimalsmallholding. Thanks for sharing (I wish older articles could be re-steemed) I would love to be part of an initiate like that. I think we have a seed library in the spring so I am going to contribute to that and see if I can meet some like minded people.