Let me tell you something about a woman. She runs a performing group that keeps her teaching Monday through Thursday and then an additional three hours every Saturday. When she isn’t teaching or preparing for her 8 classes she is busy running a household and raising five kids. Each lives a very busy life, filled with dance classes, sports games, or keeping up a social life. I know this only because she is my mother. In between teaching, choreographing, and running her kids to where they have to go, she some how finds time to keep her house clean, visit the relatives, give her patient husband the attention, and feed her children. Right there she hits a wall.
My mom wants to feed her kids in a healthy manner but sometimes her schedule doesn’t give her the time she needs to plan out a good healthymeal. Cereal for dinner doesn’t really cut it. Of course that is only when she just really doesn’t have time to make us anything. She, like most mothers, wants to give the best she can to her children.
Before the trip I was completely oblivious to the benefits, let alone the importance of eating locally, organically, and seasonally. Growing up it has always been what was on sale is what we bought. I was completely happy to go to McDonalds or eat a pineapple when it was out of season and not give it a second thought. I never once asked the question, “Where did my food come from?”. I would just enjoy the food that was put in front of me. I only ever checked to see if my canned tuna was dolphin safe.
Sadly, my former apathy mirrors the mentality of many people in the US today. Although most people are aware that the organic industry is out there, they look at it as an inconvenience. The food must be too expensive to be worth it. When I asked my mother if she knew how much smarter and healthier organic food is she replied, “Well everyone knows that it’s better, but until prices are lowered most people are going to choose the cheaper option.” Mothers across the nation share this same opinion, but what they don’t realize is that the higher prices can be worth it. So much of our food is poisoned by pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers or pumped with steroids that the health consequences can be severe. So when I heard my mother’s opinion I responded with, “The money you use now to buy poison-free food is the money you won’t be spending later on hospital bills.” When it comes to your children or your own health, it is better to be safe than sorry.
Switching to organic may seem a little daunting, but there are little things here and there that you can do. Plan a family project and grow a garden in your backyard. That way you don’t have to even worry about buying the right products, and it keeps you aware of what produce is seasonal. Visit your local farmers market and buy all that you can there in a place where you know you aren’t being poisoned. Even in supermarkets, try to buy more locally. Take the time to check the labels and see where it is grown, the closer to home the better. Or even try to buy things that don’t even have labels. Buy seasonal food. Stop your weekly visit to Taco Bell. It all comes down to just being aware! Before you eat something sit back and think, “Where has this food been?” What is it made of?” or “How did it get here?”. Just take into thought of what you are eating and what you are feeding your family and friends. Even for my mother, who sometimes has a hard time finding time in her busy schedule to make sure my little sister gets a bath more then once a week, can find the time to check the labels at the grocery store or give my brothers a summer job to plant a garden. It is a lot easier than it sounds, so just do it! I promise, the benefits will be worthwhile.As one of our Indian friends always says, “Grow organic, eat organic, save the earth”.
My mom wants to feed her kids in a healthy manner but sometimes her schedule doesn’t give her the time she needs to plan out a good healthymeal. Cereal for dinner doesn’t really cut it. Of course that is only when she just really doesn’t have time to make us anything. She, like most mothers, wants to give the best she can to her children.
Before the trip I was completely oblivious to the benefits, let alone the importance of eating locally, organically, and seasonally. Growing up it has always been what was on sale is what we bought. I was completely happy to go to McDonalds or eat a pineapple when it was out of season and not give it a second thought. I never once asked the question, “Where did my food come from?”. I would just enjoy the food that was put in front of me. I only ever checked to see if my canned tuna was dolphin safe.
Sadly, my former apathy mirrors the mentality of many people in the US today. Although most people are aware that the organic industry is out there, they look at it as an inconvenience. The food must be too expensive to be worth it. When I asked my mother if she knew how much smarter and healthier organic food is she replied, “Well everyone knows that it’s better, but until prices are lowered most people are going to choose the cheaper option.” Mothers across the nation share this same opinion, but what they don’t realize is that the higher prices can be worth it. So much of our food is poisoned by pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers or pumped with steroids that the health consequences can be severe. So when I heard my mother’s opinion I responded with, “The money you use now to buy poison-free food is the money you won’t be spending later on hospital bills.” When it comes to your children or your own health, it is better to be safe than sorry.
Switching to organic may seem a little daunting, but there are little things here and there that you can do. Plan a family project and grow a garden in your backyard. That way you don’t have to even worry about buying the right products, and it keeps you aware of what produce is seasonal. Visit your local farmers market and buy all that you can there in a place where you know you aren’t being poisoned. Even in supermarkets, try to buy more locally. Take the time to check the labels and see where it is grown, the closer to home the better. Or even try to buy things that don’t even have labels. Buy seasonal food. Stop your weekly visit to Taco Bell. It all comes down to just being aware! Before you eat something sit back and think, “Where has this food been?” What is it made of?” or “How did it get here?”. Just take into thought of what you are eating and what you are feeding your family and friends. Even for my mother, who sometimes has a hard time finding time in her busy schedule to make sure my little sister gets a bath more then once a week, can find the time to check the labels at the grocery store or give my brothers a summer job to plant a garden. It is a lot easier than it sounds, so just do it! I promise, the benefits will be worthwhile.As one of our Indian friends always says, “Grow organic, eat organic, save the earth”.
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