Edible Changes: The Choices We Make
Did you throw away your Cheerios?
Recently, I had the honor of writing a guest blog post for the Orlando Sentinel — a small and somewhat light-hearted glimpse into the edible changes I’ve been integrating into my family’s diet in 2010.
The first edible change we made was to slowly replace as much of the fresh produce we purchase weekly with as much organic produce we could afford, targeting the big pesticide culprits such as potatoes and apples. We can’t always afford to buy everything organic, but we do what we can.
The second edible change, eliminating processed cold cereals from our morning routine, was the focus of my guest post. Although there were only a handful of comments, I was surprised that a couple of people were clearly upset, defending the healthfulness of the cold cereals I mentioned (Cheerios, Kix and Shredded Wheat), and distraught after reading I threw away perfectly good food when others in the world are starving.
Valid points, but here’s why I did what I did:
- I made a choice to feed my family a better, more nutritious breakfast every day, and cold cereal didn’t quite fit the bill, in my opinion. I’d rather my family get their fiber, vitamins and minerals from whole foods than from something processed with added synthetic vitamins.
- Cheereios, Kix and Shredded Wheat are all processed by companies that use GMO (genetically modified organism) foods. GMOs are one of the topics of debate surrounding our future health and economic well being. And being a person with food allergies, and having friends with children who have autism, I’ve seen the benefits of an organic and non-GMO diet at work, first hand. I have no way of knowing if the corn in Kix, for example, is non-GMO without a label stating so on the package. And based on what I’ve read about the companies who process these cereals, they use GMO corn and corn derivatives, as well as processed soy products and canola oil, in their foods and processing plants.
I would gladly throw away and will continue to throw away any food in my cupboards I believe is unhealthy and may be harmful, over time, for my family or anyone else. I would much rather go to the market, buy something organic, and give it to a food bank. And I often do.
We’re not perfect, and not expecting you to be either
My family doesn’t eat a perfect diet, but we try. 99% of the foods we eat are whole foods — I cook the majority of our meals from scratch. Sometimes we have to settle for grain-fed instead of grass-fed beef. Sometimes we have to skip the potatoes because organic is just too expensive. And sometimes, we crave a horribly processed chocolate Easter bunny and eat the ears off of it on Easter morning. And that’s OK. We pick our food battles, and I believe my family chooses them wisely.
Change is right there in your wallet!
Change, literally, as in money, and change, as in making a difference, is right there in your own wallet. Your money is your voice and by choosing where you spend your money, you can send important messages to people all over the world.
If we all make one simple change, like passing on a box of processed cold cereal and putting the $4.00 towards a pint of organic strawberries, imagine the impact that will have on organic farmers, our health, and our economy. Imagine every household on your street, on your block, in your neighborhood, your city, your state, our country, doing the same. If the majority of us stopped buying Frosted Flakes or Lucky Charms, even for one month, think of the message that would send to the manufacturers and the farmers.
When you buy whole foods that are non-GMO, organic, or minimally processed, you’re sending a message to the farmers that says, “I support you, keep doing what you’re doing!” You’re also sending a message to the stores and food manufacturers that says, “I’ve made a better choice and I’m not going to buy that cereal with GMO corn, or box of crackers with soy lecithin, or cookies with high fructose corn syrup, or milk with growth hormones, so stop putting it on the shelves.”
It’s a powerful message that thousands of people would be sending at the same time, and we could stop a lot of bad things from happening to our food with a collective voice like that.
What messages are you sending? If you find you can’t kick the cold cereal habit, please at least buy a box of something organic — it’s the same price.
If we all just make that small change, and send that one simple message, I bet within a couple of short years, the chocolate Easter bunnies and Peeps will be organic, too.
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>Great article!! I wish more people would think about "the big" picture. If they only knew how much healthier they would be!
>I've switched back from buying conventional to as much organic as I can. We don't have a lot of money, and while that means our food budget is stretched to its limits, in the long run, I believe it's better for my family's health.
>Thanks Sarah!
Rachel, I'm right there with you :-)
>I totally agree with you. It's all about making the little changes in your daily life that really add up to give you better health. And it's definitely not about making a complete switch from one lifestyle to another, it is more about adapting healthier habits one at a time, which in the end, will make a huge difference!
Stephanie
Juicy Fresh Bites
>Hallelujah! I have done exactly the same thing in my home. I just found out that my cousin, who is 47 years old, has colon cancer. It runs in my family. I am 51 & just went in for my first test. And the results were completely clear. I feel like I am lucky but I know it is because of the food choices that we make, and continue to revise every day. We're not perfect, but I make small changes as I can. Now, eating whole foods & whole grains has become routine. It will change your life & change your health. Do not keep doing what you have always done because it is easy, or what you know. Look at the data. Save your own lives.
>I've been buying an organic vegetable box for almost a year now and it has done wonders for our eating habits.
Until recently I thought cereals were fairly healthy – I eat Bran Flakes every morning. However even Bran Flakes, which sound about as healthy as cereal gets, have a huge amount of sugar added in, which i only noticed recently. There is a lot to be said for making breakfast yourself, and now just exactly what you are eating.
While making breakfast is too time consuming for every morning, maybe trying to do it more often would be a lot better for me. Thanks for a thought provoking post :)
>I'm so glad to read so many are reading labels and making better choices!! Awesome :-)