In Defense of Food............Really

This past Thursday, Oprah ran a rebroadcast of her interview with Michael Pollan, award winning author of The Omnivore's Dilemma, who discussed the problem with our food supply today. Pollan introduced the documentary film, 'Food, Inc.', created and produced by Robert Kenner and Eric Schlosser.

The film provides a gruesome yet honest glimpse into the food industry, exposing the unfortunate truths about the agricultural practices in America today. From the conditions of the animals being farmed and slaughtered, to the chemicals used in growing and preparing our produce for market, to the exposure of the food industry's attempts to create an abundant, cheap and profitable food supply, Kenner and Schlosser do an excellent job to encourage the viewer to use their purchasing power for change.

The depletion of our soils from conventional farming techniques has left our fruits and vegetables depleted. Our meats, eggs, and milk, from animals fed corn and soy based diets (rather than grazing naturally on nutrient rich grasses), are higher in fat and lower in disease fighting nutrients than those of our grandparents.

And while I agree with the filmakers' positions, there is one part of this documentary that I feel is misleading. In a short segment, we are introduced to a Hispanic family struggling to make ends meet. The wife and mother of this family of four, expresses her frustration over the cost of healthy food. As the camera pans the produce isle of the grocery store, she states 'sometimes you look at a vegetable and say, "ok, well, we can get two hamburgers for this price " '. The wife explained that it was cheaper to give her family burgers from the 1$ menu at McDonald's than to prepare healthy meals.

Yes, it is true that 1$ hamburgers, chips, and other junk foods are usually less expensive than say, a head of broccoli or bag of apples. But to look at this realistically, we really need to compare apples to apples, so to speak. What this family is really saying, is that they cannot create a healthy meal for as little as 1$ a day. And this is where I disagree.

On a trip to my local Kroger grocery today, I found lots of great deals on healthy foods. Based on what I found, I could create the following meals to feed a family of four...........

Homemade hamburger on bun (1/4 pound beef before cooking)
1/4 avacado sliced
1 cup carrot sticks

total cost per serving : $ . 90

3 ounces pork loin
1/2 cup brown rice
1 cup cooked broccoli

total cost per serving : $ . 97

peanut butter on wheat
8 ounce glass of lowfat milk
1 apple

total cost per serving : $ . 78


Spaghetti with sauce
1 cup green peas ( from frozen)

total cost per serving : $ .69


While these foods aren't organic, or grass fed, they are far healthier than a fast food burger, full of unhealthy fats and sodium, and loaded with preservatives. These are just a few examples of the use of inexpensive foods to create a meal that is a good source of protein, fiber, and antioxidant rich fruits or vegetables.

I look forward to the day when sound farming practices bring us wholesome, nutritious, and natural food that is plentiful and accessible to all. But as we've just seen, eating healthy doesn't have to be out of reach. The fact that we cannot afford the best, does not mean we give up and settle for the worst.

If you have not seen the movie 'Food, Inc', I encourage you to do so, as it will open your eyes to the problems of our agricultural systems today, and stimulate you to be a part of change. But please, recognize that the goal of eating healthy on a tight budget is not out of reach. By careful planning and shopping with intention, we can all find ways to improve our health with good food choices.