Organic food
When people see the word "organic", they think of organic food. Although organic foods account for about 2% of total food sales throughout the world (and about 4% in the U.S.), that number continues to grow. In the U.S. alone, organic products are available in over 20,000 natural food stores and over 73% of conventional grocery stores and supermarkets. Now more than ever, consumers wishing to go organic have a large selection of products to choose from. Organic baby food, pastries, pet food, TV dinners, snacks and produce head the list. A recent survey by the United Soybean Board showed that U.S. consumers are willing to increase their spending on healthier foods. organic fruits and vegetables organic cheese organic chocolate organic snacks organic breads organic entrees organic pizza organic ice cream organic soups organic sweets If you're looking for a cookbook that's a little different, please check out Super Natural Cooking: Five Ways To Incorporate Whole and Natural Ingredients into Your Cooking  You can read more about the author by going to Salon's page about Super Natural Cooking. "I'd like to eat organic, but it's too expensive." We've heard this argument many times, and would like to point out a few facts. 1) Those of us who can purchase at co-ops or farmer's markets are getting fresh, high-quality, local food that actually costs less than food that is trucked from thousands of miles away. Fruits and vegetables purchased out of season will always be expensive, whether they're organic or not. Buy produce fresh only when it's in season, and frozen when it's not, to save money. 2) Processed foods and frozen entrees are very expensive, but many consumers are willing to spend on these items because they are convenient, not because they're better for you. Keep in mind that just because a frozen pizza says "organic" on it, that doesn't make it the best choice. Consumers must still discern what is healthiest based on ingredients, not labels. 3) The reason why Big Ag can afford to lower its prices is because the government is subsidizing them, thereby artificially lowering the cost of doing business. Organic farmers receive no such subsidies. Keep in mind that taxpayers pay for farm subsidies, so we're really paying twice for our produce. 4) The most compelling fact is that there is nothing more important than what we put into our bodies. Very often, we're willing to pay more for an expensive TV, but balk at the idea of paying a little more to support local farmers and avoid harmful pesticides. Perhaps we need to get our priorities straight. To read more, please visit Organic.org's "Organic Myths" here. We welcome your comments. Please feel free to use our form below. Your e-mail will, of course, be kept confidential. To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art." - La Rochefoucauld  |
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