Food Inc. and Cheap Healthy Food

Last night we watched Food Inc. on CBC. I had seen parts of it in the past but never the whole thing at once. Definitely worthwhile to take a look where our food really comes from and how the big food companies shape how the majority of society eats.

What made me really sad was an interview with a family that was eating $1.00 burgers for dinner because they couldn't afford much more. They were pictured in the grocery store, wanting to buy fruits and vegetables but foregoing them because they were too expensive. I really wanted to call them up and say you can eat healthy on a budget.

At least once a week at the clinic I have patients that say they can't afford to eat healthy. I think a lot of people think it is expensive to eat healthy because they associate healthy with organic. Eating healthy can mean a lot of different things to different people but it comes down to eating clean and as close to the original food as possible i.e. the grain instead of bread or an apple instead of a 'fruit-to-go'. Yes I know that some fruits and vegetables are pricey, especially out of season, but some are very affordable. Cabbage, carrots, apples are just some examples of less expensive yet healthy foods. What about rice? What about beans?

As a society we want convenience so packaged foods are easy to buy for many people. "Organic" packaged foods are ridiculously expensive... these aren't necessarily healthy. Still in a box! If we all attempted to cook more, making creative meals out of basic food staples that aren't expensive, eating healthy on a budget becomes a reality.