As I prepared supper, I thought about statistics I've read, and not long ago heard on the radio (and had to call Monte on my cell phone immediately!). I think it's like 6% of American's money goes to food, while Europe and Japan spend 15-20+%. We Americans gladly fork over money for satellite TV, cell phones and other electronics, but we try to buy our food as cheaply as possible.
It's kinda weird, considering the fact that we can live without our TV. But shouldn't we be more willing to spend more on food, since we actually put it into our bodies?
For years I have been interested in nutrition, reading tons, since the 60's and Mr Rodale started us down this path of health and wholeness. So much food was beginning to be processed, boxed and shipped long distances. Shelf life became most important and convenience.
The more I know...understanding where the food around me is coming from and how it's grown and made, makes it almost impossible to eat.
There's a word for this: orthorexia. It means having an unhealthy obsession with eating healthy.
Our grocery expenses are higher than they used to be. Monte was questioning, since I've visually got it laid out on excel spread sheets. But we're wanting to buy wild fish, pesticide free fruits and vegetables, hormone and antibiotic-free meat and dairy. And did you know there's now organic Twinkies!? It turns out that eating with a conscience takes money.
That's what we've told ourselves, as we try and buy as fresh and local as possible.
I know we can buy cheaper, probably half the cost. But here's the thing about orthorexia--unlike most afflictions, the worse it gets, the better you feel.
Some friends roll their eyes, as I pick up everything and read labels. Are we becoming elitists? But you know what? We feel great!
3 comments:
Some days I get so frustrated - I wish I could buy cheap food like everyone else and just not care. Sometimes I wonder, when I'm old, will this all make a difference? Only time will tell. But in the meantime, I fork over the little bit extra to buy better things because I think I do feel better, and at least emotionally I feel better putting good things in my body.
Hi Karey,
Thanks for the new term...Orthorexia..not heard of that one yet. You may however want to recheck your numbers on food dollars spent per person..I think those radio announcers are out of touch. 6% seemed a little out of balance, so I did some checking. In 1999, the average family of 4 spent $158.00 per week for food. If that were 6% of their food dollar, they'd be pulling in about $10,533 per month. Wish I fell into that income category!!!, which would be far from average. We americans spend way more than 6%. Here is a very popular quote on Americans food spending habits"
Americans now spend more money on fast food than they do on higher education, personal computers, software or new cars. They spend more on fast food than on movies, books, magazines, newspapers, videos and recorded music - combined.
My guess is that the Japanese spend a bigger percent of their food dollars on healthy foods... that's where we need to get in line with the Japanese.
I am a foody, so this blog made me do a little research since I know I spend much more that 6% of my income on my food and I garden, eat wild game and buy bulk from the Amish....
Chris
A friend emailed me that she has a friend who's lived all over the world. She says our natural organic food it what is the basic food elsewhere.
I'm going to post later about what I've written in my book Hearth & Home about shopping the grocery store.
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