So here is a scenario: I go to the store and shop like the average American. I grab a few loaves of bread, Wonder to be exact, maybe even the wheat Wonder (if they have that). Then I head over to the pesticide laden produce and put a few iceberg lettuce heads in my cart and some potatoes sprayed with sprout inhibitors and I might even get a couple red, vine ripened tomatoes (it's January, so surely they ripened on the vine somewhere...). OK, now I have to get some dressing for all of this, so I throw in some ranch. I try to read the back of the bottle, but it's too confusing and the "natural" organic bottle is too expensive, so I get it anyway, after all, maybe all those words aren't that bad, I mean the store is
for me...right? Now i make my way over to the frozen section and grab the main course for the night...Tyson Nuggets! Hey, they are on sale! Great! Oops, I forgot the pb&j, so when I make it to that isle, I find the latest in technology...pb&j in one bottle! Time saver! Plus, it's on sale! Now that I have all of my healthy stuff, time to splurge a little. Snack isle, here I come! Hmmm, so many choices...hey, i remember seeing those keebler elves on TV once, and they said they were natural, so I'll get those. Fudge covered grahams...with no expiration date! What should I get to wash this down, I know, I saw some of those little "chubby sodas" in the middle of the isle, and what a deal...only 25 cents each! That's cheaper than water! I'll take 10 of those, that should be enough to get me through the weekend, I mean I do have a bottle of Dew left over from breakfast. I almost forgot...popsicles! I saw someone getting those ones that you can scribble with, my kids will like those! And... they are on sale! I did want to get some bacon for breakfast, so I'll see if I can find any on sale...yep there is one, and it's got a picture of a farm on it with a happy little pig munching on grass! Jackpot! All of these great deals, and not only are they on sale, but I have coupons as well! So, now I head to checkout. "Do you have your store card today?" Yes!!! More savings! "Your total is $14.96" " Would you like to donate $1 to the National Heart Foundation?" Sure! I mean, this is great! I save all this money on all of this "natural" stuff and I get to invest in my future all at the same place! How great!
Ok. well, now we are out of the scenario. Hopefully no one got offended, well, actually hopefully somebody did get offended enough to at least think. It really registered as I went through the checkout buying some batteries today, as the lady in front of me who was buying a box of Popsicles, some "chubby" soda and some candy bars for her little girl, (that should be child abuse!) was asked if she would like to donate a dollar to the Heart Association. Thankfully she did donate. It makes total sense to donate, I mean, if you shop like this, you better donate a lot, because you are investing in insurance for your future! I really hope that those of you that read this and have the thought "He needs more mercy on people, times are tough!" that you will realize that I am in these times as well, and odds are I have more mouths to feed. We need to make better choices about our foods, it IS possible and it NEEDS to be our priority to educate ourselves and to have a little more discipline. That is what we deserve, not the chemicals and the sick animals, or the sugars that our bodies can't process...
Sometimes local cost more, and sometimes real food cost more, but there are plenty of growers and farmers around that would be willing to work with you on making it doable for you! Just ask! Oh, and this is not about living in fear, it's about educating ourselves and doing what is right!
