Feeling so discouraged about food/food safety

Nikki98 · 2007-03-15

Okay- today I read that canned goods may have chemicals in them because of the plastic liners that are in the cans (I do buy canned beans and tomatoes). When does it stop? I am so sick of reading how toxic our food has become in this country. It is so discouraging. From the issue of pesticides, gmo's, cloning , big companies buying out small companies, the food industry trying to develop a niche in the "organic industry", Whole Foods buying Wild Oats, man the list is long. Basically I feel like I'm on the defensive when it comes to feeding my family. Does anyone feel like this? I am all for buying local supported foods-but they aren't available year round here. My brain is already crowded with so much food info. It makes me feel like I should just give up .

barose

· #2 · Mar 16, 2007

God, I know what you mean. Poison spinach here, plastic there, xenoestrogens (spelling?) everywhere making us fat and infertile. And recently, my DP purchased organic apple juice and it smelled like BLEACH. When he called the company, a guy coped an attitude over the phone, but then asked us to send it to them.

I buy local, from farmers markets when we can. Local, grass fed eggs, etc, but I wouldn't give completely up. The alternative is much worse.

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luvmy2boys

· #3 · Mar 16, 2007

It depresses me, too. Local is great in theory, but a lot of that is filled with pesticides and chemical fertilizers. I do my best because I figure every bit of poison I keep out of mine and my family's bodies gives us that much more of a chance at being healthy. It's still hard, though. My local co-op closed recently, and that was my source of a good variety of organic fruits and veggies. I had to pay for it, but I could get it. I do get good veggies from a CSA, but fruits and additional veggies are hard to come by. That doesn't even count grains, meats, eggs, dairy, etc.

:

And then I walk into a regular grocery store (a rare occurrence for me) and realize how most of that food is the crappiest of the crap, and how many people are oblivious to the crap they're buying. I just don't get it.

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barose

· #4 · Mar 16, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by luvmy2boys

And then I walk into a regular grocery store (a rare occurrence for me) and realize how most of that food is the crappiest of the crap, and how many people are oblivious to the crap they're buying. I just don't get it.

I only go to the "regular" stores to buy my gal containers of vinegar for cleaning (for some reason, the health food stores including WFS doesn't have it) and I am always nauseated and sick just looking at the bright colored packaged of processed crap or to smell the nasty poor quality meat, milk, etc and people just buy it up. I looks so bad. I know I cant go back to that.

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mykidsmyworld

· #5 · Mar 16, 2007

I feel the same way to, I was so irritated when I came back from Whole foods the other night b/c they are carrying non-organic fruits and vegetables and the ones that are organic are not local and a lot of their stuff is not what I would expect from them, so I shot them a really long e-mail and told them how upset I was, needless to say they never got back no me,
This year I think I am going to try and buy organic cows and chickens whole and then freeze them so we have them through winter and I also found a really nice organic farm near my house (which told me that whole foods did not want to do business with them as they are not big enough and would not generate enough money)) that I will buy from this year, hopefully I can freeze some of that to, I am also trying my hand at gardening and growing my own veggies and fruit but I am not so good with plants!

But I am right their with you, it is scarey and some days I feel exhausted but just like the pp said it's better than buying the junk in a regular grocery store..

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rayo de sol

· #6 · Mar 16, 2007

I just read about the horrible BPA leaching into canned foods too, and I too am quite discouraged by it. I don't really buy that much canned food, but what am I supposed to do about canned tomatoes? I like to make my own tomato sauces (because the prepared sauces in the store all have sugar and bad quality oils in them), but I start with canned tomatoes (because tomato season in my area is only during August and September).

I was also enjoying canned wild salmon and canned sardines regularly because they're cheaper than fresh fish, and I thought they were healthful. I guess I should stop eating them?

:

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christacular

· #7 · Mar 16, 2007

it's good to be aware and make informed decisions about what you eat. but i just gotta say that the level of micro-managing and fretting many of the mamas here do concerns me. it is true that unless you have the capabilities to grow and store all your own food, you have to face the realities of mass produced food. it is true that people get sick from eating commercially produced food. but spending your life stressed out and anxious and angry can also lead to health problems.

make the best decisions you can. keep it in perspective. try to relax and enjoy the food you do have access to.

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barose

· #8 · Mar 16, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by christacular

it's good to be aware and make informed decisions about what you eat. but i just gotta say that the level of micro-managing and fretting many of the mamas here do concerns me. it is true that unless you have the capabilities to grow and store all your own food, you have to face the realities of mass produced food. it is true that people get sick from eating commercially produced food. but spending your life stressed out and anxious and angry can also lead to health problems.

make the best decisions you can. keep it in perspective. try to relax and enjoy the food you do have access to.

I know what you mean, but its hard to relax when you have health problems that are directly affected by diet and food allergies.

: Sometimes I think I need to relax more, but then my health is too important. One bad meal with one off limit ingredient and I'm miserable for days. I try to do the best I can with planning, finding economical way to find certain foods we can eat, but my diet is not something I can ignore like the majority of Americans.

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joy2bmom

· #9 · Mar 16, 2007

I'm with ya! Its so overwelming to have such limited access to good food. I hate to go to the grocery store but we don't have many other choices, there's not many health food stores here. I get so exhausted worrying about all the pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, plastic, and pollution, ya can't seem to get away from everything cuz if the food don't kill ya the air that you breath will

Sorry to be such a downer but ya caught me on a bad day of shopping.

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Nikki98

Discussion Starter · #10 · Mar 16, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by christacular

it's good to be aware and make informed decisions about what you eat. but i just gotta say that the level of micro-managing and fretting many of the mamas here do concerns me. it is true that unless you have the capabilities to grow and store all your own food, you have to face the realities of mass produced food. it is true that people get sick from eating commercially produced food. but spending your life stressed out and anxious and angry can also lead to health problems.

make the best decisions you can. keep it in perspective. try to relax and enjoy the food you do have access to.

Good point!!!! It just seems like lately most of the news on the food front hasn't been to positive.

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kleinemaus

· #11 · Mar 16, 2007

I feel the same way! My husband is able to have the really good attitude that we are still far ahead of the average person in terms of how careful we are about what we put in our bodies, but when something like the BPA stuff comes out, it's just really discouraging to me. According to the Green Guide, Eden Foods does not use BPA in their can liners, which has helped me at least feel like I can do SOMETHING about it (i.e. pay more for canned beans that I know don't have BPA in them...) I haven't seen that they have canned tomatoes though, and I miss those in the winter!

Emily

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aradia

· #12 · Mar 18, 2007

Eden has a full line of tomato products, you can order from them or ask your local store to order some/carry them on a regular basis.http://www.edenfoods.com/store/index.php?cPath=23_41

I'm soooo happy about their cans, I don't always have the time or foresight to cook up a batch of beans.

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Sustainer

· #13 · Mar 18, 2007

I hear you. I do the best I can. I shop at the natural food store. I buy organic.

Hang in there and just keep doing what you can. Buy fresh or frozen instead of canned. Try not to stress too much about the stuff you can't do anything about, because the stress is bad for your health too.

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