Magically delicious

I am appalled by the cost of real, fresh food. Is it any wonder folks who are living close to the edge are surviving on a diet of frozen pizzas, boxed macaroni dinners, chicken nuggets, frozen French fries, crappy cereals and fruit-like drinks? Those foods tend to be much less expensive but often have little to no nutrient value, high sodium content and are awash with preservatives. They contain too much sugar or artificial sweeteners. The fresh fruit, vegetable or meat aisle is a terrifying experience for the poor. While LOML and I are not living on the edge, we are living on a fixed income. We are very careful at the grocery store. We are fortunate to have the time to shop for deals, and the time and the means to cook most of our meals from scratch, using fresh foods. In spite of all this, we are now seriously considering meatless Mondays as part of our dining lineup.

One of the issues regarding food insecurity is the lack of a basic understanding of a what a healthy diet is. Somewhere along the line, we stopped showing our children how to cook nutritious, tasty meals. We became too busy trying to make a living and stopped sharing meals with our children, as families tended to do in times past. Fast food, cheap food, empty calories and junk have taken the place of family meals.

We have been lured into thinking those catchwords used in an advertising and marketing campaigns are truthful. Processors of food-likestuff bombard us with pictures of slim, beautiful, smiling people who are dining and dashing. We imagine ourselves snacking on grab-n-go edibles, eating probiotic stuff out of plastic cups, peeling back glossy wrappers on meal replacement bars and our minds tell us we can be that model because we ate that product.

For many, a meal is more about filling bellies than it is about nutrition. If a food-like product manufacturer adds the words “all natural” or “sugar-free” or “high fibre” or “vitamin enriched” or “whole grain”, we assume the product is good for us. We are tempted by food-ish things that are “magically delicious” and “part of a balanced diet” and “with added vitamin D” and are a “natural source of fibre”. There has to be a better way.

As I mentioned in a previous column, the world produces enough food for everyone. We are food secure when each and every one of us has access to sufficient, safe, healthy food. However, good food is available only for those who can afford it.

Local activist, Christine Renaud coordinates a volunteer group—Food Not Bombs.

It is a group that serves free, healthy vegan food through community meals in public spaces. It is not a charity, but a social movement. It feels that many corporate and government priorities are skewed to allow hunger to persist in the midst of abundance. To demonstrate and counter this (and to reduce costs), as much as possible, the food served by the group is surplus from grocery stores, bakeries, and markets that would otherwise go to waste, according to Renaud.

It’s difficult for me to grasp the concept that there are hungry, malnourished people living in this community. But there are.

Is Food Not Bombs the complete answer? Maybe not, but it is a good place to start the discussion of what healthy food looks like, how it tastes and that it should be available to everyone. Food security is a right. Follow Food Not Bombs on Facebook for the next social gathering to share food, conversation and community.

theresa@wellingtontimes.ca