These days people throw around words like “processed” waaaay too often. You realize that by cutting a food item into smaller pieces is technically processing it. You could make an argument for anything being processed – it's such a juvenile concept. Just because something isn't “natural,” it's considered bad. Yeah, how about that polio vaccine, that really screwed us over, right? Just too unnatural. The fact is, we aren't making mutant produce. It's not genetically unstable or toxic or anything, just larger, more resistant to disease, better-tasting, etc. This newfound aversion to all things man made is just absurd.

These days people throw around words like “processed” waaaay too often. You realize that by cutting a food item into smaller pieces is technically processing it. You could make an argument for anything being processed – it's such a juvenile concept. Just because something isn't “natural,” it's considered bad. Yeah, how about that polio vaccine, that really screwed us over, right? Just too unnatural. The fact is, we aren't making mutant produce. It's not genetically unstable or toxic or anything, just larger, more resistant to disease, better-tasting, etc. This newfound aversion to all things man made is just absurd.

Have you seen all the pro-chicken campaigning they've done for Chik-fil-A? It's amazing.

-NF Steve

Thanks for the comment. Makes sense to me on the fruit – the tougher skin stuff can keep out more of the elements, so they're safer. Better to save money where I can!

-NF Steve

I'll definitely check it out.

-NF Steve

Here's part one of a primer on organics that I wrote a while back for my other website:

http://thegreenerchristian.com/2008/03/31/buyin...

As for the milk, consider buying from a local organic farmer. This is good practice for several reasons; ur supporting local farmers, less environmental impact, no rBGHT (we have not seen all the fall out for this), and more humane treatment of animals. Another important thing to remember about milk is that cows make milk for their babies, not for humans. Also, our bodies are not designed to digest milk over a life time. The cows are often artificially impregnated to keep them producing milk, which in turn leads to more livestock, which results in a greater degradation of the enviromnment. Cutting back on your milk consumption may also be a good practice.

As an RD and a single mom of a 14y/o vegeterian, I do what I can on a limited budget by making sure that every trip to the grocery store includes a few local and organic items. I also grow a limited amount of organ vegetables each year.

Through WWOOFing we've learned a lot about food, gardening, and organics, plus the side-lines that go with it like recycling and sustainability. We've made incredible friends and we always know we have a place to go when times are bad.

I think everyone should be more involved in their own food from growing to cooking to preserving for the winter. We take so much for granted, and we eat mindlessly. If you make things from scratch, you end up using less and wasting less. I wish I'd found WWOOFing years ago.

For the most part, it just seems like a way large corporations can play to peoples fears and charge more in the process (ie…Organic poptarts).

But I do know there are somethings that are definitely better to get as “organic”, but it always seemed so rediculously pricey to me (especially at Wholefoods, never been in Trader Joes), which is why I stuck w/ the “normal” stuff.

I fell asleep during Food, Inc…so I think I missed all of the really really bad stuff. Might have to rewatch