Time to start thinking outside the chicken-bun. The sales of KFC's notorious (and bun-less) Double Down are, well, down. They're immaterial according to KFC's CFO. Fear not, friends, other fast food purveyors are happy to step into the void. Taco Bell has introduced its $2 meal, McDonalds and Burger King are holding firm with their $1 burgers, while Denny's has developed belly-ballooning meals at $2, $4, $6 and $8. Sweet, you say! Who doesn't want to save cash? The only problem is this brand of cheap comes at an astonishingly high cost -- to us all.
Where do I begin? Let's see, we've got the health risks and costs associated with the antibiotic dosing of animals on industrial feed lots; the wholesale government subsidizing of corn to feed these animals; the cornfield chemical fertilizer run-off killing rivers and lakes (and an awful lot of lean-protein fish); widespread animal waste pollution; an obesity epidemic spurred by cheap, fatty food that costs us $147 billion a year; the alarming rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria among farm animals; the increase in chronic preventable diseases linked with foods high in saturated fats; let's not forget that pesky bugaboo, global warming, whether in the form of farting cows or exorbitant transportation costs; or much closer to home, perhaps right on your plate, the increase in contaminated foods (and deaths) that comes with industrialized food production.
My favorite article on this matter is TIME's Getting Real About the High Price of Cheap Food, which spells it out in clear, unmistakable terms. If you don't have time for clicking, the man himself, Michael Pollan, put it all together in In Defense of Food:
"All of our uncertainties about nutrition shouldn't obscure the plain fact that the chronic diseases that now kill most of us can be traced directly to the industrialization of our food: the rise of highly processed foods and refined grains; the use of chemicals to raise plants and animals in huge monocultures; the superabundance of cheap calories of sugar and fat produced by modern agriculture; and the narrowing of the biological diversity of the human diet to a tiny handful of staple crops, notably wheat, corn and soy. These changes have given us the Western diet."
High costs, indeed.
So, if this is in fact true, what are we left with? We all need protein, among other things, to live. If we're trying to be careful with our dollars while still managing to eat, is our last surest option the drive-thru lane -- or are there other possibilities?
In my quest to speak with experts on all matters food, I reached out to Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD LDN, best-selling author of The Flexitarian Diet and a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association , to try to get not only an answer but answers: actual things we could and should eat. Blatner is known for her straight-up nutrition tips and recipes that make a real difference.
"When it comes to health, and cost, I always recommend to my readers and clients a simple swap," Blattner says. "You see, when you swap to more meatless meals, you'll easily meet your protein needs. Plus, you'll enjoy added health benefits such as decreased risk of obesity, diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Plant proteins are so protective of our health. They're a rich source of fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. What's more, meatless is not only delicious -- it's incredibly easy to prepare!"
"Plus, here's the kicker: it's also less expensive than a meat-centric meal. Consider in June 2010, according to the most recent government figures from the U.S. Department of Labor, that one pound of beans was $1.34 versus spending 2.5 times more money for boneless chicken breast ($3.32/pound) and lean ground beef ($3.51/pound) and 4.5 times more money for sirloin steak ($6.00/pound). That's real savings you can bank on! Every week. Every month. Every year."
Blatner put together this handy swap chart to make it easy for you to see how you can get all the protein you need -- plus necessary fiber, vitamins and minerals -- with these simple tasty substitutions.
Follow Chris Elam on Twitter: www.twitter.com/MeatlessMonday
Meathead: Meathead To Go Meatless: Call Me Potatohead
http://www.mybodybuildingcoupons.com/broccoli-chicken-recipe/
I'm an omnivore, I love meat, but I used to really enjoy an excellent vegetarian cafeteria long ago in San Francisco. The food was tasty, and didn't pretend to be meat -- it was what it was, and that was very good.
Since then - the only tasty vegetarian food I've found has been in good Indian restaurants.
Well, that is the stereotype of vegetarian/vegans, but most people(including meat eaters) do not do that unless ordered by their doctors.
vegetable dinners and all those on TV all have meat. I know Indian vegetables have excellent spices,
hard to find fenugreek, etc.
Good luck and good eating!
I'd like to also note something that Frances Moore Lappe pointed out in "Diet for a Small Planet". Whereas 16 pounds of grain can produce 12 loaves of bread - which can feed quite a few people, that same amount of grain produces only a single pound of beef (never mind that it's not even a cow's natural diet).
I'm afraid you are trying to make a simple answer out of a complex issue.
you never heard of quinoa or amaranth...are you home schooled?
Which is it. I won't buy it until I know for sure.
My friends always scoff when I say that, as a vegan, I get my protein from black beans, lentils, and tofu, to broccoli, shelled peas, and even carrots.
It's all got some protein in it, a little or a lot, veggies are nature's healing gifts!
Here's a good study with some good info
hk.humankinetics.com/eJournalMedia/pdfs/5642.pdf
also if you are worried about drugs and chemicals in your food supply (very legitimate concerns) you should also be worried about the genetic alteration of plant species so that they naturally produce pesticides and fungicides.
Still clinging to my olive oil though. ;-)
My issues - at the start of this blog -- is the concept that low income folks can afford to do the same.
I'm single, I can afford to buy fresh food - BUT, the cost of an apple in my area is 79 cents each. If I was a single mom, trying to feed children on a low budget, it would be tricky. Fine to say they will suffer later - yes, they will - but what if they don't have the money NOW to buy decent food?
I'm cheap - I was cooking for myself in college - and I know how to get a good bang for my buck nutritionally - I make split pea soup in my crock pot - but my only "add" is a few ordinary spices and cheap carrots - the ham bone is pricey.
My point is, someone needs to advise of reasonably priced recipes. Jamie -what-ever-his-name is was excellent, IMO, when he went to the schools in West Virginia re the Food Nation. Those were reasonable recipes.
why do you use a bradmashine? i never use mine prefering the oven, but then again i make wholemeal sourdough bread. do you have experience of that with a breadmashine?
I do make my own bread. I also have a "bread slicer" stand and good serrated knife so I can cut decent, even slices. There is no comparison to nasty store bought bread -- though I'm betting my bread has more calories as it is far denser.
The aroma evokes memories of my grandmother - sweet emotions.
Things like banana bread - well, that's mixed and in a pan of course. But wheat, rosemary, etc. - bigger loaves - bread machine. Measure, dump, push a button. Prep time - 2-3 mins? So worth it.