Declare Your Food Independence

What is more emblematic of this country's deep rooted commitment to rebelling against the status quo than the impending July 4th holiday? It's a holiday which celebrates the collective commitment to individual liberties, freedom and democracy. As part of our individualistic spirit, how often do you seem to hear lately about people removing themselves from "grids." I'm referring to energy grids, food grids, education grids and any other behemoth industrial structure that stagnates our growth, individual freedom and ability to operate outside of the confines of our sometimes restrictive corporate or government structures. While this should be a day that we each take the time to read the Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights and celebrate heroes like Paul Revere, instead we ususally opt to take to our backyards to grill, baby, grill.

I'm not asking you to give up your cherished grilling time, but each of us has the opportunity this holiday to make a radical political statement by declaring our food independence. What does this mean? Well, it means a lot to each one of us as unique individuals. But, collectively, it's about saying 'no' to our industrial food system which is feeding us an unhealthy corn-based diet that is contributing to skyrocketing obesity rates, helping to fuel global warming, scaring us with constant food recalls and offering us foods that barely resemble food (a friend recently received a piece of sausage resembling a Pabst beer bottle. American kitsch? Yes. Healthy? No.).

It's time that we return to our roots. Literally. We need to support a food system that offers us healthy, safe, sustainable, fresh foods. And what better time to begin than on Independence Day? Below are some tips for how to launch your food independence to have a healthier, fun holiday.

1. Skip the so-called "meat" hot dogs and choose veggie ones instead. I know this might be blasphemous for me to write, but unless you are getting meat from humanely-raised, grass-fed beef, you're more likely to be consuming a hot dog filled with antibiotics, hormones, chemicals and corn. Not so yummy, eh? Instead, join with millions of others who will be enjoying veggie hotdogs during July-National Veggie Hotdog month; they're tastier, healthier, have less environmental impact and are humanely raised.

2. Ok, so option 1 might have been a bit extreme for some of you. If you choose to eat meat this holiday weekend, check out Eat Wild for local, grass-fed beef and dairy sources.

3. Grill some fresh farmers market veggies. Skip the vegetables shipped thousands of miles and instead choose produce grown by a farmer near you. The Eat Well Guide is a handy online-tool that will allow you to find local farms and farmers markets.

4. Go on a corn-free diet. Corn is everywhere; it's an ingredient in the food and perhaps even the packaging of a zillion products in our kitchens.

5. Don't eat anything you can't pronounce (excluding hard to pronounce international dishes like souffle or babaganouj). Don't eat anything with more than 5 ingredients (this is care of the food guru Michael Pollan).

6. See Food, Inc. This eye-opening movie connects the dots to explain who and how our food system really operates. It will make you want to change how you eat.

7. Plant a garden in your home or join a community garden.

8. Choose sustainably raised seafood. Not to rain on your parade, but many fish-stocks are dwindling at alarming rates and many fish are filled with chemicals like mercury. Make sure you eat fish that are safe for you and the planet.

9.Start a compost bin. You'll have lots of kitchen scraps from your farmers market produce which can be turned into nourishing, rich soil that can then be used on your new garden.

10. Choose hormone-free dairy. Do you really want to your sparkler-topped July 4th ice cream sundae to be made with hormone-laden dairy? Me neither. Choose organic dairy or soy ice cream.

Sarah's Social Action Snapshot originally appeared on Takepart.com

 

 

 

Follow Sarah Newman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SarahNow

Comments

[Eggsackley]

I have been gardening organically for some time now and am going to start selling food locally. But I'm a gardener, not a farmer. We need to start taking moving away from industrial agriculture to small farms with sustainable yields. Farm subsidies should be abolished. And carbon taxes need to be levied on fuel, fertilizer, and pesticides. If the huge industrial farms can't survive a carbon tax they need to be bought by the government and homesteaded. With the internet, small farmers can find local markets, and work second jobs. Rural life no longer means lack of intellectual stimulus. Energy independence is possible if you work at it. I plan to.
The Jeffersonian Ideal was a nation of small farmers. Granted, he never lived that life, but it is a great ideal. What better time than the Fourth of July, to dedicate ourselves to making that ideal possible.

[mariandc]

These suggestions are so helpful to those of us wanting to change to both a healthy diet and a diet that is far less cruel to animals. If children knew what they were eating most of the time they would be appalled that knowing adults would allow this to occur.

[chicgogo]

not sure I agree with not eating anything with more than 5 ingredients. I love to cook and try to use organic ingredients, but most recipes ask for more than five, which is fine if they are from a good source. It's the pre-packaged, engineered food with a novel's worth of ingredients that you want to stay clear of. I love corn on the cob and didn't know that in it is bad in its basic form.

[Sarah Newman - Huffpost Blogger]

eating a bit of corn on the cob that is non-GMO is fine. it's corn that is fed to livestock, turned into high-fructose corn syrup and other ways its pushed into our diets is what is bad and unhealthy.

[faithnj]

thanks for saying this. I had to share it with my friends. it's really time for all of us to declare some food independence- even me. I've been a vegetarian for 25 years, but even I need to step away from the corn syrup and fast food selections. "Not having enough time to make a healthy meal" just ran out of time as an excuse, in my book.

[Sarah Newman - Huffpost Blogger]

Yes, I think most of us have gotten caught up in our 24/7 lifestyle which often doesn't leave enough time for cooking. I'm glad to learn that you've been a vegetarian for so many years!

[gitmar]

I read that soy may not be the best option because now certain companies are going to China which has no restrictions on organic, etc. Is this true?

[Sarah Newman - Huffpost Blogger]

I've heard about supposedly organic products made in China turning out to be, well, not organic. I think it's important for consumers to press corporations to ensure their food is safe and accurately labeled.

[cinder]

This is too depressing and too difficult! Any chance regular supermarkets will have a section where we can get this stuff -- traveling all over town to get this kind of (delicious) food would use up so much time/gas, it becomes counterproductive. Wish I lived in California.

[Sarah Newman - Huffpost Blogger]

Great points! more and more markets are including organic options. and, most cities have farmers markets at least throughout the summer months. canning and freezing fresh summer produce is another option for those in colder climates.