Food, Inc.
6 Jul
Before we get on with it, I must note that the ladies over at Keep it Simple Foods are giving away cookie dough (!!!) And it’s a special kind of good-for-you-almost cookie dough. You need to enter this contest.
This is the kind of lunch that is healthy, pretty to look at but just doesn’t fill me up the right way. I basically created a leftover salad with some pasta from the other day + lettuce.
It was good and provided a great crunch, but like I said – I’m just not full yet. I am currently munching on these and hoping they help. These strawberries are on their last legs.
I am contemplating getting a small cup of soup from the cafe in my building. Grr, I hate being hungry after I eat. I best sip on some water first.
In other fun news, I recently bought my first Vera Bradley bag. I did not buy this for the label but instead because it was 40% off and also because of the detailing.
Do you see what that is? An owl! I love owls!
Hooray for fun purses 
Food, Inc.
I saw Food, Inc. last Thursday. It couldn’t have been better timing. I had recently joined the Co-op and was trying to eat more locally. And the Cleaner Life Month had been starting to fade away and needed a boost. I would say that by the end of this movie, I redefined my eating objectives and discovered all that I have been doing.
This is the kind of movie that leaves you feeling a multitude of ways – a little stunned, maybe depressed and somewhat naive. Because I hadn’t read any reviews, I walked in to the theater knowing only basics about the movie, which was good.
What I didn’t realize until after the movie was that I knew about this project while it was being created. A few years back, I gave a speech at an event before Eric Schlosser. While we were chatting backstage, he told me he was working on food-related piece and that I would find it interesting. It hit me during the film that Food, Inc., was the piece he described.
For those who haven’t heard about Food, Inc., it is a documentary that examines the current production of food. In particular, it emphasizes mass-produced meat and processed foods. It takes you into the chicken pens at Perdue farms. It introduces you to families survive on Burger King and can’t afford vegetables. And it highlights Monsanto, a company that is taking control over the food industry.
Because so much was covered in Food, Inc., I’d like to bullet point some of the particular ideas, themes and moments that spoke to me throughout the film.
The Ugly
- Meat production – I was not surprised by what I saw. I knew that chickens were penned in cages, stepping on their own feces and not seeing the light of day. I knew the way slaughtering took place. It was, however, eye opening to see the ways in which animals are “aged and fattened up” so that more meat can be produced. While chickens should grow up to 5 lbs in about 3 months, most chickens are that size in 49 days. They are so large, their legs are not strong enough to support them because they’ve aged so rapidly.
- Companies - I didn’t know was how little farmers actually make working for big-wig companies; this is not a profitable venture. Some farmers are being manipulated and almost controlled by the company. It seems that farmers lose their rights to own and farm their own land as soon as they sign on with the company.
- Corn – I didn’t know how much corn was covering the earth. I didn’t know that it was in the majority of processed foods in various forms. I didn’t know corn was the primary food fed to cows and chickens to fatten them up for slaughter. If corn fattens animals, and it’s in most processed foods – what does that say about what we’re eating? What is it doing to us?
- Bacteria – There have been more food recalls in the past ten years than in the past 100 or so. And companies rarely apologize, even if it involved death.
- Companies owned by other companies – What do you mean that Tom’s of Maine is owned by Crest? And that Kashi is owned by Kellog’s? What else is owned by someone else?
- Monsanto – I don’t even know where to begin. Honestly, I found the part about them most confusing and probably because it’s a ridiculous situation. Essentially, Monsanto owns 90% of the soybeans in the U.S. because they patented a particular type of genetically modified soybean. Now farmers can be sued for “keeping their seeds” and replanting. That’s right – a company has patented a food and now other people cannot grow their own.
The Good
- Good Farmers – There are still farmers out there who feed their cows grass, produce meat in a clean way and don’t “speed up” the lives of their animals.
- Wal-Mart – Stores such as Wal-Mart are now offering organic food. In the movie, the representatives say it’s because “the people demanded it.” Whatever their reason, it’s important that they start stocking the shelves.
How Will I Change?
This movie made me realize that I took my childhood for granted. I know I write about the farm often – but that’s all I could think of during this movie. I took for granted the food that was so readily available to me.
- I will eat minimally processed foods.
- I will not eat meat unless I know where it comes from.
- I will eat locally grown and/or organic produce.
- I will be more aware in general.
No matter what your take on food, do yourself a favor and watch this movie. You owe it to yourself and your health.
great review, Rose! and I hate when my lunches don’t fill me up either
i hope the water helps!
one thing that always confuses me is that one of my family members (who works for one of the largest meat producing companies in the nation) says that while the demand for “organic meat” is up, the profits are nothing., i.e., people say they want organic but then won’t pay for it so the companies end up losing a lot of money since it costs more to produce organic meat and then people aren’t buying it. anyway – totally random.
the movie isn’t playing around here, so i’ll have to wait for netflix.
Thanks for the review Rose! I’ve been meaning to go see this, since I blogged about how I wanted to. I had no idea the project was stemming from that book either!
What a great review. I’ve been wanting to see Food, Inc., and I need to make a date to do that! Having read so many books like Fast Food Nation and the Omnivore’s Dilemma, I already feel like I need to make better choices for my body and for society. In particular, I know that I really need to “vote” for cleaner, local, responsible foods with my food dollars. Thanks for the highlights! It sounds like the kind of movie that would strengthen my often weak committment to taking important and responsible steps as a consumer.
i keep saying i need to see this, but you’ve just convinced me that i need to go this week. that last point about monsanto is incredibly disturbing, as is the corn issue. it goes completely against the values this country was founded upon that we can’t trust what we are being told, and that one company basically has a monopoly on one type of food (and who knows how far this could spiral out of control). but i also find it incredibly depressing that so few people take an interest in these problems. i would love if this film became a phenomenon and really changed the food industry in this country, but truthfully, i don’t think it will have anywhere near that kind of effect. it frightens me that while we can personally make decisions to eat minimally processed foods, we still never know if we’re being lied to, simply because so few people put enough of an emphasis on health to make a difference.
great review of the movie Rose- I will be interested to see it- although I’m sure that it will confirm certain things I knew about food production, etc.
Also, thanks for the shout-out!!
Great review – I cannot wait to see it! It sounds like it is definitely eye-opening.
AWESOME review of the movie. I am going to have to wait to see it on video because my small town will NOT show this movie. Now I’m even MORE anxious to see it!!! Thanks so much for that!!!!
-A
cute purse!
love this post. Well organized, easy to read, NICE review. I definitely want to check it out!
love the purse…and I definitely want to see that movie – thanks for the tip.
I love your new purse and thanks for the review of the movie!
I love the bag, and thanks for the thoughtful review! I’m scared to take Chris to see it because I’ve just transitioned him 90% from meat to soy, and I’m afraid he’s going to come away saying, “What can I eat now?!?!”
Um…organic fruits…and vegetables…I guess…
Thanks for the review. I definitely want to see this movie. I watched ‘King Corn’ a few weeks ago, and found that interesting as well.
i really want to see Food Inc! its not playing anywhere near me though :\
sorry to hear your delicious looking lunch didn’t fill you up.
Thanks for the review! I want to see this with my husband. He seems keen on vegetarianism, and I think this might help teach him some things.
I am glad you saw the movie and enjoyed your perspective. I borrowed Omnivore’s Dilemma from my dad and can’t wait to read it.
In other news, I have an owl Vera. It’s too cute. Where did you get 40% off? Also, tomorrow is the last day of the challenge, right? Day 30?
Great review! I wish they would play it in theaters near me. Anyway, it sounds like a good wake-up call in terms of how our food is produced.
thanks for the shout out lady!
I’m glad you saw the film and got so many of the useful messages out of it!
Yes. We are a nation fattening up on corn. It’s in everything.
You can use localharvest.org to find your local farms that sell everything from meat to eggs to veggies. Local + organic + humane is the ticket.
GL lady. It’s not an easy change but it CAN be done! We do it and have been for 3 years.
hoping to see this tonight!! i like your review. i’m a bit worried that i’m going to freak out after i see it though.