Organic Food Blog

While doing some reading on the latest Organic Food news I came across and article that puzzled my brain. It seems theres big bucks to be paid out when coming to the aid of the richest of farmers in America. To be exact Billions of dollars spent. But why is the Organic Food Industry being nickeled and dimmed? Why are we forced to pay so much for Organic Food some may wonder, but its the fault of the government for not giving the Organic Food farmers the appreciation and funding they need so desperately and deserve. When is America going to stand up for themselves and see that a more healthy lifestyle lies in the hands of the Organic Food Industry. Please read up on this article at www.organicconsumers.org. It will really open your eyes to whats going on and give you insight to how the government really needs to make a change.

We all know and I’m sure have hear many times that organic food is better for you. It is grown naturally without chemical fertilizers or pesticides therefore is is better for our bodies. But why are the prices of organic foods going sky high? The prices are whats driving many individuals away from buying organic foods today. For example an organic loaf of bread in many stores can average somewhere around $4.50. Prices such as these can seem very unappealing to most of us and drive us in the opposite direction. Heres some helpful shopping tips I found to help you achieve lower costs and still get the organic foods you want.

• Make the transition gradual. Take at least a year, becoming familiar with prices and products.

• Plan each week’s meals around the most affordable produce, meat and grains.

• Meat and dairy products contain the highest concentration of pesticides, so if your grocery budget is tight, choose organic meat, cheese and milk over produce, grains, cereals and other foods.

• Scout farmers markets for organic growers and avoid paying the “middleman” by buying direct from the farmer.

• Eating produce out of season is expensive, but if you must have strawberries in winter, buy frozen. Frozen organic produce is now available in bulk at warehouse stores.

• The non-profit Environmental Working Group studies pesticide residue on produce and recommends spending your shopping dollars on organic to replace conventionally grown produce with the highest amounts of chemicals. No pesticide levels exceed federal standards, but the highest offenders include strawberries, spinach, bell peppers, cherries, peaches, cantaloupe from Mexico, celery, apples, green beans and imported grapes. “www.azcentral.com“

I’ve been MIA from this blog from about a week and a half because I just had a beautiful baby girl. She was a little early, so I had to spend more time in the hospital than usual. One of the things that I am now looking ahead to is how to keep her as healthy as possible. Because of that, I am beginning my research into the world of organic baby food. As of right now, she is on formula and will be for some time. However, I don’t think it is too soon to begin planning for the future and figuring out what kind of diet I will have her on when I can finally begin giving her baby food.

One of the things I have found in my research so far is that the organic baby food industry is booming!!! From the local grocery store (Publix devotes an entire section of their store to organic foods) to online companies that specialize in organic baby food, there are a lot of options for people looking to feed their baby the best in organics. One brand I am eager to check out is Earth’s Best Baby Food. They have the array of products I am looking for and the attractive branding that would trick any kid into thinking this is regular old junk food!

For those of you who have experimented with organic baby foods, what brands have you found to work best for you?

I used to be one of those people that resisted the pull of living an online life. You know the type — won’t buy clothing online when I could just got to the mall for instant gratification; won’t buy books online when Borders is right down the street. So, it’s not surprising that I’ve never, ever considered buying online for organic food and items when I could just visit my local farmer’s market.

But then last weekend, an interesting dilemma presented itself to me: what happens when my organic tomatoes are nowhere in sight? What happens when the farmer’s market isn’t yielding a great deal of organic goods when I need them?

Well, I did, in fact, find my answer online in the form of the Organic Mall. OMG!!! They have everything —from organic food that you can handily purchase online and have delivered right to your door sans grocery bags and long, long searches to organic clothing and various other personal products. It’s an organic-lovers dream, all presented in a nice and neat Web site. So, I have officially yielded to the Internet and have used it to provide me with yet another convenient way of living a much simpler, stress-free and now, organic, lifestyle.

For those who have tried it, eating organically is not a simple task. Shopping can take much longer than usual because you spend so much time searching for organic products in a sea of mass-produced, mainstream food. For this reason, I am really loving Jeff Cox’s “The Organic Food Shopper’s Guide.”

This book is great for anyone just entering the organic food realm or for those of us who have been there for quite some time now. This book is divided into easy-to-use chapters on the different types of organic food available, how and when to purchase them and quick tidbits, such as nutritional content, storage tips and recipes. There is so much covered in this book, yet it doesn’t feel at all overwhelming. He kicks off the book with a great chapter on the benefits of eating organic and a commentary on the principles of this culture.

Cox has written 17 books on the subject, including the ever-popular Organic Cook’s Bible. This should be gracing the bookshelf of anyone who is aspiring to eat just a little healthier and is considering trying the organic route.

You know, I always find it interesting when critics of the organic food industry come out against eating organic foods. I just don’t see the point — why bash people for trying to lead a healthier lifestyle? The latest flap is going on over in England, where critics are coming out in droves against eating organic, saying there is no difference in organic and non-organic food.

I’m sorry, but I just don’t see how this argument makes the least bit of sense. The health benefits of growing — and eating — organic food are plain for anyone to see. I mean just the fact that organic fruits and vegetables are not growing using harmful pesticides make them better for you. I don’t see how anyone can argue that eating pesticides and not consuming them are one and the same. The same goes for organic dairy products. Animals used in organic farming are not given harmful hormones or growth steroids to enhance their dairy or meat products. How can this not be better for you?

If critics of organic foods want to go on consuming the harmful chemicals found in product and meat in mainstream markets, let them go ahead and do so. But do so without trying to sell us on the fact that eating organically is not the healthier alternative. It may be more expensive, but in the long run, I am willing to pay money to help preserve my good health for as long as possible.

Before I began eating somewhat organically, I too was under the misconception that organic food had that oats and granola, no-seasoned tastless quality. However, as I began to pore the Internet for great recipes to help my family adjust to eating organic, I realized that not only was it all in the types of recipes I chose, but also in how I added my own unique flair to them.

For example, last night, we had one of my tried and true organic favorites: spaghetti with mushrooms, onions and marinara sauce and yes, the entire meal was organic. I got the recipe from the Eden’s Web site after trying their Kamut spaghetti noodles once. Their original recipe just calls for mushrooms and a smattering of other veggies, but since I like a heavy on the veggies-style pasta, I add way more onions, peppers and a slew of special spices and seasonings to mine. My family loves it and everyone asks for seconds. In any case, here is the recipe courtesy of the Eden Foods site:

Marinara with Mushrooms and Spaghetti

Serves 7 | Prep Time 0:15 | Cook Time 0:30

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons Eden Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup Eden Maitake Mushrooms
1/2 cup Eden Sliced Shiitake Mushrooms
25 ounces Eden Organic Spaghetti Sauce, 1 jar
or Eden Organic Spaghetti Sauce - No Salt
1/2 cup carrots, diced
1 cup zucchini, diced
or yellow summer squash
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
2 teaspoons Eden Shoyu Soy Sauce, optional
14 ounces Eden Organic Kamut Spaghetti, 1 package
Eden Organic Parstley Garlic Spaghetti, Eden Organic 100% Whole Grain Spaghetti, or any Eden Organic Pasta

Directions

In separate bowls, soak the maitake and shiitake with warm water to cover for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside. Soaking water may be saved for later use in soup stock.

Heat up oil in a sauce pan, sauté garlic and onions for 2 minutes. Add shiitake, maitake, carrots and zucchini, sauté 3 minutes. Add all other ingredients, except pasta, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes over a low flame.

While the sauce is cooking, prepare the pasta according to package directions and drain when done. Serve the hot marinara over the cooked pasta.

Nutritional Info

Per serving: 340 Calories, 7g Fat (17% calories from fat), 14g Protein, 62g Carbohydrate, 13g Fiber, 0mg Cholesterol, 362mg Sodium

Many people complain about the price of organic foods and wonder how to eat healthy and organically without breaking the bank. Specifically for those who have a family, eating 100% organic can be a strain on the budget. Until it becomes a more affordable option, here are some tips on making the switch to organic without emptying your pocketbook:

* Take it one food group at a time: You can start by beginning to eat organically in one specific food department, such as fruit or vegetables or meat. In many cases, it comes down to which foods contain more pesticides than others. For example, vegetables such as oranges or broccoli have been known to contain less pesticides than say apples, which contains more pesticides than many other fruits and vegetables. So perhaps it would pay to buy organic apples to mix in with your other fruit.

* Milk is another good switch: These days, milk contains very high levels of artifical ingredients, hormones, pesticides and more. In fact, some of the problems found in children today during their developing years has been attributed to all of the additives in cow’s milk. Switching to organic milk can perhaps help you and your children to avoid some of the health problems that may come along with drinking regular cow’s milk.

These are easy tips that can begin your family’s switch to organic without busting your budget. In fact, you may not notice a difference and in time, you can switch over more as prices become more affordable.

Not only are people right here in the United States seeing the benefit of eating organic, but other countries have also hopped onto the organic food train. Germany is one such company that has seen sales of organic food rise and it’s not just for people earning a lot of money. The average German family has introduced organic food into its every day meal plan, with food ranging from organic pizza to organic beer.

In this small European country, organic foods are plentiful and can not only be found in a variety of specialty organic stores, but also through several Internet sites. For example, in the last year, the organic food sector in Germany posted a 14% increase in overall sales.

Eating organic on a daily basis is surely a model that American consumers should look to follow. Eating organic should not solely be a special occasion meal, but a part of our every day food life.

Many people wonder why you have to pay more for organic foods in most instances. There are a number of reasons for this, all of which boil down to one simple concept: you get what you pay for!

You may a little more for those organic carrots at the supermarket, but they are cleaner, healthier and you know they came from a wholesome source. You can paying for peace of mind. Can’t say that about your regular carrots, huh?

Here are three reasons why you pay more for organic food and why you shouldn’t complain:

Reason #1: Animal Welfare — Essentially, the better the animals are treated and the better their conditions, the better quality of food you will have. If the animals in question are being fed good food often and being kept in clean, sterile conditions, the chances that they will end with diseases or in poor health from malnourishment are much slimmer. Optimal treatment of animals is a staple of the organic farming industry.

Reason #2: Skilled Husbandry — This boils down to the fact that organic farmers must be more skilled in farming their land and handling their crops. Since there are no pesticides used in many facets of organic farming, farmers must weed by hand. They must keep a constant watch over all of their plants and animals to ensure that everything is growing and being nurtured as it should. This requires a great deal of education and knowledge on the part of those involved in the organic farming process.

Reason #3: Materials — In many instances, organic farmers must make their own materials from scratch, i.e. fertilizer. This is because many of the products on the market today are made with non-organic, artificial components and cannot be used in the organic farming process. Therefore, farmers must either pay more for organic materials or produce their own, which can translate into better quality, but higher cost for the consumer.

Just remember, you are what you eat. Organic food helps to guarantee that what you eat is healthy and natural and when you look and feel better, that will manifest in other areas of your life.