My Diet Is An Investment

I don't understand why most people eat like they are a human garbage disposal. This is the body that has to sustain us and get us around for years to come. Now, to be perfectly honest I pretty much WAS a human garbage disposal for years. Maybe the reason I take such an interest in what goes in to my body now, is because for years I filled it full of booze and chemicals, so now I feel like I owe it better treatment. At any rate, I spend a lot more on groceries and eating out at restaurants than most people do.

I only shop at farmer's markets, and small specialty grocery stores. I do not shop at supermarkets. I do use Target to get my cheap yogurt, condiments, and other things I just can't see spending a ton of money on. I would NEVER buy meat or produce at Target. I don't care about labels like "cage free", "free range" and "organic" because I've done my research and know that these labels in California are negligible at best. I know all of the hidden names for animal products in items. I know that a lot of red meat is dyed to look bright red in the store. I know that we need to change the law so that genetically modified food is clearly labeled.

My grocery spending, to what I make, ratio is far higher than most people, and I'm okay with that. What I put in to my body is an investment. Bargain grocery shopping is like me telling the world I'm not worth that investment, and I refuse to do that. On average I spend about 400 dollars a month on groceries just for me. That does include my kitty items, shampoos, razors, and cleaning supplies as well. I don't find that number to be obscene. I would find it more obscene if I ate all Trader Joe food out of boxes and then wondered why, years later, my body was failing me. I believe in preventing things, rather than treating them after they happen. My diet is a direct reflection of that. Sorry Trader Joe's fans, it's just that I don't know where there food is sourced and I can't support that kind of thing. I don't always eat locally, but I do for the most part and it's something I value.

This is not in any way meant as a preachy post. This is how I need to eat for my life. However you eat is your business. And hey, Friday night my ass is going to Taco Bell. I ate some pasta on Sunday that was imported from Italy. Talk about a carbon footprint. More like a carbon Bigfootprint. I realize and value how truly blessed I am to be able to afford to eat exactly how I want to. I know a lot of people can't do that, and it's a shame.

The amount of edible food wasted in this country is obscene. The fact that I had to sit in a meeting at public health and listen to someone talk about how they were destroying olive trees to keep the prices up really gets me steamed. You know what I did? I TOTALLY overstepped my boundaries and followed that man out of the meeting and asked if I could have a moment of his time. I said, "Hey, what if you guys all just donated any excess to homeless shelters around your area? That way you look like the good guy, and you can still keep the market from being flooded with excess product." He asked about picking prices. I said, "I know for a fact you could get people to come pick for free, and possibly even handle the deliveries." So now he's looking in to it. We also have groups who are now picking fruit at public parks that would otherwise fall to the ground and go to waste, and delivering it to food banks and such around town.

The fact that we are a society more concerned with time saving and simplicity, than feeding our children healthful food, is something that should alarm us all. Why is everyone so behind the 99%, but driving through a drive thru to feel their families? Hey, KFC has a bucket for $9.99, who cares what they do to their chickens! I for one can't live that way. And although I respect everyone's personal choices, I wish more people would get up in arms about people eating what is essentially food-like substances, instead of real food.

Happy picture of the day: the screensaver on my computer, and my iPhone wallpaper. I'm pretty sure most people who walk by this at work have no clue what it's about. If they did, I may get in trouble as it's slightly inappropriate. Go me!

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