the EAT-Lancet Commission on Healthy Diets From Sustainable Food Systems (Summary Report). Having already read the former, but only about the latter, we're inclined to go with the Food Rules summary Pollan's crafted subsequent to Omnivore and In Defense of Food:
“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”At the moment, this household maintains membership in two food coops, one for him, one for her. The household member who spent years working in economic development has become a strong advocate for coops. The household also has account at a credit union instead of a bank. We're undoubtedly in favor of and support most, and possibly all, that's espoused in the Lancet Commission report. We've noticed, however, that several Community Supported Agriculture farms we've participated in have problems packaging vegetables in quantities that supply a household of two. The means either we don't participate, we waste vegetables, or we have to find others with whom to share our share.
CSA Pick Up at a local food co-op
Photo by J. Harrington
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From what we've observed here in Minnesota, lots of folks don't like to be told what to do, even if its for their own good or the good of their family. (Notice how many vehicles exceed the speed limit or are being driven by "distracted" drivers on their cell phones.) Too many farmers, in our opinion, contribute too much nitrogen and sediment to their downstream neighbors, is another kind of issue. Pollan covers this kind of reaction fairly nicely with his three rules.
- Eat food. Hard to argue with, but he means real food not the kind that's manufactured.
- Not too much. Portion sizes have been a source of contention since we were kids in our family of origin. Too many of us are undernourished while too many others are overweight. Who's holding a gun to your head to force you to eat everything on your plate?
- Mostly plants. Even those of us who are "meat and potatoes" eaters can do better.
local farmers market in Spring
Photo by J. Harrington
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Despite living in an area with an abundance of CSAs, food coops and farmers markets, it's improbable we'll ever consider going meatless, or even limiting meat to once a month. By the same token, we can eat lots less meat and be happy and, probably, healthier while reducing our carbon footprint. But that latter should, we think, be a consequence of our diet, not a driver. Unfortunately, much of the media coverage we've see so far is all about "we have to eat less meat." That's not really what it's all about. Furthermore, we haven't even begun to look at the implications Sean Sherman's The Sioux Chef's Indigenous Kitchen and similar approaches to feeding both our faces and our souls.
Mr. D Shops At Fausto’s Food Palace
For years he lived close enough to smellchicken and bananas rottingin the trash bins, to surprise a cashier on breaksmoking something suspicious when he walked
out the back gate. Did they have an account?He can’t remember. Probably so, for all the milka large family went through, the last-minuteingredients delivered by a smirking bag boy.
He liked to go himself, the parking lot’sradiant heat erased once he got past the sweatingglass door, to troll the icy aisles in his slippers.This was before high-end labels took over
shelf space, before baloney changedits name to mortadella, before watercame in flavors, before fishgot flown in from somewhere else.
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Please be kind to each other while you can.
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