Google Food News 6/25/08

The search for today:

Tyson to sell Canadian beef business for C$107 mln:

The article said that this was part of the "long term plan" for Tyson to focus on "Asian and South American markets." Does that mean FEEDING those markets, or raising animals in those markets and importing the food here? Not so sure I'm cool with the idea of eating chickens from Asia right not - I'm certainly not okay with the kids eating it.

Texas Governor Rick Perry's ethanol stance stirs up backers, foes:

Currently, our gas is being mixed with ethanol. The law allows us (as a country) to use 9 billion gallons. Governor Perry wants that cut to 4.5 billion. Why? Well, two studies have tied rising food costs to the rise in corn prices. I think we just need to be less dependent on corn as a food source, because....

Corn farmers' hopes are dashed by the flood:

Recent floods in the Midwest have killed corn farming for an area that really depends on it. My husband in from the Midwest, and I have seen the fields and fields of corn. No corn on the 4th!?!

PetSmart donating supplies, food to flood-ravaged Midwest:

It makes me happy to hear that someone is taking care of the puppies and kitties in distress. Sometimes these little things are overlooked.

UN warns of rising food prices:

Some have more issue with the rising food costs than others.

Darden Plans To Use Derivative Contracts To Hedge Food Costs:

Oh, oh.....can I do this? Darden runs Red Lobster and Olive Garden, and are planning on entering into contracts with distributors in order to keep food costs from going up. It's like the forever stamp, but for food. Wouldn't it be great if we could ALL do this?

And, finally, my favorite...

Health Tip: Don't Overdo Fast Food :

Okay, SERIOUSLY? Someone wasted perfectly good paper for this article? I really don't think someone chomping down on a Big Mac and Fries thinks that it is GOOD for them. They're just having a craving. Or eating badly. Or whatever, but they're not under the delusion that they're doing their body well by grabbing a quick bite at the Burger King. Now, there are ways to eat healthy at the fast food place. However, most going there aren't planning on watching their waist line.

Oy.

If you "google news" food....

This is what you get:

"Pizza Hut Named Most Trusted Food Service Brand in India by The Economic Times for Fourth Year": I agree that Pizza Hut is badly good. I mean, the crust just tastes unhealthily tasty, and you can see the grease pools. However, what saddens me here is that the rest of the world considers THIS American food. Or, at the very least, a American bastardization of Italian. Why couldn't we be known for something GOOD. I mean, the Japanese have sushi. Islands everywhere are full of fruits and vegetables. We get Pizza Hut and McDonald's.

F.D.A. Takes Aim at Herbal Cancer ‘Cures’: I really don't have any business commenting on families dealing with cancer, and the options they use to prolong life and cure disease. I understand the FDA wanting to "protect" people from "themselves." However, don't people have a right to live how they want to live? I can see both sides, and it's an interesting article. Imagine you hand cancer, or if you do, how would you/do you feel about this article?

China to send food, product inspectors to US: official: I can handle this, as it may add an element of responsibility on the American market. However, it does seem kind of funny that China's basically doing a "I'm rubber and you're glue, whatever you say bounces off of me and sticks to you," argument. Whatever. More checks are better than less, I guess. If it makes them feel better. I still won't buy Chinese.

US flooding locks in record food prices: WONDERFUL. Because the price of gas isn't bad enough.

The cost of good health.

And no, I'm not speaking of health care.

I just read a really fantastic article about the costs of food increasing and how it is changing the ways families shop. It really hit home with some of the things that we've been struggling with lately.

In our house, I am the "kitchen boss" and J is "money man." I used to do all the money, but it turns out I can't say, "no." So, now J gets this job. Have I mentioned how much he LOVES it?

One constant bone of contention is the food budget. Now, J knows that I work really hard to keep this down. I shop sales, I use coupons religiously, and I comparison shop where possible. Part of the problem is that I live in a medium sized town with small town amenities. We are a fast growing county, and developers can't keep up. I refuse to go to certain stores because the crowds are just unbearable. Still, I go cheap where possible, and I go sales in all the other places. The Internet certainly helps.

The problem comes out in the fact that we refuse to eat crap. I have this mentality that I would rather not eat anything at all, if my only choice is something that has no redeeming value. It either has to taste AMAZING or I know it has to be good for me and tastes pretty darn good. In other words, I can't remember the last time I bought ramen.

We buy organic for the dirty dozen and dairy, and natural in most other places. We have a few indulgences (mostly kid stuff), and eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Mainly, I refuse to feed the kids anything that I can't pronounce. At least I refuse 90% of the time. Yes, we hit McDonald's. The kids love it, and it's a good treat no more than once a month. As are a few other terrible items that have been known to make it in our cart. So sue me for spoiling my kids a little.

But still, it kills me how much it costs to eat well. I spend insane amounts on food and household items. All because I want to raise my kids in a clean home with natural foods, the way God intended. It boggles my mind that it takes two average incomes in our house to be able to meet our dietary and chemical expectations.

Truthfully, I could write a book about my opinions on the American diet, its ramifications on our health, and how I would like to change things for the better. Alas, I have not the attention for a book. Besides, it's already been written. It's just up to us to read the information, and realize that you have one life and one body.