I usually like to keep this blog positive. There is so much negativity in the world and I don’t want to be that, but I’ve just got to get this off my chest. No wonder we Americans have no idea anymore what healthy food is. I went to a discount store the other day to pick up some kitty litter. I wasn’t sure exactly where I was going, so I wandered around a little bit. I spotted a large overhead sign that said “Fresh Foods”. That caught my attention and I walked over.
I was hoping to see a lovely assortment of fresh produce, maybe some milk, and eggs. I was really getting excited as I walked over because I was thinking how great would it be to get “Fresh Foods” at discount store prices. I was imagining that it would be wonderful to open up the “Fresh Food” world to a population that wasn’t shopping at the “fancy” and higher priced grocery stores. You can imagine my disappointment when this is what I saw.
I couldn’t believe it! How the heck can they get away with calling this “Fresh Food”? All I can see when I look at this aisle is artificial colors, artificial ingredients, and sugar, sugar, sugar! I don’t see anything and I mean anything that I would consider “Fresh Food”. What do you think they mean by fresh? Maybe I’m wrong, but I think of fresh food as food that can’t sit on the store shelf for weeks and weeks. Have we strayed so far from fresh that we don’t know that “Fresh Food” is an apple and not a toaster pastry? What lesson does this teach our children? Do you think they don’t read this sign and start making those types of connections?
I know that my children are extremely bright (LOL!), but I bet most kids see these types of signs and start to make the association. Fresh equals just bought it at the store. Fresh is fruit-flavored and not real fruit. Fresh is corn syrup flavored with maple and not the syrup that comes from the trees. A few years back Jamie Oliver brought his Food Revolution to TV and on his program he held up basic fruits and vegetables and asked the children to name them. They couldn’t do it. What!? Corn, Potatoes, and carrots and they couldn’t name them. That is just wrong.
The problem is if we only feed our children processed chicken nuggets and french fries, they will never have the opportunity to really learn what “Fresh Foods” are. And the worst part is that their bodies will suffer for it. “Fresh Foods” set a strong foundation for their bodies to grow and develop. “Fresh Foods” help their bodies to fight disease by building up their immune systems. “Fresh Foods” also help their brains to function so that they can focus at school and the rest of their life.
“Fresh Foods” certainly are not found at this discount store. I want that to change. We live in America for Pete’s sake. “Fresh Foods” should be made available to everyone at an affordable price. There are some areas of our country where there isn’t access to “Fresh Foods”. Places where the only place to shop for groceries are these discount stores and gas stations. Crazy isn’t it?! Crazy, but true.
Remember, you vote with your shopping dollars. Tell your grocery store that you want true “Fresh Food” and quit buying their junk. Shop the perimeter of the store, where the “Fresh Food” is and avoid all of that processed junk in the middle of the store. It may not be easy at first, but I promise it gets easier with time. True story……….during the time I’ve been eating Real Food, I have found more and more Real Food options at my traditional grocery store. I like to think that my purchases have something to do with that. Be the example your children need you to be. Don’t let them be kids that don’t know what a potato is. They don’t have to like everything……….they just need to know what it is.
Exit soap box……………………
What do you think? Have I gone crazy or has our food system? Why is it that our food doesn’t even look like food anymore? What is it like where you live…………do you have access to “Fresh Foods” or is are they difficult to find?
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OUR. FOOD. SYSTEM. IS. CRAZY. You are completely right! I'm going to have to share this. And you just go ahead and stay on that soap box!!
You certainly are an influence on this rant Kristen. I've learned from the best. Thanks for the encouragement. Soap box is firmly in place!
They were dead wrong for hanging a Fresh Foods sign on the canned goods aisle. I'm pretty sure the FDA regulates the fresh foods are produce or meats that you can get cut fresh at the deli counter. I definitely wouldn't shop a store who participated in false advertisement and misleading its shoppers.
Prepackaged and canned foods are only 'fresh'to a certain degree.
Good to know! Look closer at the photo. (They aren't that great because I felt like I had to sneak them with my phone. LOL!) Each aisle says "Fresh Food". Yowza……….I see soda, candy, and cake mix. I agree. I won't be shopping there any longer.
What I find very sad is that the crap food is super cheap and the real food is super expensive, so all of us with big families or limited income, of which I have both, end up buying half or more crap in order to have enough food to keep our kids fed! It just shouldn't be this way! Half my grocery bill is fresh food but only a quarter of my food is! How is this ok?
It's not OK! I think something needs to be done about it. Fresh foods can be expensive. I see less sales and less coupons for fresh and organic foods. Practically non-existant! I feed 3 grown men on a regular basis and they can eat! I feel the need to stretch a buck. I've found some ways to reduce my overall cost like cutting back meat to an ingredient rather than the bulk of the meal. I find real food more filling so that helps. Whole wheat pasta is a lot more filling so they eat less of it. I cook as much as I can, but I work all day away from the home so I know it's not easy. Ingredients are cheaper than their prepared counterparts. Washing my own lettuce and chopping veggies helps. Big food loves to mess with us. They get us hooked on their sugar and salt that keeps us coming back for more.
Don't even get me going on this subject. It irritates me to no end. I hear yah and totally agree with you!
You crack me up Dawn! I am irritated and I just had to let everyone know.
I couldn't agree with you more! It is getting more and more difficult to find real food today. Here in Greece things are a little bit better than in the States in the sense that we do not have that many artificial products in our s/m aisles. Perhaps we are a small market and we are not worth marketing to us (thank God for this!). But even here one has to be very careful on what is buying. This sign is unacceptable. It completely misleads people!
It is getting so hard to know what Real Food is. There is so much marketing money put into convincing us that brightly colored gummies are "fruit". You have to read every label to know what you are really eating. Interesting to find out that you don't have the same marketing issues that we do. Perhaps, it is not size, but that your country won't tolerate it. Interesting. I appreciate you adding to my global perspective.
I know that you have room on the soapbox for me…but I will save it. I was actually appalled the other day when my m-i-l's friends actually verbally assaulted her for posting on facebook that she was making a gluten free bread from coconut flour and stevia. Okay maybe not assaulted but said – YUCK, EWWWW…Why would you want to avoid sugar? and "put down that crap and eat real food"! That one cracked me up "Real food" what the heck was his idea of real food…. The WORST part of all this is that they are from a farming community and even they consider McDonalds to be "real" "good" food. I praised her on facebook for trying to live longer for her grandkids as well as reminded her friends that her father died due to high blood pressure and diabetes…if anyone should eat better…it is her. Maybe I was mean but one of her friends felt attacked and my MIL removed the post. Shouldn't she have been the "attacked" one? All she said was that she was making some "REAL" bread. I think her buddies offering sugar filled, deep fried, better laden cooking tips were wrong….Oh gosh…wrote a lot – sorry- you did have to let me up there but if anyone understands..it is you!
I am floored Heather! I've read your comment about 10 times wondering if I read it wrong. I especially love how people think that factory created food is real food these days. We are so removed from reality. I know your MIL has been working really hard on eating better and she was probably hoping to be encouraged. I just can't believe the negativity. I don't understand why people feel so threatened when it comes to their food choices. Eat what you want people. Just let me do the same.
I think the sign should have said fresh dog cr*p, but then it may not have attracted anyone.
Oh my goodness Janine! I still have not stopped laughing from your comment. You know the next row over was the dog food. That probably had better ingredients in it.
Maybe "fresh" to a discount store means "not spoiled yet" and so they can get away with it 🙂
You are probably right Nicole! Of course, much of these products will never spoil. As they say……..the longer the shelf life……….the shorter our life will be.
Thank you for ranting! As someone who was raised eating REAL food (which I now prepare for my daycare kids) I am often shocked by what people think of as "healthy eating." Children are taught from a young age that treats and artificial ingredients = tasty. Even with the recent movement to prevent childhood obesity, many schools serve unhealthy meals and treats on a regular basis. The lifelong habits that today's kids develop will make a big impact on changes in what food is available to us in the future.
You are right on! Our school encourages the children to bring a healthy snack to get the kids through to lunch. You wouldn't believe what a lot of these kids bring. Do I think they have bad parents? Heck no! I think people just really don't know what is healthy anymore. There are so many confusing messages out there. Vitamin fortified. No thank you. I would rather just get my vitamins straight up from the food I eat. I also don't understand why every activity requires a treat. Can you imagine these kids growing up and wondering why their employers aren't supplying treats for them doing their job. It's nuts!
Good rant! I think my kids know the difference but that's because I tend to shop the outer aisles of the grocery store vs the middle with all the processed stuff. Not that we never buy any of it, because we do, but I prefer to fill most of my cart with healthier choices! All the processed foods that are touted as healthy is crazy!
You are doing a great job Michelle! Your kids will grow up to be adults who have a clue about healthy eating. I'm trying to teach my kids that if the package is bragging about something, they are likely hiding junky ingredients. I have label reading lessons with my kids all of the time. I also point out that the produce section doesn't even try to convince us they are healthy. Those apples just know they are good for you and don't like to brag.
It took me forever to be able to comment on this post…it was so frustrating! I won't go into the story…lol. But I agree with you here so much. I think it is sad that we live in a country that allows this. Some people may not think it's related to government, but in so many ways I do. I was really upset when I learned about Monsanto this year. It proved to me how much America really cares about the health of its citizens.
Don't even get me started on Monsanto! I could write a whole series ranting about Monsanto. What really drives me crazy is that we live in a country that is more concerned about healthcare (which is for sick people) than we care about keeping our people healthy. Nutrition and exercise are the keys to good health, but we keep looking for some vitamin enriched frankenfood to help us. Crazy!
Unfortunately, this is a startling reality in many places. It is sad that certain grocery stores fail to carry attractive produce. I have gone in many stores, and I understand why many people don't eat fruit and vegetables. When stores have a small portion of fresh produce that doesn't appeal to anyone, it is no wonder why many people choose to eat highly processed foods with additives and food colors to make them appealing. Thanks for sharing. This is so sad, but true.
You bring up a good point Trinity. Who wants to eat old produce? Not me. It is really not appealing at all. It drives me crazy when I go to restaurants and order a fruit cup and they bring me out old, brown fruit. Color is a big deal with food. The colors seem to be getting brighter and brighter. My kids look at red items now and say things like, "Would you like some Red 40 with your………….." Gotta love them.
I think this happens more than we realize. So many kids, and adults, don't know how to cook a healthy meal from real fresh food – something not from a box. It's sad and we will see the consequences of it as people age. I want my kids to know how to cook, really cook, and to know how to choose a healthy diet for themselves and their family. It's unfortunate that there are so many places where people don't have much access to fresh produce – food deserts. Thanks for sharing.