Pages

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Organic Pessimism

Organic is the new buzzword. I go into the store and see Organic this, and Organic that. I see fruit in the organic section that is much more than Non-Organic fruit. The difference, one tiny sticker. Yup, one teeny tiny sticker. Oh, I know that the government "assures" that this fruit is organic, but really, come on! The government can't even find the cause of Salmonella outbreaks anymore. So your on your diet, eating spinach one day, then hear that you could catch Salmonella, and switch to tomatoes, then hear they are tainted, too. What's a person to do? Switch to a Cinnamon Bear diet (They are Non-Fat, I hear)? Oh wait, we were talking about Organic food items.

So, okay. They need webcams set up on the places where these stickers are put on the fruit. I need some kind of proof there isn't any funny business.

I mean, I picture a grower with a bunch of fruit, right. There are two crates; One crate is the cheaper "Un-Organic" fruit, and the other :cue angel music: is the More Expensive, "Hip, Now, Wow, Organic" fruit. Now, see this would never happen, ever, but what if the grower looked around and put the stickers on the "Non-Organic" fruit, loaded them in the Organic crate, then went home and bought his family a Wii, Rock Band and had a weekend blowout party.

So, I'm sorry if everytime I look at that Organic fruit with the sticker, I get a picture in my head of the grower's kid failing hard on Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, and asking for a PS3 for his party next weekend.

Wait, why don't you subscribe to the blog. I mean, you don't have to, but it would be nice:

Subscribe Link

Or you could follow me. Psst, the link is over on the right sidebar. See it? Click it. Go ahead, I won't tell. :)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't buy organic either. There's no problem with "normal" food, production is highly regulated for safety and there is no difference in nutrition or taste. It just costs more.

Chivalrybean said...

I tend to try to eat healthy (I'm not suggesting you don't). I get organic stuff sometimes, but not always. When I go for meat, I'll shoot for 'natural'. What I look for (in my limited knowledge) is that the animal is fed (according to the label) food the animal normally eats and not hormone filled animal products (by-products, whatever.) No nitrates, preservatives, etc. It's not 'organic' so it's not as expensive, but I feel like I can pay the few extra bucks (I think Trader Joe's has reasonable prices) since I 'know' it is healthier. On the other hand, I wont pay 110% extra for organic mayo. What's the point?

I prefer if it says humanly treated animals, because I don't want to eat a chicken that is so fat it's legs break and it can't walk. That sounds gross. I want to eat an animal that seems healthy.

I also avoid the corn syrup and the MSG when possible. I guess that stuff is bad too.

I just wait for the day when the healthier foods are more prevalent and demand is met, so the prices go down.

Support those who sell healthier versions of food. Also, be wise and spend more where it makes sense, but be thrifty too.

In related news, is everything without an 'organic' sticker inorganic? That's my real beef (all natural, grain fed) with the 'organic' issue. The term is a misnomer, in my opinion.