Vote with Your Fork

I agree with SMUDDIE! Healthy foods aren't necessarily expensive. Processed convenience foods are expensive! I buy a lot of produce and find that it is a lot cheaper than junk food. If you buy basic ingredients and cook yourself, you will save a lot of money and end up with a healthier diet. If you don't know how to cook, please take a class or find a friend who can teach you or get a basic cookbook and start following some recipes. Cooking is a basic life skill that everyone should learn. It's not that hard, and it's a great way to use some creativity, too.
- 3/11/2013 9:02:23 PM

A really GREAT article!!! - 11/6/2012 9:51:33 PM

I have always felt that how and where I spend money is a reflection of my values. This article really 'nails it' in describing how each of us makes choices that make our own lives and the lives of others richer or poorer, healthier or sicker. Conscious consumer decisions have impact but as Annie Leonard points out we have to do more than consume intelligently: we have to advocate and collaborate and educate to make our food chain and our environment and our communities more robust. - 11/6/2012 5:56:28 PM

Use this article at TOPS chapter meeting yesterday and we had a great discussion
Every time you buy something from retail you do cast a vote for that product
The reason junk sells is that people buy it
One day at a time - 11/6/2012 10:08:35 AM

This is the worst researched article I have read on Spark People. It needs to be labeled an opinion piece. Absolutely disgusting. - 11/6/2012 9:10:28 AM

Possibly the best article I've read yet on Spark. Thank you so much. I'm going to bookmark, Tweet, Facebook, forward, and print this one. - 11/6/2012 8:56:12 AM

Possibly the best article I've read yet on Spark. Thank you so much. I'm going to bookmark, Tweet, Facebook, forward, and print this one. - 11/6/2012 8:56:12 AM

There are lots of healthy & affordable foods available at the grocery store if people just (1) make a meal plan (2) commit to following their shopping list (3) cook from scratch or at least partially. Besides fresh produce, low-fat dairy products and lean fish/poultry/meat look for whole grains: brown rice, barley, etc, and legumes.

The farmer's market and organic are great options if you can afford it. Produce in our small town's farmer's market is 2 to 3 times the cost of the same item at the grocery store. I do buy a few things every week to support the farmers but I can't afford to do all my shopping there. I know they are not getting rich. I do know the city is charging them a lot to be in the market & they have to pass that cost along to the consumer. - 11/6/2012 8:39:05 AM

Thank you for this timely and excellent article. Even if everyone only made one change suggested, it would make a big difference. We do have the power to make changes in society! - 11/6/2012 8:18:17 AM

I always vote with my wallet - if I don't support it I don't buy it, no matter what it is. I support natural, ethical, grown on the earth, not processed. Hope more start doing it. - 11/6/2012 7:57:43 AM

I think this is an excellent article on an excellent day. It is important that we all remember that though we might be individuals, that our choices make huge impacts. We have to stop selling ourselves short, ignoring the power each and everyone of us has. We have to take time to make decisions everyday, let's make every one of them count. - 11/6/2012 7:54:38 AM

While I'm not so optimistic as to say that we as consumers will "vote" places into being healthy, or put fast food chains out of buisness / change their menu... I would agree that all these tips are great in general and ones I try to adhere by! - 8/31/2012 10:58:40 AM

Gosh, it's funny how things change. I commented on this article three years ago, and said I agree with Jibbie, but now I kind of don't. I mean, I agree to a point about government interference, but I question how little they are interfering the other way. I think it's your right to know what you're eating, so you can make the choice, but allowing ingredients like "natural flavoring" or it's not-necessarily-m
ore-evil twin brother "artificial flavoring" to be a catch-all instead of allowing you to see what ALL is in your food is one example. Allowing food companies to label foods 0g trans fat, when there IS trans fat, is another.

There's also the matter of choice architecture. A great book on this is "Nudge." Check it out. - 11/13/2011 11:50:37 AM

Great article! - 11/8/2011 2:09:45 PM

This really makes me want to scream. STOP saying that healthy foods are more expensive than healthy. That's crap. Rice, beans, whole grains, etc. are definitely cheaper than processed stuff. What is really expensive is pre prepared convenience foods. What people really need to learn is how to cook and prepare foods that will fit into their schedule and adjust their tastes away from artificial flavors. Hand in hand with healthier eating is better portions. You may eat a dollar's worth of apple and be done, but it's much easier to sit down and eat $3 worth of Cheetos in a sitting.

I ran the concession stand at my school this fall season and I was excited to offer some healthy options. I got carrots and dip, applesauce, and string cheese to offer along with the other standard offerings (pizza, hot dogs, etc.) You know what? For the most part, the healthier choices didn't sell. Companies who sell unhealthy foods aren't evil, they are trying to succeed in business and earn profits for their shareholders (which just might be you - check your 401k and mutual fund investments) and wages for their employees. - 11/8/2011 12:34:19 PM