The Grocery Store: Is Bargain Hunting Killing Us?

Most of us scour flyers and the internet looking for bargains at the grocery store.  We know that Food is a basic necessity, and we want to feed ourselves and our families in as healthy and as inexpensive ways as possible.  We clip coupons, we rush from store to store in search of the best deals.  Grocery shopping becomes a road trip where we visit multiple shops to complete our lists with the least possible damage to our bank accounts.  I've done as much of that as anybody.  But is there a hidden cost to our bargain hunting?  Why is 'organic' and 'local' so much more expensive than 'non organic'?  Are eggs just eggs?  Why is one chicken $.79 a pound while another is more like $2 or more a pound?  C'mon, it's a chicken, right?  Maybe.  Maybe not.

Last year, I read "The Omnivore's Dilemma", "Fast Food Nation", and "The Vegetarian Myth", which all opened my eyes to different problems and issues related to our food chain and food consumption.  Some issues are nutritional, some are political, some are moral.  I recommend them to you, with the warning that they are not easy to read or digest (pun intended).  I did not agree with some of the world views or conclusions I read, but I do agree with the well researched facts and issues.

Over the weekend, Brittan and I watched "Food, Inc."  which is kind of a synopsis of the issues identified in the above mentioned books.  A kind of 'fast food' version, if you prefer.  There is a more detailed look at the movie at Our Edible Suburb.  Click on the link and have a look. 

Food is so important.  Wise stewardship of our finances, our health and our world is also important.  Balance is not easy.  You and I will have to draw our individual conclusions.  But it's a critical matter, so handle with prayer.