So, I returned from a long weekend away from my wife to find out that she’s been reading Skinny Bitch by Kim Barnouin and Rory Freedman and has decided that she would like to start living the organic lifestyle. She will only eat organic food, cutting out dairy all-together, and is considering becoming a vegetarian.
We had a conversation about her reasons why, and most of has to do with things the human body just doesn’t need. For instance, milk. She claims that humans are the only other animal to drink the milk of another animal. Furthermore, cows are being fed so many hormones, that young girls are reaching puberty earlier and earlier. As a grown man (with no children), I can only see the benefits of this, of course.
I’ve never been the kind of person that cares about other people’s lifestyles unless they effect me. This, I think is going to effect me, mostly because she does a majority of the grocery shopping for us. We went to Whole Foods last night, naturally, and spent probably close to 20% more for groceries than we normally would, and we didn’t buy as much.
I see this thing as an unnecessarily expensive endeavor, and would like to propose the question to those who might know….
How the hell can people afford to eat only organic food all the time?
There have got to be ways. We planted a garden in the back yard, but it’s small and we need to eat more than tomatoes, lettuce, peppers and cucumbers. Our dog killed a groundhog. I guess we could eat that. Seriously, though, I’m asking for suggestions. And are there any couples out there with similar situations. How do you handle it?
I certainly can appreciate the health benefits of an organic lifestyle, but is it worth the added cost? People have been living off of non-organic food for years and are mostly just fine, right?
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Tagged as: Charlottesville, cheap, expensive, Foods of all Nations, groceries, lifestyle, local food, slow food, vegan, Vegetarian
I think the food at the Farmer’s Market is cheaper than Whole Foods. Also, be careful what you buy at Whole Foods, not everything they sell there is organic. Most of the produce they buy is from the standard produce distributors in town. So you might pay double for a red bell pepper there than you would at Kroger, and its the same thing.
Also, careful with the word “organic”…it doesn’t mean exactly what we think it does. I think that is covered in severe detail in anything Joel Salatin from Polyface or Michael Polan from Omnivore’s Dilemna writes.
I think the food at the Farmer’s Market is cheaper than Whole Foods. Also, be careful what you buy at Whole Foods, not everything they sell there is organic. Most of the produce they buy is from the standard produce distributors in town. So you might pay double for a red bell pepper there than you would at Kroger, and its the same thing. There are lists compiled on the net of what veggies/fruits are better off regular vs “organically” grown.
Also, careful with the word “organic”…it doesn’t mean exactly what we think it does. I think that is covered in severe detail in anything Joel Salatin from Polyface or Michael Polan from Omnivore’s Dilemna writes
I would suggest that as a whole humans would be better all organic food but in many places it would not be practical based on cost and crop yield considerations. Also until individual DNA testing improves it’s difficult to properly quantify how each person might be affect by different foods or fertilizers.
For example if an organic food standard were adopted tomorrow we might become healthier and unleash a world wide famine with less produce grown. The one thing that does seems to be extending lifespans in developed countries is to restrict your dietary intake. So in a weird way buying organic food that you can afford less of might be healthier for you because you buy less than because it’s organic
I think it’s more important to buy local rather than organic. But that’s just me. In fact, I don’t even know what “organic” really means. Anyone?
that young girls are reaching puberty earlier and earlier. As a grown man (with no children), I can only see the benefits of this
Paging Chris Hansen…
Cville market and Integral Yoga are also good bets if you can’t get to the farmer’s market.
I’ve also heard the theory that girls are reaching puberty earlier because of better nutrition, not necessarily more hormones. But, then you hear the theories of estrogen mimicking chemicals, so who knows.
@4 the term “organic” has legally defined (*cough* misled) by the USDA to benefit industrial farming practices. Read more about it here. I second the local vs. organic argument…especially if they are into sustainable farming.
@6: I stopped by Integral Foods and didn’t see a huge “local” focus. Was it an off day?
@5…….here is a little parody for you folks (NSFW):
That book seems to be pretty popular now. I am a skinny bitch and I can tell you my routine if it helps… involves LCD tanning, being picky about music, looking for a roommate online, and hatin’. Takes the weight right off.
All produce is genetically modified, like it or not.
@7 is right. Many private, small-business cattle rangers and agriculturalists often produce meat, fruit, and vegetables that we could consider to be organic, but only big agribusinesses can afford to jump through the hoops to be called “organic” by the USDA. Beware of the organic craze. It is largely a fad that can be avoid with prudent and judicious food research and buying practices.
well explained Ethan. A good example is Horizon Organic ( I think) which feeds its cows organic corn, raises them in cow pens, and because they eat organic corn the milk they produce is organic. Sustainable farmers would argue that cows shouldn’t eat corn because they aren’t biologically equipped to digest it properly, among other anti-corn related reasons. “What is organic” is a great and confusing question. Where is Joel Salatin when you need him!?
Skeptoid has an excellent episode on organic foods, if anyone needs convincing that the organic movement is a tad fishy.
http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4019
Thanks for the info, everyone. The whole thing is a bit confusing. The “organic” thing almost seems a lot like the “kosher” thing, but with different rules. To me, it just seems like another expensive label justified by state established rules.
@3 - Perhaps, if the planet can’t sustain the human population naturally, it shouldn’t. It won’t.
@5 - Don’t worry. I was just trying to add a little comic relief. Chris Hansen and I are good friends.
I would love to eat only organic etc but just cant afford to
I try the best I can and eat as healthy as I can and thats the best I can do at this time until I become wealthy enough to afford to do better. Or at least get moved somewhere where I can have a garden again as that would help 
That book is awesome because it puts it all out there about the crap people eat. But if you stick to it rigidly, no more fun with food. It’s got an underlying message about staying skinny by existing only on raw foods. You don’t have to go that extreme of a route to be healthier, and you don’t have to buy ALL organic. I once read an article by Michael Pollan (author of the Omnivore’s dilemma) and he said that really, only certain produce that are exposed to the most pesticides, like potatoes and strawberries, should definitely be organic. “Organic” is really just a pretentious label on a lot of foods you get at WF today anyways.
Anyways, you don’t have to only eat organic –try eating the most local food you can get, the most un-processed, and most seasonal.
eat food. not too much. mostly plants.
I have been trying to eat only orgasmic food for the past 6 months, and I have gained 20 pounds. Great Success!
ew, gross
i third the local cause. i cannot tell the difference between the taste of organic produce vs. those steeped in chemicals and hormones. i try to buy organic, though because of the “less bad” environmental impact it has. i have done zero research, but id imagine if you could quantify the “environmental degradation” per piece of produce, an organic apple from washignton state is worse on the environment (because of transportation) than a heavily-fertilized apple from afton. that leaves personal health as the other main reason for buying organic.
also, im not sure i buy the argument that “people have been eating non-organic food for generations and arent any worse for the wear.” again, no research, but skyrocketing cancer rates dont come from nowhere… maybe people are just living longer and something has to kill them, but im skeptical. if you can afford it, why risk it?
i just wish horse & buggy produce(or some other CSA program) was a little more affordable. anyone know if you can get a half portion at a discount?
If she decides not to go veggie, y’all can get a good bargain buying your meat and poultry from local farmers in bulk. Many local farmers offer grassfed meats and poultry (Polyface, Double H, Gryffon’s Aerie, and others) that are more nutritious from animals that lived well and died humanely.
Don’t worry about the word “organic” because the USDA has stolen that word and redefined it to serve large agri-business. Just get to know where your food comes from by patronizing one of the many local farmers markets. Choose to buy from farmers who use sustainable practices (like grass-fed beef, pastured poultry, free range and no-spray). And choose to eat less meat because livestock feed is one of the primary sources of environmental degradation.
As for affordability, the obvious answers are to buy direct from the farmer, join a food coop, buy in bulk and grow your own food. Another strategy is to cut back on expenses elsewhere …. eating out, new clothes, buying junk manufactured in China …. where can you cut costs so that you can eat and live well on a sustainable planet?
by patronizing one of the many local farmers
“Oooh, your a big farmer aren’t you! Yes you are! Do you drive the big tractor? Oh, yes you do! And my, those overalls are sooo farmy! I’ll bet you several big big straw hats, doncha?”
/doing it wrong?
Here’s how I do it, and I only buy local or organic food (usually both when possible):
1. Join a CSA. Sure, you don’t get to pick what you want, but it makes you eat veggies you might not normally cook (and it’s healthier to get a wide variety of food), and it brings the cost of produce down dramatically.
2. Learn to cook so you only buy raw ingredients. It takes more time, and involves more dishes, but you’ll eat healthier and cheaper if you buy a whole chicken for dinner, turn the leftovers into chicken salad and the carcass into stock for soups, instead of getting conventional cutlets or cans of broth. Plus, processed (even processed organic) food has more empty calories and induces snacking, so think of cooking as a way to diet as well.
3. Eat seaonally. Strawberries are in season now so go nuts, but don’t bother paying for them in winter when they are twice as expensive and taste terrible as they were picked unripe and shipped ungodly distances. If you really need produce out of season, canned tomatoes and frozen berries, peas, corn and spinach work in a pinch (and are more nutritious than any winter tomato).
4. Learn how to shop at Whole Foods. For example, the 365 brand milk is super reasonable, because they use cows that don’t qualify for orgnaic status by FDA regs (they don’t use hormones or antibiotics, but to qualify as organic a cow has to be born of a cow that had enither treatment - so the Whole Foods milk is a good step in the right direction for less money). Also, avoid the specialty section - the cheese selection is great but it’s also guarenteed to add $15 to your cart at minimum.
5. Buy a chest freezer (for meat eaters). This allows you to buy a share of a cow, so you pay under $4 a pound for local, grass fed beef. Granted, you’ll get a lot of ground chuck, but who doesn’t love hamburgers in summer and chili in winter?
6. Read In Defense of Food, the Michael Pollan book mentioned above. It has more info just like this and with better facts supporting it.
7. Love your food. If you eat for fuel, that’s all you’ll get. If you treat every meal like an opportunity, you’ll value the extra expense that eating a real meal is worth.
Thanks Lys. I have an idea based on these organizations giving micro-loans in Africa and stuff.
Why don’t we (cVillains) sponsor a farmer in a third world country to grow stuff year round and export it to us year round?
Wouldn’t the transportation costs make that a little unreasonable, five?
Oh, and thanks, Lys for all the great insite. We’ll have plenty to talk about now. In a month or two, we should have plenty of tomatoes, if anyone wants any.
I’m sure divided between several cVillains, it won’t be bad considering the purchase price is less than half here. Transportation will be in bulk and therefore, not much.
/Now, all we need is a refrigerated container.
I don’t know if it has been said, but this post has the best title.
@25: I want tomatoes!
@26: I think part of the point here is to reduce not only our intake of chemicals, but also reduce chemical expenditures. Shipping produce from Africa when locals are growing stuff right here seems counterproductive.
but who doesn’t love hamburgers in summer and chili in winter
Well, me. But I am a whackjob. I do, however find the idea of an “organic cow cutlet chest” hilarious for reasons that are not entirely clear to even me.
I could throw my lot into the great vegetable give away. Shortly I will have WAY WAY more tomatoes and cucumbers than I could ever possibly eat. I also have a peach tree, but it is young and wont fruit much this year. I have an apple tree that grow sideways and produces four different kinds of apples (spliced many years ago). Got the kickass cherry tree (just shy of being the largest of its kind in all of VA, no shit, I checked) which is pumping right now. Just planted black raspberries, but who knows what they will do. I also started a new plot this year called the pepper patch which has 15 different kinds of hot peppers, from medusas, to habaneros, to bananas… I have no idea what I will do with them all, I just like to grow things.
@28. You have a great point mc and I will respect that.
/So, when’s the first cVillain BBQ? We should all buy produce and meats locally and invite local farmers.
@30: I heard you had a huge cucumber.
That’s a great idea, 5. July 4?
Will Starr Hill donate a few kegs?
@32 -> oh, just wait.
different kind of organic, W8, but glad you’re still around.
@33. July 4 sounds perfect. Anyone have a hookup at Starr Hill?
Who had a hook up in Starr Hill?
@37. Do you?
somehow Chad Day ended up with 3 kegs from them for the CVSSC party. I know they do that kind of thing. Five, you’re on it?
@39. You’ll be my partner. Where shall we do it? Are we gonna have our own fireworks?
Parlie should be in charge of fireworks. I know he carries them around in his trunk.
parlie’s got explosives his trunks! hell yeah!
oh hey, i thought i heard my name. it’s true, i keep illegal chinese explosives in the trunk of my car.
back on topic: i just made a strawberry and cucumber salad out of my backyard. saving the world, you guys. saving the world.
Awesome, I made a dandelion weed cocktail out of mine. Hope you don’t smell like patchouli from your travels.
/scares me that I actually knew how to spell the word “patchouli”
i thought dandelion was poison. poison lion…
that’s what’s what you should name the cocktail. poison lion.
i’ll call 911.
lolo rules. so does parlie. I love you guys man! no really… *thud*
/been drinking while on four hour’s sleep.
love you babycakes, get some sleep. if you hear anything, we’re just picking your fruit.
No sleep for the wicked.
And help yourself to the fruit, just remember what happened to eve… bad scene really. Ask around. That kind of knowledge is really, really hard to unknow.
/my scales, are they showing?
lolo, I’m gonna have to start charging you for babycakes™
it’s true, it was all you.
you can pay me next tuesday at the outside claw event.
/and by pay, i do mean make out
you know, they are going to have a tent and a band…
…and a makeout session
you should wear leather underpants.
deja vu
AND A RED CAPE!
parlie you look smokin’ hott in yer RED CAPE.
/how’s your back superhero?
Silmo ganked my cape. I tried to hook him up with some of my pervert clothes for the bondage party and he only opted for the naugahyde cape. Whatever happened to that footless bastard anyway?
/doesn’t matter, wasn’t red
it was between us or a real life he chose to study boring shit.
belmont, you will thank me later, but listen to me now, focus. it’s the 80’s vibe.
turn of the computer and feel the celtic/laker vibe. go into the bball zone.
oh im already there. my young bucks don’t understand the history. tis beautiful.
Boston!
oh yeah - east coast.
i seriously love you lolo
lube you too C baby.
oh, ok.
Interesting how these serious threads devolve into sexual innuendo and mutual masturbation…
welcome to cvillain.
I sent this post to Joel Salatin at Polyface Farms and these were his thoughts:
Thanks for your input Joel!
gobbler, skinny bitch is the dumbest book i’ve ever read. their logic is completely faulty and ridiculous. organic food may have small amounts more nutrients but I don’t think it’s fair to think that conventional food is inferior, especially if you’re on a budget. as a couple, i think you just have to make decisions together about the lifestyle you want to live and and both be committed.
best thread ever, love my quad.
kiss
thanks gobstopper
I wish they did evolve into mutual masturbation. I can’t wait to have belmontyo’s fingers up in me. And for some reason I fantasize about making shehulkigans put her finger in my butt. yeah, that’d show her. skinny pretty bitch! now sniff your finger! sniff it!
/pulls self together
i guess that makes it a quint.
lolo where you been? are you going to the MM show?
are you?
yep
the Mutual Masturbation show?