Eating Local Tips for Busy Moms on a Budget

I recently asked Tracey Miller, of Tracey Miller Wellness, what a busy mom on a budget can do when she wants to eat locally and minimize packaged foods.  Tracey, a holistic health counselor, health and wellness educator, cooking instructor,  and a freelance journalist, not to mention a busy mom herself, had some great ideas to share, and convinced me that we all could make local food a bigger part of our families’ diet.

“What you eat has a huge impact on your health and the environment, and the true cost isn’t just what you’re paying at the store,” Tracey said on her blog, traceymillerwellness.com.  ”Learning the connection between where your food comes from, how it’s made and its affect on your health is one of the most important things you can do to take control of your life!”

Tracey in inspiring in her approach to nutrition and cooking for a family.  I have learned so much from her in the brief time I’ve known her – I know you, too, will benefit from her expertise.

The PranaMama:  Tell me about the reasons why you advocate eating locally?

TM:  I choose local food as often as I can for many reasons but primarily because I think it just tastes better. It’s so disappointing to go to the supermarket and get old stale carrots or broccoli that is limp and bitter. I think there is nothing better than a fresh carrot or crisp lettuce just pulled from the ground.

I also choose local and organic food because I think our world is overloaded with toxic chemicals. It’s crazy how many chemicals we use on this planet – more than 3 million tons a year!  Although not all local farms are organic, most of them use fewer chemicals than large industrial farmers.

People don’t like to think about how our food is grown and what happens to it before we get it, but the chemicals used in conventional farming are coming back to haunt us: agriculture is responsible for 70% of the pollution entering our waterways. We eat the fish that swim in these waterways!  The damage that these chemicals cost us per year is about $9 billion a year. We ultimately pay for this with our tax dollars through government agencies which are charged with cleaning up the environment.

New research also links pesticides to disease like cancer and Parkinson’s disease. So for me, I feel that when I pay extra for organic or local food I’m making a choice to support a healthier and more environmentally friendly way of living.

You may learn more about this on my web site, traceymillerwellness.com, under “the art and science of eating local.”

The PranaMama: All of those labels on food products are confusing!  Can you explain the differences between organic, certified organic, and all-natural products?  What is the “Dirty Dozen?”

TM:  Organic fruits and vegetables are grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers, chemicals or sewage sludge.  Organically raised animals have not been given hormones or antibiotics, have some access to pasture, and are fed 100 percent organic feed.  Any company who sells organic products must also be certified and inspected.

When a product is labeled “all natural” it really doesn’t mean much. It basically means that nothing has been added to a product, but it doesn’t have anything to do with how it is grown or raised.

You can buy foods with various levels of organic ingredients so if you’re looking for a 100 percent organic product than make sure it says “100 percent organic.” If it just says it’s “organic” at least 95 percent of the content is organic.  And if it says “made with organic” than at least 70 percent of the content is organic.

The Environmental Working Group tests fruit and vegetables to see which ones have the most pesticides and which ones have the least. Their shopper’s guide lists the ones with the most pesticides, the “dirty dozen” and the “clean 15.”

The PranaMama:  How can a mom on a tight food budget incorporate sustainability into her daily life?

TM:  The most important thing we can all do is start learning about what’s in your food, how it was processed and how it was grown or raised. We’ve really lost the connection between what we eat and where it comes from, but every choice we make has an impact on our health and the environment.

Although prepackaged food may sometimes seem cheaper, most of what you’re paying for is the packaging and advertising budgets of large food companies.  Oscar Mayer spends something like $40 million on the advertising budget for Lunchables!

Whole foods are much more nutrient dense than highly processed packaged food so you’re actually getting more bang for your buck.

Look for bulk items such as whole grains, raw nuts and dry beans that only cost a few dollars a pound and last for months and months.  (Store in a cool place for longer storage.)

Growing your own food is a great way to get fresh garden veggies and also a super way to get kids to appreciate home grown food.  Start with some herbs such as basil or oregano that you can throw in your salad dressing or spaghetti sauce!

Tracey Miller is a holistic health counselor, cooking instructor and freelance writer who lives in the seacoast area. She coaches families and individuals to help them develop lifelong habits for good health. You can find more about her out at www.traceymillerwellness.com.

Related posts:

1. Off the Mat Moms-Lesson 5: SAUCHA We are indeed much more than what we eat, but...
2. Sneaky Vegetables: Helpful or Harmful? Tonight was leftover night in my house.  Because Sundays are...
3. What’s for Lunch when it’s 90 Degrees in your Kitchen? Here in the Northeast, we had to wait until August...
4. Flavors of Fall October is my favorite month of the year.  Not only...
5. 5 Energizing Snacks for Moms on the Go With the new school year in full swing, we’ve all...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.