With obesity and obesity related diseases at an all time high and sadly continuing to increase at a rapid rate I decided to re visit an article I wrote for the blog spot on October 30th, 2006.
I first began to think about this article when I was out doing my groceries and was accompanied by a friend. As we walked the isles of the supermarket my girlfriend and I had a funny conversation, she was telling me how she felt proud weaving through the crowded isles with me because my shopping trolley/cart looked so healthy. It was full of fruits and vegetables and wise product choices rather than being loaded down with processed foods, colourful cardboard boxes of prepared dinners, pop, chips and other empty calories.
As we continued gathering everything that was on my list our conversation about the shopping trolley/cart continued. While we spoke I began to notice the other trolleys and began to see what she was seeing. The majority of carts were full of colourful boxes designed to entice our children, clever marketing companies are being paid good money to catch our children at an early age and good old ‘pester power’ takes over (children nagging mum to please buy that sugar coated cereal with marshmallows and a toy), prepared meals that are ready in the microwave in only 60 seconds and promise to make our busy lives easier whilst providing all the necessary dietary need. Then of course there’s the white bread that is whiter than new snow with bold letters screaming out HIGH FIBRE (if only I believed it!). As I processed what I was seeing I was thinking to myself, “no wonder we are experiencing a health crisis relating to obesity, we aren’t caring enough about what we are using to fuel our bodies.” To complete my research during this shopping excursion I almost fell over when I witnessed a fellow shopper, whom I had been observing throughout our conversation, pick up a can of cat food and carefully check the label. I’m sure she just wanted to make sure ‘whiskers’ was getting the right quantities in her little diet however what I found fascinating was that without even a second glance she had
(earlier) thrown in a few boxes of fruit roll ups, diet soda and lucky charms cereal plus other stuff for her family. I think we may have it wrong when the cat is eating better than the children and ourselves….. that’s just my thinking.
I say all of this to encourage you to consider your shopping even more than you do now. Read labels and know what you are putting into your body and those in your care. A good rule of thumb is, if it has more than 5 ingredients it probably needs additional 5-7 ingredients to keep it alive on the shelf for longer than it should be. Also, if you need a bio-chemical degree to even try and understand what it is you’re eating again a good indicator that the product probably isn’t the best for anyone. Personally I think if I can’t pronounce it it isn’t worth ingesting.
So friends fill your trolley with good choices, visit the produce isle and be adventurous, there are so many amazing things that are now available to all of us. Walk with confidence through your favourite supermarket knowing that you are doing the best for your family and yourself by making sure your trolley/cart is vibrant and full of goodness. As always feel free to click through our archives to find great tried and true familyroom recipes that everyone will enjoy.
Now I ask, “How Green Will Your Trolley Be This Week”?
Susan J Sohn
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