table of contents

Well, I have been without internet service for two weeks, but I have finally resurfaced.  It's good to be back.  Frannie without her internet is like a dog without a bone, or a baby without its mother.  It's REALLY sad.  But it hasn't been without advantages, as I've been able to focus on some projects around the house as well as getting two books under my belt.  (Don't ask what books.  My mind is still reeling.)

One subject I've pondered lately is essentially the importance of what we eat.  Specifically, the contents therein.  I don't need to rattle off any statistics or cut and paste anything newsworthy, but this topic was brought to my attention by a recent local news headline.  Whether it's true or not, exaggerated or not, or doesn't provide all the facts, I'm not one to say.  But suffice it to say that it's a topic somewhat close to my heart. 

This local story serves to underscore my thoughts on the subject: it is highly important to me that I know exactly what I'm eating and what I'm feeding my kids.  Since before we started our family, and especially now that we have a child with multiple food allergies, I have been a diehard label-reader.  I understand that it's nearly impossible to know the contents and source of 100% of every morsel that hits our lips, but I try to be a somewhat-educated consumer. 

I am annoyed by food labels with a vague inference of additives, i.e. '10% solution added' to chicken, or eye-catching "nutritional" claims, i.e. PopTarts 'Now made with whole grain', and HFCS, dyes, and fillers that are in just about everything.  I have been known to mutter sarcastically under my breath when reading food labels in the grocery aisle.  (My husband might die of embarrassment when he reads this part.  Sorry, hon.)

I'm also on a budget, which blows, but I suppose I'm not the only one in that boat.  So when I'm forking over hard-earned cash for the best food that I can afford for my family, I feel I have the right as a consumer to know what I'm buying.  At times I am ambivalent about how and when and where on the ladder we should draw the line, but DUDE, what's more important to our physical health than the food we put in our mouths?  Meat should be meat, produce should be nutrient-rich, and dairy should be as healthy as possible.  And perhaps most importantly, it should all be honest.