I am always looking for healthy food.
There weren’t many options at the time (15 years ago), and the few that were available were difficult to find.I would drive anywhere or buy food through the mail if it was organic, gluten-free, and dairy-free. So you can imagine, on my first trip shopping at Whole Foods, I felt like a kid on Christmas morning! There were so many healthy choices. I loved it. When I told my story to people and encouraged them to eat all-organic food, many people said it was just too expensive and hard to find.
How sad it is that processed foods are cheaper than whole organic foods.
You would think it would be the opposite, as processed foods take longer to make and require factories and workers. Unfortunately, the low-quality ingredients in most processed foods result in a lower price. It doesn’t seem fair or logical, but it’s the reality.
We are just beginning to understand and accept the need for whole foods.
Let’s face it, people are used to fasting foods these days, so that’s what is readily available. It’s Economics 101: the problem is supply and demand. There are fewer healthy markets and organic farms, so the demand may be increasing, but the supply is still low, leading to higher prices. For example, my niece had many food allergies and was also unable to eat foods with preservatives when she was growing up in the 1970s. My aunt had to drive more than 20 miles to a health food store for things as simple as almond butter or whole wheat bread. Fortunately, you can find many stores these days that sell healthier food choices, but it can still be expensive.
Shopping for organic food just got easier and cheaper!
Walmart has partnered with Wild Oats, an organic food company.Essentially, this means that organic food will be available in almost every neighborhood. It also means that organic products are sold for a better price. Not only will consumers have more choice of where to buy organic food, but competition should lower organic prices overall. That is profit for the consumer.
The possibility that more organic food is available to everyone fascinates me.
The fact that Walmart is branching out into organic products means that the demand for organic food is not just for the stereotypical health junkie, but for the average consumer as well. This means that more people are aware of the dangers of eating chemically processed and genetically modified foods and want to change their eating habits. I think the competition between Walmart and traditional health food markets will raise awareness even more. I hope someone sees organic and non-organic foods side by side, sees that the costs are comparable, and opts for organic. My dream would be that people would also buy fresh organic food. This could also make organic farmers without GMO products more profitable. People mistakenly think that just because organic products are more expensive, farmers make more money. The truth is that it costs more to farm organically. Whole Foods has long believed that they are “the buying agents for our customers, not the sales agents for the manufacturers.” Unfortunately, profits from this once revolutionary “food to fork” food market have fallen as more supermarkets look to offer customers a healthier way of eating. I hope stores like Walmart preserve the dignity and hard work of these small organic farmers and also help them make more money. because more supermarkets want to offer customers a healthier way of eating. I hope stores like Walmart preserve the dignity and hard work of these small organic farmers and also help them make more money. because more supermarkets want to offer customers a healthier way of eating. I hope stores like Walmart preserve the dignity and hard work of these small organic farmers and also help them make more money.
What motivated Walmart to add organic products?
I’m not sure why, and maybe it had to do with wanting a share of the growing “organic” market. I don’t care though, because all people talk about is buying and eating healthy food choices. I think it’s funny that Walmart has a disclaimer that says, “This isn’t about telling our customers what to eat, nor is it an endorsement of certain foods. It’s about leveraging our scale to provide access to the choices that currently elude too many families in our country. It’s just one more way we help our customers save money so they can live a better life. ” I don’t think they want to alienate the people who shop in the rest of the food aisles full of processed food! Oh well, I’ll take every bit of health awareness I can get!
There are other ways to get healthy at a reasonable or cheaper price.
One of the best and most fun (for me) ways to buy organic produce is by shopping at the local farmers’ market. (There’s even a website called Local Harvest to help you find your nearest farmer’s market!) I love getting to know the vendors and learning about the best produce to buy for the season or even that day. Our early ancestors did not have food shipped from miles away. Instead, they ate the fresh food available to them and then fermented, cultured, and canned their food to eat later. This not only preserved the food but also provided beneficial good gut bacteria to their immune systems and overall health.
This is one less excuse to buy non-organic!
As always, be your own warrior and check the ingredients of everything you buy. The best rule of thumb: if you can’t pronounce it or don’t know what it is, it’s probably not good for your gut! Raw, whole, organic, fermented probiotic foods help replenish good gut bacteria, amino acids, and live enzymes, which you need if you’re not eating as well as you should and even if you’re eating right. Fermented foods are just as essential to your body as drinking water. Your body needs it to be in balance so that it efficiently absorbs and distributes the essential nutrients from all the other foods you eat. A healthy gut equals a healthy body, mind, and life!