What's For Dinner?

Here's an article by Rachael Gelinas, who moved to Stouffville last year with her husband Luke and young-and-growing family, and who attends Community Mennonite Church... this article was published recently in the Stouffville Free Press...

What's For Dinner?
Thinking about the Ethics of Eating

Many people these days seem to be admirably concerned about issues beyond themselves and their own well-being. People are starting to look in earnest at the big picture when it comes to the economy and the environment. We’re hearing a lot about "green living" in politics and advertising. We’re all questioning the environmental and economical impact of what cars we choose to drive, what vacations we choose to take, and what products we choose to buy. But perhaps something we don’t often think about -- in terms of repercussions larger than personal health -- is the simple question of what we eat. Talk of global economies is often in terms of oil, automobiles, electronics, etc. But the food economy also plays a central role in global economics. We can live without cars and laptops, but we can’t live without food. When Canada’s 33 million people ask themselves “What’s for dinner?” the answer has far-reaching consequences.

As my family and I have struggled with this question, on the practical level of “what’s for dinner tonight”, and on a more theoretical level, we’ve come to realize that we need to ask exactly who we’re supporting by our food choices. Are we supporting local farmers? Struggling third world growers? Or are we choosing to line the pockets of giant corporations?

Although these seem like daunting questions to ask on a daily basis, we’ve found that a couple of guidelines have simplified the issue: Be aware of how far your food has traveled. Eat fresh and local whenever possible. This happens to be both most beneficial to our health and to the environment (and arguably the economy). When buying packaged food, read the list of ingredients. If it’s longer than five items, and/or if the ingredients are unpronounceable and/or unrecognizable, try to leave it out of the cart.

As Stouffvillites, we live in an area wonderfully rich in agricultural history, with plenty of access to farmers’ markets and local Community Supported Agricultural initiatives (or CSAs). Personally, as people of faith, my family and I find that our greatest motivation to eat ethically lies in the biblical command to be good stewards of our bodies and of the earth. As Wendell Berry, writer/farmer and man of faith himself, put it: “The care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all our most pleasing, responsibility. To cherish what remains of it and to foster its renewal is our only hope.”

Recommended reading:
Michael Pollan’s "In Defense of Food" and "The Omnivore’s Dilemma"
Paul Roberts’ "The End of Food"
Wendell Berry’s "The Gift of Good Land"