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Consumption and its effect on the environment
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Have you ever considered what is in the food you are feeding your children? Most foods that are bought at the neighborhood grocery stores are considered global foods which are packed with additives and chemicals making them far less nutritious than local produce from the community farmer‘s market. After much research, I have concluded that it is better to buy produce which is grown locally rather than produce which is sourced globally (from other countries). I think this is important because most people, like myself, buy global foods and do not realize how much better local foods are for the local economy, the global environment, and our personal nutrition. Nutrition is vital to the healthy of everyone especially children, so with the purchase of local fresh produce, it can ease the worry in parents of what children as well as ourselves are ingesting. Produce grown locally are healthier for toddlers because they contain more nutrition in the foods, meaning less additives and a better taste, helping them properly develop.
I believe that parents, caregivers, or anyone that has contact with a toddler should know about what nutrition they need and why local produce is better for the toddler. I choose toddler’s nutrition because in psychology class, we are studying their development, so something as simple as what fruits and vegetables they eat can affect all points throughout the toddler’s life. In addition, my sister is pregnant so as the aunt of the child, I feel I have the responsibility in helping my younger sister and teaching her nutrition for her baby. After researching, I know that feeding local produce to my niece or nephew when they become toddlers is vital and can, enhance their development. So let’s learn about toddle...
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...eb. 2014. .
"Size-Wise Nutrition for Toddlers." Your Food and Nutrition Source: It's About Eating Right. American Dietetic Association. Web. 06 Feb. 2014. .
"Where Does Your Food Come From?." Food Routes Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2014. .
"Why Is It Important to Eat Vegetables?" MyPyramid.gov. United States Department of Agriculture, 01 Oct. 2009. Web. 06 Feb. 2014. .
"Why Buy Local." Local Harvest . N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2014.
http://www.localharvest.org/buylocal.jsp.
"Why buy local?." Sustainable table. Grace., n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2014. .
Moreover, this system of mass farming leads to single crop farms, which are ecologically unsafe, and the unnatural treatment of animals (Kingsolver 14). These facts are presented to force the reader to consider their own actions when purchasing their own food because of the huge economic impact that their purchases can have. Kingsolver demonstrates this impact by stating that “every U.S. citizen ate just one meal a week (any meal) composed of locally and organically raised meats and produce, we
Reason 1: the locally grown produce’s nutritional value is overall better than unfamiliar produce shipped from foreign countries
According to an article entitled, The Child in the Garden: An Evaluative Review of the Benefits of School Gardens, by Dorothy Blair, “Anonymous prepackaged food arrives at supermarkets from energy-intensive, polluting, and often obesity-promoting industrial food-manufacturing systems.” This is the main reason that I am interested in food based education programs because I am a mother of three school aged children and as a mom it is difficult for me to encourage healthy eating habits when everything is against me. Television commercials are constantly advertising sugary foods, radios promote candy, and grocery stores encourage more candy sales at checkout lines. On top of that they are packaged in a way that is appealing to young children. For example, I was at the grocery store and saw a box of cereal with the characters of Frozen as did my daughter. Since Frozen is my daughter’s favorite movie she wanted me to buy it for her. I looked at the nutrition content and it was just another sugary cereal. As a mother this is a hard decision because I know the only reason she wants it is because of the packaging. If I say no than she becomes upset and if I say yes than I am not providing healthy food choices. This is the
Recently there has been a debate on whether organic and natural produce are healthier alternatives to commercial produce. Since this debate began, there are now grocery stores dedicated to providing products that are all essentially all natural or organic. Various examples of these grocery stores include Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Safeway, and Super Target. Skeptics of this argument suggest natural and organic food industries are all marketing ploys targeted toward consumers in search of healthier food choices. The final question we must ask ourselves to get to the bottom of this debate is: Are organic and natural foods actually more beneficial or are they just a marketing hoax?
More and more farm-to-table restaurants, farmer’s markets, and food co-ops are cropping up to meet the demand among consumers for healthy, local foods, as more chefs and consumers recognize the poorer taste and nutritional integrity of ingredients shipped in from far away. Fruits and vegetables that have to be shipped long distances are often picked before they have a chance to fully ripen and absorb nutrients from their surroundings. Because local food doesn’t have to travel long distances, it is grown in order to taste better and be healthier rather than to be resilient to long travel. The farm-to-table movement also helps local economies by supporting small farmers, which is a dying
This study shows the importance on how America is being affected in a bad way, because of unsustainable foods. Unsustainable foods are not just hurting America as a whole, but could be affecting you. According, to the CSA “Many children in the US have developed life-threatening allergies to peanuts and other foods”. This is because, of food unsustainability. This study will give an insight on how sustainable foods are helping America rather than unsustainable foods. This idea will help turn America away from heading down the wrong path which is uns...
According to CNN article, “Schools Struggle to Feed Kids Healthy Foods” by Jen Christensen, “A 2009 study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that 94 percent of school lunches failed to meet the U.S. Agriculture Department 's regulatory standards.” This staggering statistic proves that the majority of American students are not provided nutrient rich food ti fuel their minds at school. The public school system argues that food low in nutrients is cheaper, however this does not have to be the case. According to Dwight Eschliman’s article “Give (Frozen) Peas a Chance-and Carrots Too,” frozen food, picked and preserved at the height of ripeness, are abundantly nutritious and affordable. If schools invested in frozen produce rather than high sodium, high fat lunches, their students would be consuming a more nutritious lunch, therefore receiving more fuel for their brains. Families also have a responsibility to provide the best food for their children. Along with problems in the American diet, children today are far less active than generations before them. Much like schools, families will profit from frozen produce; a cheap way to purchase fruits and vegetables and easy ingredients to cook with. TV watching has become a nightly ritual taking away from children’s time to run around outside. This sedentary lifestyle promotes a dependency
13 (3), 524. Retrieved from Healthy Child Care Library of Articles: http://healthychild.net/NutritionAction.php?article_id=524. Sorte, J., Daeschel, I., Amador, C. (2011). Nutrition, Health, and Safety for Young Children. (Ashford University, ed.).
Childhood obesity and diabetes have become increasingly common among youth in our country. Over the last 30 years, obesity among children and adolescents in the U.S has quadrupled from 6 percent to 24 percent, and over 18,000 children are diagnosed with diabetes every year. This can largely be attributed to not having enough access to healthy nutritious foods, such as fresh produce. In most low-income communities families are restricted to the use of small convenience stores and low-quality grocers which are typically not equipped to sell these foods because they cannot afford to purchase them. Almost 90 percent of Americans do not eat enough fruits and vegetables. There are many reasons for this, but a major reason is because so many families are food
Each daycare has their own menu for the children’s breakfast and lunch. Through my observations, I have noticed that the “Don’t Worry Childcare” has a variety of food options throughout the month. For example, the children could either choose from fruit loops cereal, or frosted flakes for breakfast. The snacks eaten varies every day as well. For instance, the children ate milk and cookies one day, and cheese crackers another day. An example of lunch would be, milk, chicken fingers, French fries, green beans, and mixed fruit one day, and spaghetti, corn, peaches, and bread and butter another day. I observed the children eat ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, and peaches one day for lunch. All those food options seemed very delicious. Each meal and snack give the children an option to what they would like to drink. For instance, the children can pick
Scherr, R. E., Cox, R. J., Feenstra, G., & Zidenberg-Cherr, S. (2013). Integrating local agriculture into nutrition programs can benefit children's health. California Agriculture, 67(1), 30-37. doi:10.3733/ca.v067n01p30
Food: Good for You and the Environment. (n.d.). Down to Earth Organic and Natural. Retrieved May 17, 2014, from http://www.downtoearth.org/articles/2009-03/21/organic-food-good-you-and-environment
Knox, Paul, and Sllie Marston. "Chapter 8 Food and Agriculture." In Human Geography: Places and Regions in Global Context. Glenview, Il: Pearson, 2013. 266-298.
Child obesity is at its highest in the United States. With fast food restaurants spreading, new food products being produced, and health rates hiking in children between ages of 3-13, children are at a higher risk of reaching obesity. Nutrients are very important for children to contain in their body due to the fact they are growing regularly. Without the specific vitamins and minerals needed in the body, lack of physical activity, and false parental guidance, children are in jeopardy of becoming overweight. Should parents be responsible for this issue? Parents are accountable for their children’s health, because as their child grows, it is a parent’s job to supply correct and healthy resources to their children.
When handling food it is important to note to avoid certain foods, as they could be a choking hazard for the children. Whole grapes, hard candy, nuts, seeds are to name a few a couple of foods which should be avoided. When handling the proper nutrition it is important to include: Dairy, Grains, Fruits and vegetables, and Meats. Two to two and a half cups of milk should be offered thru out the day. Half a banana or ½ a cup of fruit should be offered as a snack during the day. Steamed broccoli and or carrots should be included also, the serving size of 1 ½ to 2 cups of vegetables. Breakfast is a good time to offer the child their servings of grains; oatmeal, cereal, and a bagel are a few examples of what to give the child. The last part of their meal which should also be included daily is the protein consisting of chicken, beef, or ham preferably the serving size should be 3-5