the high cost of food

With the cost of living rising, and really there being no end in sight, I got to wondering if it is possible to be frugal while still being environmentally conscious. As little as six months ago everyone was talking about what they were doing to save the environment and how we had to take action. Now all I seem to hear is how expensive it is to live and how the price of everything is going up. With the cost of living continually rising and there really being no end in sight, I wonder if it is possible to be environmentally sensitive while still being kind to your bank balance.

For me, it depends on the situation and how you look at it. I figure for today I am just going to focus on how food. Later I will talk about the other stuff (housing, shopping, etc)

In general, my food choices tend to cost more. Almost everything I buy is local, organic and/or fair trade. This food does tend to cost more. I buy local organic milk in glass bottles and my eggs are local, organic and SPCA certified. When I compare the price of something as simple as a dozen eggs I pay $4.98, whereas the factory farmed eggs come in at $2.41. It is the same sort of thing for milk, $2.89 per litre versus $3.38 for 4 litres, $2.61 for 2 litres and $1.55 for a single litre. As much as possible I buy my fruits and veggies from local farmers, usually this is cheaper, if only because what I am buying is in season and when you buy a ton of it (usually for canning, freezing, or some other form of preservation) the farmer tends to take a little pity on you and gives you a bit of a discount. But even without the discount it still tends to be cheaper.

Before anyone starts to think that all I eat is good for you, healthy types of foods, I will confess to a potato chip/popcorn addiction. Again before anyone starts to say, "well popcorn isn't that bad." Popcorn is only edible with butter and salt, without said butter and salt...it is packing material that is biodegradable. While the popcorn might be organic (usually it is not), the potato chips do not even come close to healthy. It is an addiction, what can I say.

I also tend not to eat out very much anymore, in fact if I am eating out it is usually because of a celebration, and it is usually work related. Before I started on my eating local/organic mode, I usually ate out at least twice a week. Now it is down to once maybe twice per month, and that includes the work celebrations.

When you look at my whole food budget, it is relatively the same (eating out is expensive). However if I am compared to a person who buys the factory farmed eggs and milk and does not care where their produce comes from, I probably spend more. However I also choose to look at my food purchases (again with the exception of junk food) as an investment in my personal overall health and the health of my community.

I have yet to meet (or read) the dietitian or nutritionist that does not sing the benefits of fresh food for both the body and the mind. Truthfully I just feel better when I eat healthier. As for how this benefits my community, I figure happy farmers (read farmers with repeat customers) means that they will continue to farm, which in turn contributes to the rich diversity of the community. Finally on a selfish notes, when my local farmers continue to farm, I will continue to get fresh fruits and veggies even after we can no longer afford to ship our food from far far away.

Ultimately, it is a matter of choice, and right now I am very fortunate that I am able to make these kinds of choices (I have a decent paying job that is relatively secure). Everytime I buy something I decide who I wish to support, the local farmer, or the big factory farm. For now I am going with the farmer.