“Trends around this country continue to indicate that we Americans are buying more expensive convenience food items for preparation at home, as well as more food away from home.”
An economist made that comment during a special session on nutrition at a Farm Bureau convention awhile back. I hadn’t really thought that much about it until recently, when I was standing in line at a local grocery store behind a young father with two small children. Of course, having been a father shopper myself several years ago and understanding what it is like to have two small children in tow as you cover the grocery store aisles, my observation would hold no scientific substance, but from the items I witnessed in his cart, this modern-day family has never turned on the oven in their electric range. The items they were going to consume in a future meal could only work in a microwave.
As I stood there with tomatoes, fresh baking potatoes, flatiron steaks and all the trimmings, one of the children in front of me pointed to my sack of baking potatoes and said, “What is that?”
I answered the child and said, “They are potatoes for my supper.” I’m sure this was a “dinner” and not a “supper” family like me, but the child still was amazed with the round and brown tubers I had laying on the grocery counter to be checked out.
The little guy reached his hands in his father’s stack of purchases and pulled out a frozen bag of french fries and held them up to me and remarked while shaking his head, “No they’re not! These are potatoes. My mommy cooks these for us all the time.”
After the child’s conversation and what I saw in their shopping cart, it caused me to think about how we all have started depending on convenience foods and more often than not stop for a meal at an area restaurant. And as we do so, we complain about how food is costing us more and our society has to increase the size of seats at major sporting events due to the way we broaden our horizons.
As the economy continues to have its problems as well, public health experts are concerned that today’s tough economic times could lead consumers, many of whom are already overweight, to cut costs by buying less-nutritious foods that lack important vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients. Becoming aware of the right things to eat and at a reasonable cost is something we all must undertake. The Tennessee Farm Bureau Women committees across our state are attempting to make consumers aware of better food choices during their annual Food Check-Out Week, which is Feb. 19-25. Food Check-Out Week is a time when farm bureaus at the county, state and national level celebrate the abundance and safety of food. It began back in 1998, and was an effort to establish a day for food similar to “Tax Freedom Day” and would also honor the contributions of farmers who supply our food. This year, in recognition of current economic conditions, the focus is “Stretching Your Food Dollar with Healthy, Nutritious Food.”
Many county farm bureaus will hold events throughout the week and promote the subjects of stretching your food dollars. They will be passing out literature at their local stores that will help consumers find solutions to eating healthy on a stretched budget. They will also explain to area shoppers how America’s farmers and ranchers are committed to producing safe, abundant and healthy food.
They are also making charitable donations to local charities during Food Check-Out Week, recognizing the need everyone has to find solutions to feeding families healthy foods on a tight budget. This year, Farm Bureau Women committee members around the state will be joining together in presenting a significant monetary donation to the local Ronald McDonald Houses in Nashville, Memphis, Chattanooga, Knoxville and Johnson City. The houses provide a “home-away-from-home” for the families of seriously ill children being treated at nearby hospitals. Donations provide families staying at the houses with needed staple foods, so they are able to focus their attention on taking care of their children.
It is time we all start stretching our food dollar with healthy, nutritious food and take a close look at what we all are putting in our shopping carts. Food in Tennessee is still very affordable if we shop wisely. Thanks to Tennessee's farmers, our food supply is safe, as well as very affordable.
Pettus L. Read is Director of Communications for the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation. He may be contacted by e-mail at pread@tfbf.com.