The Kitchen Think: Food Day
In case you missed it, today is national Food Day.
No, it’s not a day to pig out… but to inspire us to change our diets for the better and push for improved food policies.
image by philip greenberg for food day
In New York City, there was a long communal table set up in Times Square for a lunch-time “Eat In.” Chef Mario Batali, filmmaker Morgan Spurlock and food writer Marion Nestle were among those attending to discuss food issues.
Food day was organized by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the watchdog group I mentioned last week that has done some pretty terrific things. Some of the goals of Food Day:
1. Reduce diet-related disease by promoting safe, healthy foods
2. Support sustainable farms & limit subsidies to big agribusiness
3. Expand access to food and alleviate hunger
4. Protect the environment and animals by reforming factory farms
5. Promote health by curbing junk-food marketing to kids
6. Support fair conditions for food and farm workers
Food Day will be over by tomorrow, but First Lady Michelle Obama intends to continue her push for access to healthy, affordable food in her fight to end childhood obesity. She’s in Chicago on Tuesday for a “Food Summit,” where she’ll meet with mayors from around the country to discuss her food initiatives.
She also plans to visit a Walgreens. Have you been inside a Walgreens “Drug” Store lately? Many of the stores have been revamped and expanded to include fruits, vegetables and other basic grocery staples. It’s part of an effort to offer healthy and affordable food in so-called “food deserts”— usually in low-income areas where people live beyond walking distance to the nearest grocery store.
Mama’s happy that Walgreens (along with SUPERVALU and Wal-Mart) are making this effort. I only hope that the healthy eats aren’t priced so high that they drive people back to their communities’ “food swamps”– fast food restaurants and convenience stores that are cheaper, but shamefully not nourishing.
Setting one 24-hour period aside as national “Food Day” isn’t going to solve this country’s collective eating disorder…it’s just one more step in what is shaping up to be a long, slow journey. But, hey, it’s a start.
