Discussion: Questions About Food

[TheGuru]

I'd like to stimulate your mind and maybe start a few discussions, so here is a subject Im very fond of.

I have a few questions for you about food, anyone care to comment :?:


Q1
Should the government should make it more expensive for farmers to use pesticides and more profitable for them to grow organic food :?:


Q2
What could be done to encourage these people to eat more fresh food?


Q3
Should the law limit the number of fast food restaurants in our towns?


Q4
Should suppliers be permitted to irradiate fruit and vegetables to make them stay greener for longer on the shop shelves?


Q5
Do you think you can get all the nourishment you need from a vegetarian diet? Would you be happy to eat a vegetarian diet for a week?

Q6
Should countries try to grow all their own food or is it better to depend on trade to meet your food needs?

Q7
Are you for or against genetically modified food?


Q8
Do you think that Supermarkets have too much influence over what we eat :?:

[Hyno]

Excellent post Guru!!! =D>

Here are my opinions:

1) Yes. Pesticides should only be used sparingly if at all. Shared plantings with pest resistant varieties are the go.

2) If fresh food could be made cheaper (rather than making fast food more expensive) and in "quick cook" styles then people would use it more.

3) No. People have to decide if they want to buy the stuff. If they don't, then they will disappear on their own.

4) Heavens no. Perish the thought.

5) I couldn't eat vego - I love eating red meat too much. Plus I believe that you would have to supplement your diet with vitamins if you gave up meat.

6) They should try, but there is no reason why demand for certain foods shouldn't be supplemented by importing.

7) Against. Don't mess with Mother Nature.

8) Supermarkets do have influence, but like the Fast Food question it's all about choice. I shop in a supermarket for most things but hit the Asian market for Asian foods, etc. It is all about getting want you want not allowing to be convinced to take only what is easier and on offer.

[Mike]

Originally Posted by TheGuru

Q1
Should the government should make it more expensive for farmers to use pesticides and more profitable for them to grow organic food :?:

I cant see how they could apply that :-?

Originally Posted by TheGuru

Q2
What could be done to encourage these people to eat more fresh food?

Better education, maybe they could ask the for the help of TV and the movies to make fresh food more trendy :-k

People eat convenience pre cooked or pre prepared food out of convenience and habbit. I think that there is also a misconception that fresh food or home prepared food is more expensive :!:

Originally Posted by TheGuru

Q3
Should the law limit the number of fast food restaurants in our towns?

I cant see how you would differentiate the good fast food from the not so bad fast food :?:

Pizza & Burgers not so good
Fresh bagel or salad or sandwich not so bad

Originally Posted by TheGuru

Q4
Should suppliers be permitted to irradiate fruit and vegetables to make them stay greener for longer on the shop shelves?

No, it should be sourced locally, therefore removing the 3 days on a boat or lorry ;-)

Originally Posted by TheGuru

Q5
Do you think you can get all the nourishment you need from a vegetarian diet? Would you be happy to eat a vegetarian diet for a week?

I did it a couple of years ago, I wasnt sure that I would be able to do it as I love meat and hate veg :-? But, I did it for a week or so, I felt pretty good as well.
It wasnt long before I was eating steak though

Originally Posted by TheGuru

Q6
Should countries try to grow all their own food or is it better to depend on trade to meet your food needs?

Homegrown is important, but without imports you wouldnt be able to have certain things.

Originally Posted by TheGuru

Q7
Are you for or against genetically modified food?

No, although I do have concerns over chain events. What I mean is you change a fruit so it's fly resistant, the flies die, the birds population gets hit, and so on....................

Originally Posted by TheGuru

Q8
Do you think that Supermarkets have too much influence over what we eat :?:

I dont think that the average consumer realises just how much power and influence the Super Market chains have :!:

For instance:
Have you noticed that the flowers, fruit and veg is always at the front of the store? Bread and milk is normally most furthest away :!:

You walk into the store and pass the pleasing fruit & veg, this turns on your senses. On your way to the bread & milk you walk through the shelves of stuff that you didnt know that you needed.

They also move stuff around making you walk past other stuff hoping you get tempted.

Manufacturers also have to pay huge amounts of cash so that there product is at eye level, even more if it is at the end of the aisle (On a gondola).

Buy 2 get one free :!: Do you really need two..... :?: Probably not ;-)

Supermarket Psychology is BIG Business

Mike...

[madcat]

A good subject... here are my views:

Q1
Should the government should make it more expensive for farmers to use pesticides and more profitable for them to grow organic food

I think that they do this to a degree already. However, by nature organic isn't a profitable way to grow crops on a mass feeding level. By putting no pesticides, artificial fertiliser etc the organic crops don't yield as well and therefore per area of land the profit is bound to be lower.

Q2
What could be done to encourage these people to eat more fresh food?

You can't make people eat stuff they don't want to. There is a lot of press coverage on obesity in the UK and talk about trying to stop overweight people buying fattening foods... you can't make them eat veg, just like you can't stop them buying comfort food.. it's a violation of their personal rights.


Q3
Should the law limit the number of fast food restaurants in our towns?


Yes definitely. Wigan is only small, but in about 3 Miles Square there are 4 Mcdonalds.. not good.


Q4
Should suppliers be permitted to irradiate fruit and vegetables to make them stay greener for longer on the shop shelves?

No. It's a natural product, it should be allowed to age naturally and be more important than profit.


Q5
Do you think you can get all the nourishment you need from a vegetarian diet? Would you be happy to eat a vegetarian diet for a week?

I think you would need to supplement a full vegetarian diet if you do it permanently. You miss out on most of the vitamins gained from the meat areas of the food chain. I think vitamin supplements are a must. Yes, I would eat a vege diet. I did it for 6 weeks on a detox for a Reiki course. I found it really easy to be honest. I didn't think it would be, but it was OK. I even gave up caffeine and chocolate as well as meat and fish.. so I was on a pretty measly existence!

Q6
Should countries try to grow all their own food or is it better to depend on trade to meet your food needs?

Some countries can't grow their own crops due to their geographical quirks or weather issues. I think some level of export/import is important but to try grow as much as you can.

Q7
Are you for or against genetically modified food?

Against.

Q8
Do you think that Supermarkets have too much influence over what we eat

Oh wow - definitely yes. If you work and run a house, for time and ease you tend to shop in one place. If they don't stock it, you don't eat it. I haven't been at work for a number of years due to ill health and I try to shop around to get local and fresh produce, but the shops do have a massive influence on what we consume.

I quite often go to our local Asda and come out spending a small fortune when I only went in for a couple of items.. supermarket psychology is a nightmare!!


MadCat

[TheGuru]

You have all raised some intresting points, we should send these to our politicians

On a serious note though, the rich get richer and the poor eat badly and suffer healthwise