Entry #7- Fresh

When I was in grade school, I was about 12 or 13 years old, I watched a video about how companies are slaughtering chickens. It showed a gory version of theses production companies killing these chickens in order to sell them and only caring about making a profit. After being HORRIFIED as a 13 year old, I decided I was going to be vegetarian. I never really ate or enjoyed eating meat when I was young so I thought it shouldn't be difficult.  I didn't want to tell my parents because I thought they would laugh or make fun of me, but it was impossible to keep it a secret from them. They actually supported my idea and everywhere restaurant we went to, they made sure there were vegetarian options so that I could eat there. I learned a lot about how our bodies work and what nutrients is needed in order to grow and become strong. It was actually very hard being a vegetarian when you're young and still growing. I was also very picky with what food I liked so this "phase" greatly improved my food pallet. 

Every once in a while I do think about the food I consume. Most of the time, it's when I am having pizza. Strange right? Something about the grease, cheese, and the texture in your mouth, makes it so disgusting when you think about it. I feel sick when I think about it. The feeling goes away but I immediately lose my appetite. There are other times when I do think about eating the meat, like when you eat a burger, hotdog, or chicken sandwich from Chic Fil A. I still get a weird feeling when I think about the animal being alive beforehand, but now its in my mouth. Weird. Thinking about it as I am writing makes me grossed out. Do you think about the food you eat on a daily basis?

On the other hand, I never think about where all of our vegetables come from, or the fruit snacks, Capri-Suns, or crackers are being distributed. I never thought about non-perishable items like food in cans or soups. Why do we think more about the meat we ingest more than the vegetables we ingest? 

When it came to the film Fresh , not going to lie, I was very bored. I semi-knew all of this information from my years in grade school trying to convince my friends to be vegetarian with me. I does make me relieved, as a consumer, that there are meats and vegetables still being produced in a more honorable way than what the large production companies are doing. I really didn't appreciate the clip of these companies tossing all of the baby chicks on the ground. 

I think this film is very empowering and knowledgeable about food production and the values that people hold to it. As someone who doesn't care where their food came from, and only caring about the taste and look, this film has made me realize that the large production companies are doing something wrong. It made me realize that I should care where my food is coming from and how it affects me and all of humanity. It should be shown in a grade school or high school history/science class so that kids know the importance of where the food comes from. 

Challenge for you: Think about the next meal you eat. Where do you think it came from? Did it come from a small farm or larger distribution center? Think about how it taste versus other times you've had the same thing. Is it better, worse, or the same? Maybe research some ideas yourself!