Weekend at Home

I have made a decision. For today and tomorrow I'm not sticking by my rules. I am home and it is wise and cost effective to accept the wonderful hospitality of my parents. And let's face it, the calculations for costs of meals would be very difficult to do. 

So what have I been eating? Lots of milk, pears from the farmers market, granola, soy nuts and dried cranberries. With all of that I felt fine. Tonight I went to an outdoor concert my family. We ran short on time so opted for the concession stand for dinner. I got the only salad on the menu, thinking that it would be the least processed. I assume that the chicken on it was pretty processed and probably not cooked on site. I also munched in my sister's fries and my Dad's kettle corn. 

I learned something interesting while eating my dinner; processed food is starting to disagree with me. My body does not like it. I do not feel horrible by any means but I would not have expected this change so quickly. I wonder how I will react in December. What do you think? 

Stuck at the Airport

Labor Day weekend has barely begun and I have reached my first hurdle. I went home to my parents house for the weekend and we soon headed to the airport to pick up my sister and her boyfriend. We got here and her flight got delayed due to rain. After an hour I needed dinner, hopefully following my rules for this project.

 It was actually easier than I thought. First stop was Starbucks as my mom had mentioned that there were Kind bars. They are GMO free. I got the Blueberry Vanilla & Cashew variety for $1.95. To drink I got Naked green machine for $4.29. They are also biotechnology free, no added sugars, and no preservatives. It also uses Rainforest Alliance Certified Bananas, that sounds good. Overall it is a tasty meal that is healthy too!!

Packing a Lunch

Today we are going on another fieldtrip with my seminar. We are going to visit several dairies, two that are large scale and on small Amish dairy. We were told to pack a lunch and I figured that there would not be refrigeration, so I had to prepare the night before for a cold lunch.

I did not have any bread, so sandwiches were a no go. I thought boiling beets was a good idea. They turned out well, a bit more pink then I would like. The color bled out when boiling through tears in the skin. I also included some portioned out trail mix made of soy nuts (good for protein) and dried cranberries. I have also had a head of cabbage sitting around, so I sliced some up raw. Add an apple and some green beans and I am done!

Cost:

• 1 boiled beets......$0.50
• trail mix................$0.45
• cabbage................$0.15
• apple.....................$0.36
• green beans..........$0.50
• Half a watermelon... free (from a kind Amish family)

Total =  $2.46 $0.95


It is a little more expensive then some meals that I have had but for all of it being fresh, I think I did pretty well! Everything is from the farmers market except the trail mix. Do you like my lunch?

Edit: I wrote this the evening before and discovered that I did not eat as much of my lunch due to being full with watermelon :).

Pickles Revisted

Remember when I made pickles almost 2 weeks ago? If you don't read about it here.

Today is the day I decided to try them. One problem.... I took them out of my fridge and they were frozen solid :(. Fortunatly for me a friend advised me to soak the container in hot water to thaw them.

They are now thaw, so here it goes!!

There is a crunch. Oh my that is a LOT of vinegar!! I thought I made the sweet form of pickles?!? Maybe I let them sit to long? I don't know. Whoo!! They are strong!

Verdict: I still do not like pickles, but if anyone near me would like to try them! Then I will know if they are any good.

Is there any way to make them less potent?

Do we truly want to know what is in our food?

I read an interesting article on CNN today "Do consumers really want to see where their food comes from?". The author, Ryan Goodman, primarily focuses on slaughterhouses on both small and large scale. He voices that transparency between the manufacturer and the consumer should increase as a form of education to both sides.

He briefly mentions how in the slaughtering process, the manufacturers make a point to keep the animals as calm as possible. The main argument that I have heard against slaughterhouses is that they are inhumane. I believe that we have done pretty well to find a humane way to process the animals. I am actually visiting a processing plant next week, let me know if you are interested to hear about my experience.

In terms of more transparency, I would like to have a better grasp of what "spices", "artificial flavoring", or "seasoning" means on the end of the ingredient list. Companies claim that these are their secret recipes. I hope this wall will be the next to come down, for the sake of those who have allergies. I am allergic to pepper, such as bell pepper. A company could have red pepper included in "spices" and as the consumer I would be none the wiser. If I ate that product, I would get sick. This is why the consumer deserves to know what is in their food and how it is made.

Companies are responding; even the largest meat producer such as Cargill are slowly allowing images of their factories to surface. When the public becomes more knowledgeable, they will act on that knowledge. If we know something is not right, now we can change it.

Would you like to visit the factory that makes your favorite food or would your rather not know?

What is safer, your food or another's?

After a discussion in class today, I have become more interested in the sanitation of our food. I am wondering if prepackaged and restaurant food is safer then the food that you prepare in your own home?

From usnews.com

For the level of work put into each meal, a meal at a restaurant requires less work of me than if I were to cook it myself. For cleanliness, all I need to do is wash my hands and hope that the workers have done the rest. I am realizing at home how much cleaning is involved to keep a kitchen healthy. You need to wipe down the counters daily with antibacterial wipes, wash your hands a lot. Make sure the dishes are clean by washing by hand or by using a dishwasher. The parts I am struggling with is sampling the food as I cook (that could spread germs) and leaving food out unrefrigerated and a few hours later thinking it is still ok to eat.

In Food Policy in the United States by Parke Wilde, he says that "packaging can block harmful contamination". I would have to agree, that prepackaged food may be cleaner then what is made in a typical kitchen. He also discusses that most of the food we consume has been manufactured.

So right now I am torn if the food I cook is safer in terms of pathogens then what can be purchased at a restaurant or grocery store. What do you think?

Turkey Lasagna Test

I decided what to do with my 1lb of ground turkey... make lasagna. Thank you so much for the input, chili is now on my to cook list for this project! I decided to go with lasagna because it seemed easier (it wasn't) and to take less ingredients (it didn't).

I was able to get my cheese and noodles from an Amish market called Fountain City Acres. They had a really good selection of bulk foods. The ingredient list on each product was short which also made me happy. (The shorter the list, the less ingredients, and the smaller the chance it is processed.) I got mozzarella and parmesan cheese along with dehydrated portabella mushrooms and lasagna noodles for this dish.

I based my lasagna recipe on some that I found online. I tried to follow the direction but I forgot to put in the seasoning (I did remember salt in the sauce) and was rather loose on my measuring of the cheese. I also added squash, as I had a week old one that I needed to get rid of. I got my ground turkey from Becker Farms at the farmer's market. It was $6.50 per pound, which seemed expensive to me, especially for one dish. I was surprised that it did not impact the overall cost of the product as much (more on that in a minute). I also accidentally made way to many lasagna noodles, so it looks like I will be eating them for a few meals with some salt and extra cheese.

Now I know what you want to know, how much did this dish cost. As a whole it cost $22.60. I made my white sauce from scratch and did not include the extra help I got from my friend Jill. She really helped by grating all the cheese for me. I cut the pan into 12 slices, therefore each slice costs $1.88. That is not to bad for a main course for lunches and things. It also means less cooking for an entire week for me!!

I have not tasted it yet, I will let you know tomorrow after lunch what the verdict is.

UPDATE: The lasagna was delicious!! It did not need seasoning, I added a bit of salt. It tasted like souped up macaroni and cheese. I just wish I had brought a bigger piece with me!

What should I make for dinner?

Today I am going to try something different. I need to make a large dish that I can portion out over one week in lunches and perhaps dinner as well. I plan to cook it tomorrow afternoon. But here is the thing, I have most of the ingredients but not the idea. What should I make?

I have:
- 1 lb ground turkey
- Parmesan cheese
- mozzarella cheese
- 3 oz portabella mushrooms
- green beans
- onion
- garlic
- lasagna noodles
- wagon wheel noodles
- salt, flour, sugar, etc.

Please leave a comment below!!

Chocolate Analysis

One of the dilemmas that I have encountered with the rules of my project is chocolate. Can I have it? Today I will exam 3 different chocolate bars that my mother mailed to me.

Green & Black's Organic Dark Chocolate (70% Cacao)

• Ingredients: Organic bittersweet chocolate (organic chocolate, organic raw cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, soy lecithin (emulsifier), organic vanilla extract)
• cocoa, cane sugar, vanilla are traded in compliance with Fair Trade Standards
• certified organic by the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF)
• Fair Trade Certified

Theo Organic Fair Trade pure 85% dark chocolate

• Ingredients: Cocoa beans, sugar, ground vanilla bean (all organic and fair trade)
• Made in Seattle
• Certified Organic by QAI
• Certified Fair Trade by IMO
• Non GMO Project Verified

Endangered Species Chocolate - natural dark chocolate with forest mint (72% cocoa)

• Ingredients: bittersweet chocolate (*chocolate liquor, cane sugar, *cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla), natural mint flavor 
• *cocoa comes from rainforest alliance certified farms
• Rainforest Alliance Certified cocoa
• Non GMO Project Verified
• 10% of net profits are donated to help support species, habitat, and humanity

Most important to me is the amount of ingredients, which Theo wins hands down with the simplest list. I also want no GMOs in my food, so Theo and Endangered Species are better in this regard. I value fair trade over organic, therefore Theo is better than Green & Black in this respect. I like how the Endangered Species chocolate donates 10% of their profits towards helping the environment through the Rainforest Alliance.Of all the chocolate I was given, Theo was the best for the criteria of my project. It is also made in the USA. I am going to go ahead and eat all 3, chocolate should not go to waste and it is much better than Hershey's. A girl needs her chocolate. :)

What do you think? What kind of chocolate do you like? Do you think I am bending my rules to far? Are there any of these certifications that you would like to know more about?

A Deviating Lunch

So today was the first instance that I had to step away from the rules for this project. My classmates and I visited Becker Farms for a field trip today. We got to have a tour of the farm, help feed the animals, and get an insider's point of view of what it is like to farm in a sustainable way.

Chickens!

The Beckers were wonderful hosts, they even provided us with lunch. There was lemonade, beets, turkey and noodles, mashed potatoes, cantaloupe, and chocolate chip cookies. There was also salad but I could not eat it due to my food allergy to bell peppers.

Yummy lunch!!

I made the decision that I would be gracious and accept the food provided and eat it. We did have the option to pack a lunch. I decided not to do this as it was not cost effective. One aspect of this project is feeding myself on a college budget, which means accepting food when offered sometimes. Kyle Becker said everything was made there except for the noodles. Even the turkey was raised on the farm. This made me feel better about eating the food. It was also nice not to have to prepare a meal, all I had to do was enjoy it.

Something surprising that I noticed is that I felt full and satisfied after the meal. I did not crave more food just for the sake of eating it. I also did not salt any of the food I ate. I did not even feel compelled to eat extra cookies like I used to. I do not know if this is due to my project so far or that the food was not as processed as, for example, the food in the dining halls here at school. I hope to be able to cook as well as Mrs. Becker!

My new friend :).

Is "Organic" a Magic Word?

As my seminar is reading through The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan, I have been really struck by the chapters on industrial organic agriculture. Even though I had considered myself well versed in agriculture before this class, I was not aware of the scale of these corporations. Honestly it disheartens me that our generation is led to believe that “Organic” is the magic label that must mean the food is good and comes from a pretty farm where everything is good.

According to the USDA “Organic agriculture is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony.” The labeling does not guarantee that there is no residual residue of pesticides etc. They say the labeling is to promote health. But we take it to mean health for the plants an animals (such as no pesticides and pasture grazing) equally as much as health for us (no contaminates). "Organic" has turned into a social issue.

I was saddened that the chickens were harvested at 7 weeks of age, only having 2 weeks access to the outdoors through a tiny door at one end of the “factory”. (Producers are afraid of these chickens being infected with pathogens if they have access to outdoors younger than 5 weeks. This is a drawback of not using antibiotics.) Once I learned this fact, I want to reconsider the labeling on my organic chicken before I purchase it. I now know that organic does not mean pasture raised. That would be a better indicator to look at on the label. Next time I go to the Farmer’s Market I will be more inclined to ask about the living conditions of the animals before I buy the meat. I will still buy meat that was raised without daylight, but at least now I am informed. 

What do you think?

Today's Haul

Today after classes I went to the Farmer's Market. It run on Wednesday as well as Saturday. There are less vendors, but I do appreciate the smaller crowd that attends. Having a farmer's market on Wednesday also helps if I have already eaten through what I had bought on the previous Saturday.

So what did I get today?

- medium cantaloupe - $2.00
- 1 lb green beans - $2.00
- small head of cabbage - $1.00
- 11 green apples - $4.00
- butternut squash - $1.00

Total: $10.00




I already made 4 apples and the butternut squash into a soup. Total cost of the soup was $3.62 with approximately 8 servings. That is $0.45 per serving!! The downside is that I do not really like the soup. I will make myself eat it, but I was not expecting a sweet soup. My taste buds are in a mood for something more savory. It will be good to use in my lunch along with biscuits to balance the flavors. How would you cook a squash?

Day 1

So here is a recap of my first day fully on the project:

Breakfast
- 1/2 cup rolled oats - $0.06
- 1/2 cup Raspberry Yogurt (Trader's Point Creamery) - $0.68

Lunch
- 2 small red potatoes - $0.31
- leftover green beans - $0.00
- 1/2 container baked vegetables (potato, eggplant, yellow squash) - $0.28

Dinner
- 1 cup 2% milk - $0.47
- 1 corn on the cob -  $0.33
- 3 biscuits -  $0.83

Total
= $2.96

I was surprised, breakfast did not keep me very full. I ate at 7am and was hungry by 10am. Maybe I should eat more. I had one of my potatoes from my lunch for a morning snack. Then I was not hungry for all of my baked vegetables, only eating one container. The eggplant still does not thrill me. Dinner was better. I did not have much of an appetite today, most likely because it was the first day of classes. I hope to soon make soup or something more filling. Let me know if you have any ideas!

There's Always an Exception to the Rule

It has come to my notice that there are cases in which the rules that I have put down for this project may be to strict. (If  you have not read the rules, go to the rule tab). Friends and family have mentioned, "What if you get sick? What if you go home for the weekend or on a trip?". I plan to answer these in this post.

First, what if I get sick? This could be caused by a flu or cold, or worse food poisoning from my cooking. Now I hope that none of these will happen. For me, I have found the best food remedies have been orange juice, Sprite, and saltine crackers. During this project, I am going to take the means necessary to get better if I am sick. So if I were to toss my cookies, yes I would go and get some sprite and OJ and perhaps some crackers so that I feel better. Life happens, so I must be willing to deal with it properly. If any of you have any less processed alternatives that make you feel better when you are sick, please let me know!

The second concern is when I visit my folks or go on a trip, both of which are likly to happen this semester. When I go home, I hope to cook some of my meals from scratch or visit the farmers market there. However, as a college student, if my parents offer me food for free versus the cost of me buying ingredients, I will most likely take the free food (as long as it is not to processed, ie soda etc). It is more economical this way. I will be home in two weeks, so I will blog then how I work through each meal.

What about trips? I will be at the mercy of the restaurants around me and some prepacked snacks. Hopefully restaurants will have less processed options, like a veggie salad without dressing, that I can choose off their menu. This will make an interesting blog post when I come to it :).

If you have any more question about what I am doing, please post them in the comments below!

Sugar

Although I have found a temporary solution, I am still perplexed on what type of sugar is cheap, ethical, and organic that I can use for this project.

Right now I am using Domino's Organic sugar that I found at Marsh. Organic means it was made from organic sugarcane, but this does not dictate how the sugar is harvested and processed. It means that this sugarcane has not been sprayed with pesticides, while Domino's regular brand most likely has.  The regular brand is most likely what all of you use for sugar. When I perused the aisles at Marsh and Target it was the only other type of sugar there except for the generic. I have also noticed that this sugar has a different flavor, similar to that of caramelized sugar, and the crystals are larger and brown. When I made blackberry muffins today, it baked the same and there was no flavor difference with the finished product.

Another friend suggested that I check out Sugar in the Raw. From some research I had discovered that it is not raw (meaning unprocessed). The package claims that it has not been bleached (I guess that is how we get our pretty white sugar). There does not seem to be anything spectacular about the product so I shall move on to another sugar.

While trying to Google sugar, I came across recommendations for sucanat (an abbreviation for sugar-cane-natural). It is an unprocessed sugar that has been used in India for some time. Basically it is dehydrated cane sugar. This is the least processed of the sugars so far. I also learned that through processing, manufacturers are able to refine the sugar so that the product sold is around 99.9% sugar compared to sucanat at 88% (the other 12% are calcium, iron, potassium, and vitamin B6, but not enough to actually gain nutrients from).

Another option I have is honey. Today at the farmer's market I got honey made in the same county that I now live in, you can't get more local than that. I also believe that there is minimal processing to get honey from the hive. It did seem a bit expensive to be using daily.

Finally I want to talk about a company called Wholesome Sweeteners that I just found today. They have a whole line of organic sugars and raw sugar. Their sugar is not genetically modified (YES!) and they are not burned, a practice that Sugar in the Raw may use. It is also fair trade. For those of you who don't know, fair
trade means that the farmers get paid a fair price for their goods and therefore are able to make a living farming. This by far seems to be the best choice for sugar, but I need to compare the prices.

Price per Pound*
Domino's Organic Sugar............................$5.33 $3.55
Sugar in the Raw........................................$2.67
Sucanat......................................................$3.15-$10
Honey........................................................$4.00
Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Sugar....$3.99
*All of these are estimated prices, most from the manufacturer's website. I could have found many of them cheaper on other sites.

This brings me to the conclusion that while not the cheapest, I want to go with Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Sugar as it is Fair Trade and organic which are two goals with my project. I am also not breaking the bank to make these choices. Which one would you choose? Do you care where your sugar comes from?


Resources:
http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/sugar-in-the-raw-thats-not/
http://healthland.time.com/2012/02/29/better-than-sugar-5-natural-sweeteners-demystified/
http://wholesomesweeteners.elsstore.com/view/product/?id=33248&cid=27511

Edit 8/21: I calculated the price for Domino's Organic Sugar from their 1.5 lb bag originally. The recalculated price makes it cheaper than Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Sugar. This result does not change my opinion of which sugar I would like to buy.

Stay tuned for Sugar Part II!!

Eggplants... Oh My!

So today I decided to use the eggplant that I purchased yesterday at the Minnetrista Farmer's Market. I will admit that I have never cooked with eggplant, let alone eaten it before. This was going to be a challenge.

Fried eggplant attempt.

Through my Google searching, I found that eggplant is most commonly fried, so that seemed a reasonable plan of action. I got my eggs, flour, and eggplant pealed and sliced. Many recipes warned that the eggplant needed to be salted to draw the moisture before frying. I should have listened. I have a tendency to improvise when I cook and this does not always result in good food. As the eggplant fried, it soaked up a lot of the olive oil and became soggy instead of chrispy. I may or may not try this again.

Thankfully, my dinner experiment was more successful. I needed to use the other eggplant (yes I thought it was wise to buy 2 even though I had no idea what to do with them at the time, they looked pretty). I had 4 small potatoes, a yellow squash, and onion. I decided to roast them in the oven with some olive oil, garlic, and oregano.

Vegetable medley.

It turned out better than expected, I was even able to portion it out to eat later and freeze some (reheating that will be another adventure). I learned today to follow the directions of the experts when it comes to cooking something that I have worked with before. It is also alright to fail, it is a learning experience.

First time for everything.... Pickles

So yesterday I went down to Conner Prairie Interactive History Park to do a film shoot for an advertisement. After that was complete I perused the gardens to see how things were growing. Earlier this spring I helped plant the seeds, so it is cool to see your hard work pay off with produce. As I explored the Conner Garden, my coworker Michele showed me the heritage world vegetables that they were growing including Poona Kheera cucumbers. They originate from India and vary in color from green maturing to orange and brown. She even gave me one to take home and use in my project.

I decided the best way to taste and preserve this cucumber so that I can eat it once the project starts would be to pickle it. I asked coworkers Maria and Jamie for advice, as they are much more experienced cooks for me. This is how the recipe boiled down to what I used:

• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 1/2 tablespoon of sugar
• salt and pepper to taste

I will be honest, I am not fond of pickles, the few times that I have eaten them. I opted for a sweeter pickle in the theory that it would be more palatable. In a few days I will taste them and let you know what I think. For now they will sit in the fridge and will be good for 2 to 3 weeks. This whole experiment cost me $0.69.

Sugar, Salt, Fat and ... Bliss

For my fall semester at Ball State University, I am not taking typical classes, as some of you know. Instead I am participating in a seminar at the Virginia Ball Center for Creative Inquiry. Here I am taking a 15 credit hour seminar entitled "Sustainable Agriculture and Policy Making". Although the title may sound intimidating, 14 other students and I along with Dr. Wolfe, our supervising professor, are exploring agriculture, its impact on our lives, and how policy fits into the picture.

For this class, we are reading 5 books, one of which is Salt Sugar Fat by Michael Moss. I just finished reading it yesterday and can say that I was intrigued and entertained the whole way through. He details "how the food giants hooked us" on processed food by formulating the salt, sugar, and fat levels to the perfect bliss point. The bliss point can be defined by the amount of sugar, for example, that we find pleasurable. It is at the brink of being to much, but just enough to make us want even more.

I do have a reason for explaining all of this. Today I had a harrowing time activating internet and cable (automating help center we all know to well). Frustrated and wanting to feel better I reached for some dark chocolate. This had a calming effect, most likely due to the sugary nature of the candy. Afterwards, I was still craving something that instinctively I knew would make me happy... cheese. With all that fat and sugar, it makes sense.

I trotted off to Fazoli's, a restaurant that I will not be able to frequent starting next Monday, and ordered myself a baked alfredo. After eating some, my taste buds were humming and I was feeling happy and relaxed. This lines up with what Michael Moss said in his book, we eat these foods because they make us feel happy. I guess I will need to find a way to fulfill this desire when I cut out processed foods. Let me know if you have any ideas for savory dishes!

Shopping Day 2: Farmer's Market and More

Today I went to the Minnetrista Farmer's Market with my friend Bekah. I did not have a grocery list in mind as I wanted to first see what was available.

This is Rosie, she was sooooo sleepy :)

The first thing I got was green beans. Maybe stir fry would be good or I can just eat them raw. They were only $1.50 a pound. I also got onions and garlic, which should last me a while (or at least more than one week). And of course it is the time for corn, half a dozen for 2 dollars. Later the vendor for "My Dad's Sweetcorn" gave me a free ear to try. Vendors are so nice! The only fruit that I picked up was some peaches, as I want to wait until the apples are a little bigger and berries are getting pricey.

I also got to meet some new friends, both the two legged and four legged kind.

This afternoon I went to Marsh to see if they had a better selection of ingredients for baking. Although they did not have organic flour like Target did, I did find Domino's Organic Sugar as well as organic olive oil. So far the olive oil has been my most expensive purchase at $12.59 for the 16.9 fl oz. bottle. This translates to 12 cents per teaspoon. My least expensive baking item so far is salt at 0.6 cents per teaspoon. It will be interesting to see how these calculate into the overall cost of a loaf of bread or stir fry.

My lunch at the Downtown Farm Stand.

My final stop was at The Downtown Farm Stand, which is similar to a Whole Foods or Earth Fare, although a lot smaller. Some of their prices for organic ingredients were much higher than what I found at national chains. For instance the packaged sugar was twice as much. I was able to find bulk rice, oats, and beans for $1-3 a pound. I also got four sticks of butter. I put three in the freezer so that they will last longer.

On that note, I am research an app for my phone to track the expiration dates of my food, so that I will use it up before it goes bad. Let me know if you have any suggestions!

Shopping day 1: Target

I decided today that I would start getting ingredients for my project. Since I was going to Target I decided to focus on the basics; flour, sugar, salt, etc. I also wanted to get oatmeal and rice. Simple enough, right? Not so much, apparently the Target in Muncie does not have a very large grocery section. I managed to find flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and milk. Did you know that Target sells its own name brand of organic flour? This was news to me. Good news. I even told the cashier out about it on my way out.

I got Target brand "Archer Farms" organic milk for a good price, about 50 cents cheaper than Horizon Organic milk.  It is nice when supermarkets have their own generic that is organic, this makes things cheaper. I also got Arm and Hammer baking soda, Clabber Girl baking powder, and Morton salt. These three are so chemically simple that I don't even want to bother trying to find a different or certified organic version. 

I did not get sugar yet as I am unsure if there is organic sugar or better quality version than what target carried.  Let me know if you have any ideas. I also could not find plain oatmeal in the store and the rice selection was so small that I better try somewhere else.  

On another note I'm starting to make an Excel sheet cataloging every food item I buy so I will be able to better calculate how much each meal will cost. 

Tomorrow I am off to the Minnetrista Farmers's Market and will blog about it afterwards. 

Take Out

So today I went out for lunch at Noodles & Company on my way back up to Muncie. As I ate I realized this might be one of my last times eating out for a while. Even though my project does not start for another week, I am going to be cooking and preparing for it starting now. So basically it will be easier to follow my new regime instead of spending more money on takeout.

I decided to go with buttered noodles with parmesan chicken, in the large size. Trying to be economical I was ableu to save half for dinner tonight, which saved me money overall. I also had a coke with lunch, which is rare for me. I don't think I will miss it much during this project.

Sorry for the short post, but I am still working on getting internet at my house. You can look forward to a post on my first shopping day for groceries for the project as well as an update on how my first trip to the farmer's market goes tomorrow.

Future of Meat

My friend Enzo just sent me an interesting article from NBC News. It discusses a test taste of a new but not so new food today, the test tube burger.

My initial reaction was to wonder how they did it. This meat substitute was developed by Mark Post, a physiologist at the University of Maastricht. The muscle tissue was grown in a petri dish starting from stem cells, but these can be collected from a biopsy of a live cow. Bread crumbs, egg, salt, and pepper were also added to improve texture and taste of the patty. I am led to believe that no animals were harmed in the making of this burger.

It was taste tested by Josh Schonwald, a food writer, and Hanni Rutzler, a food researcher. They both commented that the texture was good, juicy, but missing the fatty element.

John Schonawld eating the burger. From nbcnews.com.

After reading the article, I am unsure if I would eat an engineered food. I would probably enjoy it if I did not know where it came from. However, the more I think about it, would you like test tube meat, or CAFO  (concentrated animal feeding operation) meat? I will go more into CAFOs in a later blog post and why I chose not to eat them for my project. I don't think this test tube burger would meat the qualifications.

What do you think, is this new technology of producing food (or at least hamburgers for now) have a viable future in the United States or the world? I personally think we should decrease eating of meat instead of resorting to such measure, but hopefully this semester will give me time to reflect on this issue more.

For those of you who want, here is the original article.

Last Hoorah.... Maybe

As the start date approaches for my project (17 days, 3 hours, 20 some odd minutes as I write this post), I have realized a few things. I am starting to fear the foods that I will be "banned" from during this project.

Here are some foods I think that I will miss:

• ice cream
• general junk food (think vending machines)
• M&Ms and other chocolates
• being able to satisfy a craving instantly
• eating out at restaurants

The more I think about it, I will be able to have some of these foods, it will just take more work and some creativity. For instance I can make my own ice cream. Who knows, I may not miss the junk food as much.

Since I do fear the loss of these foods, I have been eating them more as of late, almost as if I need to take advantage of them while I still have time. And honestly, I haven't felt very good and I am craving the start of my experiment. I want to eat clean food, carrots, fresh veggies, and to know where my food comes from.

It is going to be an exciting and enlightening semester!