McDonald’s or Fresh, Organic Produce: The Motor City Picks McDonald’s: Why?

[GailG]

To all nutritionists & chefs,

NPR’s MarketPlace published a radio show on October 8, 2009 entitled “Urban Farming Takes Root in Detroit” exposing Detroit’s desperate times and a Michigan farmer’s attempt to help by growing organic produce in vacant lots. The G.R.O.W. Collaborative (funded by the U.S. Dept. of Ag.) involves a group of local environmentalists who are trying to encourage community gardening in raised beds. As great as this program sounds on ‘paper,’ there was a problem that everyone overlooked:  Detroit’s urbanites don’t know what to do with fresh produce. They don’t cook; they eat at fast food joints for all of their meals. Interestingly, no one ever stole any of the vine-ripened tomatoes from these local gardens because these people don’t know what to do with them.

I’m bringing this particular radio show to your attention for the sole purpose of revealing the sad fact that there are plenty of Americans who live outside of desperate Detroit who have this same kind of relationship with fresh produce as these unfortunate folks. As we educate ourselves about the value of nutritive foods, keep in mind that turning raw ingredients into meals and snacks is where the rubber meets the road. People are loosing their basic skills of food preparation due to the rising popularity of quick dinning. Teaching people about the value of nutritious food is not going to get them to eat it if they have no cooking skills or equipment. This radio program is a lesson to all of us Nutrition Consultants / Educators: Don't assume that people know how to cook their own food. As Holistic Nutritionists, we need to be well prepared to teach our clients how to prepare/ cook their own food from scratch. I believe that Holistic Nutritionists should strongly consider going through the Natural Chef Program as an important adjunct to their skill and knowledge base to help bridge this food-to-mouth gap.

Here's the link to the radio program:

http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/10/08/pm-detroit-market/

-A fellow Nutrition Consultant (who is saving her pennies to enroll in the Chef Program)

[NicoleF]

NicoleF
Natural Chef Graduate
Spring 2009

               Thank you for posting this article. This is trully a problem that needs to be dealt with. It is so sad to me that we have gotten to this point in our country that we don't even know how to cook anymore. Upon graduating I became a chef in a catering company that does five star private dinners in Sonoma and Napa Counties. I have enjoyed it so much but have been burdened by it at the same time. It is great to do things for these kind of people but it is the low income and physically destitute that is the true heartbeat of our country which unfortuntly is falling apart at the seams. It is going to those of us(especially chefs) not just willing to plant the gardens but to take the time to teach and as the result bring human dignity and respect to a group of people that have long been neglected and called worthless. May we be willing pioneers in this avenue and be lights of hope to a nation who so desperatly needs it.

[SimoneS]

It is no doubt a nationwide problem.  It's been a long time coming, and the unfortunate result is that today's generation has a life span 10 years shorter than their parents.  I get pretty down about the reality of food in this country at times.  I recently saw Jamie Oliver's TED talk and found it absolutely inspiring. 

http://www.ted.com/talks/jamie_oliver.html

It helped me feel a bit less hopeless about the situation.  Educating kids about food is KEY!!!  IT should no doubt be a part of their education in grade school, before they think that spaghetti is a vegetable. 

[LoriB]

I find it sad that as a nation we are so uneducated about the healing powers of food, and that so many people lack the knowledge of basic food preparation.  I feel so blessed to live in Northern California where there are so many options for fresh, organic produce, and there are also many cooking classes, and workshops available.  I sometimes hear from others how its not like that in many other places here in the U.S, such as Michigan for example and so I think that the G.R.O.W Collaborative is doing a good thing but they also need to get together some holistic nutrition educators/consultants and chefs to show these people what they can do with the food being grown and how much healthier and happier they will feel instead of eating at places like Mcdonalds. I also agree with Simone that educating kids about food is key.  I also think not only in grade school, but in high school as well there should be nutrition education and cooking classes that prepare young adults to cook for themselves, so that when they leave the house they are not clueless and they can make healthier food choices.  

[Tim Frederick]

Hi Friends:

Speaking from the perspective of someone who lives less than 15 miles from Detroit; we are making progress!  After the Taking Root conference in Detroit last year, we were able to coordinate a relationship between local urban farmers and Michigan State University.  Raised bed gardening is on the rise and with the Double- Up Food-Bucks Program people can now put more of an emphasis on fresh foods.

Ann Arbor is pretty much a let down in terms of what they could be doing.  You would think Ann Arbor would be at cutting edge but they are not.  The reason is the University of Michigan Hospital has a vested interested in Sick Care... I mean Healthcare.  They believe in mostly allopathic medicine and that the body is a mechanism.  Of course their are some exceptions but they are few and far between.  What's craziest of all is that all the Natural Health movement began in Windsor, Ontario and Ann Arbor, Michigan and migrated West; not the other way around.

As a Chef I have found it very challenging in the past two years to make a living in this industry.  I will not sell out to restaurants and catering companies that don't support the local community or care about what produce they are using.  I have been basically volunteering most of my time and find it very rewarding.

Finally, I have a commercial kitchen that I am renting and am working on a gluten free- empanada using real Yucca root.  I also am focusing solely on making local fermented food available at Eastern Market so that I can help these people who are dealing with all types of debilitating illness.

In Health,

Tim Frederick, CNC

[emilyl286]

I work in the affordable housing field where many of the units available to very low-income persons are not equipped with the kitchen and cooking facilities most of us are accustomed to - so in addition to educating people on how to cook, it's important to recognize that for many, for whom proper nutrition is absolutely critical to saving their lives, their facilities for cooking may very well consist of microwaves, electric waterpots or hot plates, and mini-refrigerators. Does that mean nutritionous fresh meals can't be prepared? No, but it takes a bit more thought and creativity than many feel they can afford, and when you're starving, those Banquet frozen dinners sure look appetizing, and fast.