Grasshoppers and ants vs. cows and chickens. We know which group is more appetizing to eat, but the UN agency Food and Agriculture Organization is encouraging more of us to add the insects to our diets.
While the discussion is mostly about protein, eating insects is more about greenhouse gases and excessive feed caused by maintaining so many cows.
The organization notes that 2 billion people worldwide consume insects for protein and minerals.
Depending on your eating status, you may already be enjoying several levels of ways to get protein from beans and legumes to quinoa to Greek yogurt to whey powder. Beans, legumes, and nuts also have small footprints, though not as small as cicadas.
Let's be clear: if you put bugs in chocolate or garlic powder or the substance that goes on Flamin' Hot Cheetos, Americans will eat it. If you put bugs on a stick and deep-fry them, Americans will eat it, even if the bugs themselves are nutritious.
---
Speaking of protein, Oscar Mayer's new Bacon Dogs offers bacon in the mix. And not just any bacon … Oscar Mayer Bacon. They mixed bacon in with the other meats in an otherwise typical Oscar Mayer hot dog. Now, once you heat/cook them, how much bacon are you really getting?
Again, if you really want the bacon experience, take some bacon (heck, even Oscar Mayer bacon) and cook it up. Put the bacon inside a hot dog bun, add your favorite condiments, and have a true bacon dog. You will get more taste and still get some nitrates in your system. Bacon with a bit of chili and a dash of mustard on a hot dog bun. Mmmmmmm.
---
Growing organic foods fall perfectly under the definition of conservative with a small "c." Old-fashioned, tried and true, nothing fancy, what your grandparents literally did. Yet organic foods rile up conservatives against them because they're seen as "left-wing hippies food."
This exchange, courtesy of The Huffington Post, illustrates how backwards this discussion is in Washington.
When Rep. Kurt Schrader, D-Ore., a former organic farmer, offered an amendment to make it easier for organic companies to organize industry-wide promotional campaigns, there was swift backlash from some farm-state Republicans. One lawmaker said he didn't want to see the industry get a free ride and a second complained about organics' "continued assault on agriculture."
"That's one of the things that has caught me and raises my concerns, is that industry's lack of respect for traditional agriculture," said Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga. He was referring to some organic companies' efforts to reduce the number of genetically modified crops in the marketplace.
At the same time, Scott acknowledged that he and his wife buy organic foods.
GMOs are not about traditional agriculture … unless you're 20. Organic is traditional agriculture … literally. Sigh.
The good news for Scott and his wife is when they do buy organic foods, they are being conservative. Scott just needs to convince himself in the mirror that he is being conservative when it comes to organic foods. Trying to convince Scott that GMOs are radical? That will take a much longer time.
---
With all the whining from fast food companies about Obamacare, which won't kick in for most Americans until 2014, turns out their fears won't be realized.
A recent Barclays analyst's note studied the issue and pointed out that a number of employees are young people can stay on their parents' insurance plans to 26, an element of Obamacare that is already into effect. So most of those employees won't have the issue. The exception would be those without parents or without access to their insurance plans.
As for older adults who are making their living working in fast food, we also know that they aren't getting paid enough, as we've seen in protests in several major cities, Detroit being the latest. Obamacare will give them the chance to buy their health insurance if their employers don't offer insurance. Then again, the wages of a fast food worker might not be enough to buy insurance, though the plans are adjusted based on income.
The idea of paying $3-$4 for a fast food meal into perpetuity is a ridiculous notion. Cheap can only go so far, and you pay your employees more money, they can afford to eat at your restaurants more often.
---
If you don't eat well, especially as an American, you might be ashamed about being photographed with a week's worth of food. Now try representing your whole country.
Came across this story about a book where a typical week's worth of food in a country is photographed along with a family from that country.
The pictures illustrate the huge contrasts between countries over what constitutes typical meals. The U.S. and Canada don't hold up well. Some less-off countries actually look like they eat better.
Comments
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.