Balance of Food

Yet another moratorium on American food policy advances

my taxes pay for wars all over the world, the least i can do is give a kid in my backyard a sandwich. https://t.co/AoTdhCv8la

— The Ginger Swindler (sixers apologist) (@lilydsmith) October 15, 2024

Not much happened with the quality of the mainstream food supply in the United States over the last 4 years. This doesn't mean that the last 4 years were bad. Not making things worse passes as growth and positivity for the United States.

The hope of that change, even small changes, will go into a box with no light or air for awhile. How long? 4 years, at least. Things will get worse. A lot worse. The last time, we had a policy of sending chickens to China to be processed and then sent back to the United States.

You can certainly argue that the Democratic Party hasn't campaigned on improving the food system. They don't get much of a chance to gain enough power to make effective change. Bill Clinton's first 2 years and Barack Obama's first 2 years in office: only time since the early days of 1981 that the Dems had control of the House of Representatives, Senate, and the White House.

Daily Show addresses increased junk food in school lunches

Meals on Wheels symbol of Trump attack on food supply

The Republican Party is not interested in any positive food reform. If you voted for that party in 2024 at those levels and thought they will reduce food prices at the grocery store, they won't.

The 2010 school lunch reform — the idea of a non-inflationary increase in school lunch funding — was watered down to 6¢ by a conservative Democratic senator.

We have a school lunch bill; President Obama should sign bill by the WH organic garden

There was talk last summer about a switch in where food safety is covered in the U.S. government. The new Federal Food Administration would take over food safety from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The new organization would ensure the safety of the country’s food supply and promote nutrition.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) introduced such legislation last summer.

Using the FDA and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to combat the food woes hasn't gone well. There are lots of conflicts of interest. The potential FFA would be a really nice start.

Unfortunately, the potential legislation will have to be reintroduced several years into the future. Again, the last time, we had a policy of sending chickens to China to be processed and then sent back to the United States.

Tim Walz would be a step forward on food policy

This is what the United States could have had. A sitting vice president doesn't have that much power or control. Kamala Harris could have suggested food policy was something Walz could do and not just for the citizens of Minnesota.

Progress would have been slow but faster than what we will see for a few years to come.

BalanceofFood.com school lunch coverage

BalanceofFood.com politics coverage

BalanceofFood.com U.S. food policy coverage

BalanceofFood.com agency alphabet soup coverage

We have wonderful stories in our archives back in a time when forces were fighting for the improvement in the food supply in the United States.

Our neighbors to the north — Canada — had a rather good 2024. They had a grocery store boycott and a new federal school lunch program.

The necessity of a grocery store boycott

Canada (finally) introduces a national school lunch program

BalanceofFood.com Canada food policy coverage

However, that limited growth could be in stark danger. Turmoil, in part caused by the U.S. election, in Canada may start as early as next week as Parliament returns. There will be a federal election by October and possibly sooner.

The current opposition party leader has no interest in helping the school lunch program. He won't come out and say so but other talking points don't show any encouragement.

I think back to when Michael Moore was in France (Where to Invade Next), showing the U.S. audience what a school lunch looked like in France. Significant and remarkable. We are told to "think of the children" at selected points but they usually don't involve what they eat.

Twitter capture: @lilydsmith
photo credit: Lawrence Jackson/Official White House Photo; @timwalz
video credit: Where to Invade Next

Tim Walz would be a step forward on food policy

The stereotype is that a vice president has an important job yet usually doesn't do a whole lot. A U.S. vice president who spent time on food policy would be a great start.

Tim Walz is the governor of Minnesota and the vice presidential pick to run with Vice President Kamala Harris on the Democratic Party ticket. Walz has been praised for his work on getting school breakfasts and lunches to be free in Minnesota.

Eater.com pointed out Walz's understanding of the "connection between food and climate change."

Walz is from a Midwestern state where they understand food. Harris is from California, a state that understands about the growing of food.

One reason to love the #TimWalz pick is his love for #schoollunch funding. https://t.co/WuMqd1Atr0

— Chad Rubel (@balanceoffood) August 6, 2024

Reducing the stigma of lunch debt. Knowing first hand having been a school teacher that kids learn better when their stomachs are full.

We feel confident that the Minnesota governor knows that turkey is meat. Turkey is a big deal in Minnesota. The fact that Walz's daughter Hope is vegetarian means he has a resource to understand that approach to food.

Needing a radical 'New Deal' from the next Secretary of Agriculture

Michael Pollan for Ag Secretary?

The reality is that the status quo, of which Vilsack is a champion, feels like everything is fine with the U.S. food approach. The days of drafting Michael Pollan as secretary of agriculture is beyond a pipe dream.

If Americans voted based on food policy, the Democratic Party would win every time. Then again, if they voted on food policy, voters would want the Green Party or a left of center party such as the New Democratic Party in Canada.

Shopping for vegetables is a reality, not a political stunt

As we've seen in politics, the secretary of agriculture doesn't really tackle concerns over the food supply. When I covered U.S. politics, those who rooted for Tom Vilsack (former Iowa governor) were likely disappointed at his 8-year stint in that cabinet post. Those people were surprised that President Joe Biden brought back Vilsack for the same post. That said, Vilsack is miles ahead of Sonny Perdue in that capacity.

There is proposed legislation to establish the Federal Food Administration under the umbrella of food safety and promoting nutrition. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL.) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) introduced the legislation.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA). United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Health and Human Services (HHS). All of these agencies sort of cover these topics yet the USDA is more about promoting food and the FDA is more about drugs.

Food safety would be helpful given e-coli spills from factory farms but we are concerned that "food safety" will be making sure we have more UHT milk. 

Unfortunately the Federal Food Administration won't see the light of day as long as the Dems don't control the House of Representatives. The presidential race is crucial yet the lower ballot races also matter a lot.

We know some of the right-wing side of government don't want another federal agency. They don't complain about the Transportation Security Authority (TSA). They might want a better run food system.

BalanceofFood.com school lunch coverage

BalanceofFood.com politics coverage

Reverse the monoculture mentality of Earl Butz. Diversify farm ownership so farms aren't "too big to fail." Have a smarter immigration policy so more crops aren't wasted on farms. Stop making front and back labels on food being a shell game approach. Make declaring one's self organic a hell of a lot easier. Treat chickens, cows, and pigs with more dignity.

Create a food system that feeds more Americans without relying on bragging as much about food banks. Just some of the many ideas I would incorporate as a secretary of food safety and nutrition.

BalanceofFood.com U.S. food policy coverage

BalanceofFood.com agency alphabet soup coverage

This may seem naive but I think there could be true bipartisan agreement on improving the food supply. Most Republicans aren't rich and many of them go to food banks. The corporate mentality toward the food system clouds people's thinking.

photo credit and video credits: I Am Grambling
Twitter capture: @balanceoffood

The Washington Post should point out dietitians who abuse their position

Despite what dietitians, good dietitians say, getting helpful, practical advice on eating and diet (in the general sense of the word) is difficult. We have noted that for years.

Back in the day when I hung out with dietitians, most of them were trapped in PR firms, justifying corporate food decisions. Few of them actually did what you think dietitians would do: help guide people to making smarter food decisions.

Helping patients doesn't pay well. PR firms pay well.

Besides being invisible, dietitians are generally quiet. The Washington Post and The Examination, a new nonprofit newsroom specializing in global public health, recently wrote a story about "anti-diet" dietitians on social media. Not all of the dietitians involved acknowledge their links to corporate food companies. Even those whose posts are listed as sponsored should be seen with a critical eye.

The "anti-diet" concept sounds intriguing if taken with a sincere lens in navigating the food scene but is mostly used to justify consuming big company breakfast cereal and other such food.

Social media and influencers are not the best sources of food information, sponsored or otherwise. I can rationally say that and mean it. Doesn't mean that millions of girls and young women aren't vulnerable to that influence.

So who do dietitians attack for such information being released? The dietitians? Social media? The misleading information? Nope. If you said the media, you would be correct. You can find such examples here and here.

Dietitians know about nutrition and specialize in communication to get that message out to people. Blaming the media is not as constructive as talking about the good work of dietitians and scolding bad behavior.

I am not a dietitian. I don't get sponsorships because I am not selling anything or my ethical standards. I do know how to communicate.

When Alton Brown did his "diet" episode, Brown talked about the general use of the word diet. In this sense, we are all on a diet. In this sense, we shouldn't be on a diet in the mainstream definition.

Dietitians run into this madness with the mantra of "there is no good or bad food." There are some very good foods and very bad foods. There are: sorry, dietitians. Most countries don't deal with high-fructose corn syrup. Most countries have a sense of banning food dyes and ingredients that should be outside of the norm. The United States and Canada (to some extent) use the "nothing can hurt you" rule where food safety is concerned. Processed food can have a place but using an anti-diet cloak to justify processed food to serve corporate food overlords is exactly what dietitians should fight to prevent that happening.

Foods can be utilized in smaller quantities. Theoretically, breakfast cereal can serve some purpose: in lieu of a dessert, measure out a cup with a cup of the milk of your choice, a splurge when feeling down.

The story points out how General Mills specifically promoted the anti-diet message at the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE) convention in Denver last fall. Be entertained by the temptation but don't follow through.

The social media influencers make a louder sound because the hard-working dietitians who are helping people are quiet. March was National Nutrition Month and we do hear more from dietitians during that time. Not so much from April to February.

As obesity rises, Big Food and dietitians push 'anti-diet' advice (The Washington Post)

Are online dietitians influenced by food industry money? (The Current from CBC Radio)

20 years ago this month, I was that person who needed help. My doctor turned me over to a certified diabetes educator who was helpful on the basics. I did a lot of research in the coming weeks. I shook a lot of bad habits and added some good habits.

I hit a plateau and figured out to ask, "how do I get out of a plateau." I changed some things and I was moving in a good education.

My anxiety and depression make eating these days a struggle. I know what to do but I struggle to do them properly.

I know enough to know if I was being scammed or sold a false bill of goods. The food system, especially in the United States, is a raging river and most people don't even have a raft. The bad people speak up because the good people don't, until someone in the media writes about it, and then they whine about the media.

Taking a grocery store tour is worthwhile, even if you think you know everything

Spring brings wellness lectures; tips in case you need a refresher

Organic or conventional, you still have to eat fruits and vegetables

Woman's Day exposing food myths led to more food myths

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (the new name for the old American Dietetic Association) has a Code of Ethics (really!). Here is Part 2a:

Nutrition and dietetics practitioners shall: Disclose any conflicts of interest, including any financial interests in products or services that are recommended. Refrain from accepting gifts or services which potentially influence or which may give the appearance of influencing professional judgment.

If you are a dietitian, ask yourself if you follow these guidelines. Also ask if you should care if dietitians violate the letter and spirit of the Code of Ethics. We should care.

Some of the dietitians' angst toward The Washington Post centers around this story from last fall on similar concerns.

Dietitians truly have it rough because they get all this education and then there are financial pressures to sell out to corporate interests so you can put your own food on your table, whatever food choices you make. Society benefits from dietitians free of conflicts. Try to find a dietitian who seems ethical and ideally doesn't have a ton of sponsorships, revealed or otherwise.

photo credit: The Washington Post

California bacon is a reality even with the unfortunate grace period

California voters passed Proposition 12 in 2018. The goal was to improve lives for the pigs that provide bacon and other pork products. Fresh pork has to be born to sows with at least 24 square feet of space, allowing a breeding pig to turn around and extend its limbs. The proposition also banned widely used gestation crates to protect sows from other pigs.

The law finally went into place as of July 1, though there is a 6-month grace period so some pork sold in California will still be covered by the old rules. We would be very curious if there was labeling as to how well the "old pork rules" pork would sell in the grocery store.

The measure also included space requirements for egg-laying hens and veal calves. They didn't run into the kind of issues over pigs since the pork industry fought back a lot harder. The Supreme Court of the United States ruled 5-4 in favor of Proposition 12.

Massachusetts also passed a similar law that should go into effect soon.

Besides getting better quality bacon and other pork products, the idea is to push the industry nationwide to better standards for pigs across the board. California has enough economic pressure to make a difference at the start. California consumes roughly 13% of the nation’s pork but produces a insignificant amount of the total production.

Those who buy bacon and other pork products at farmers markets are likely getting meat from pigs that are treated much better than the conventional standards in the United States. The idea behind Proposition 12 is that people who shop in grocery stores have that same kind of access.

These are the pigs in Spain that give us jamon iberico. These pigs roam free and eat amazing acorns, the bellota, among other natural foods as part of their diet. They roam freely with not a cage in sight.

The United States isn't alone in the cruelty level of keeping animals but is sadly #1 in this category. This is why buying meat products at farmers markets is gaining in popularity.

This is proof that the U.S. can and should do better by the animals where we get food.

BalanceofFood.com local/state food policy coverage

BalanceofFood.com farmers market coverage

During my last trip to San Francisco, I ran into millionaire's bacon. Millionaire's bacon is enhanced with a sweet and spicy flavor.

You shouldn't have to feel like a millionaire to eat quality bacon from well-grown pigs. That level of bacon should be readily available to a farmers market addict or a house spouse frantically shopping with 3 kids in tow at a Ralph's or a Safeway.

video credit: KCRA 3 Sacramento
photo credits: Serious Eats; me

Demand for food banks may not be visible but is ever increasing

"Why is he still complaining about food insecurity and the need for food banks? The economy is doing really well. Those long lines during the pandemic. That was just the pandemic."

We wrote about those long lines 3 years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic. We thought these images would make a meaningful impact: spotlighting the number of people who are getting in long lines, lining up hours before the food banks open up.

"Let us remember these images when the pandemic subsides. Hunger is real for a lot of people. They should feel no shame for getting help."

So where are we in 2023?

"We used to spend $1.5 million per year on purchasing food. We spend now up to 1.8 million per month on food." — Neil Hetherington, CEO of the Daily Bread Food Bank in Toronto.

Imogen Birchard, a producer on Front Burner from CBC News, pointed out in her story that "In March, when Canada's unemployment rate was hovering at a near record low of 5%, the Daily Bread Food Bank broke their monthly record with 270,000 client visits up from 60(,000) to 70(,)000 pre-pandemic."

Congressional Republicans decided that too many people on food assistance needed to get off the rolls. The age was raised to 55 from 49 for adults without children to receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for 3 months in a 3-year period unless they work a minimum of 20 hours per week.

This was part of the debt ceiling deal where the Republicans blackmailed the White House to get this concession. Let's not forget that in a "good" economy, people 50-54 already have trouble getting hired.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in new research said the change could result in almost 750,000 adults ages 50 to 54 losing their federal food assistance.

The White House did get work requirements waived for veterans, individuals who are homeless or facing housing instability, and youth aging out of foster care.

3 months of help, not much help within that amount, over a 3-year period when a lot of people can't find regular work. That feels cruel in an actually good economy, which isn't what we have now.

Even if they do find work, hours can easily be cut to below 20 hours a week, putting their limited benefits in danger through no fault of their own.

The numbers show the need is growing for people who work full time. Even with that level of income, some people are struggle to make ends meet without food assistance.

"The greatest concern and that that I want to impart is unemployment is low. And if we get to a situation where combating inflation through higher interest rates results in a slowing down of the economy and increased unemployment rates, we will be in a state that food banks have never been in before. Well, we're there now, but we will be. It's a crisis on a crisis on a crisis, and we're just getting to that third one." — said Hetherington.

While we dispute the employment numbers in both Canada and the United States, Hetherington makes a good point in one regard. A bad situation will become worse if (when?) employed people get tossed out of their jobs.

Food banks are dealing with one variable that usually isn't a factor. The rising costs of food mean they can't buy as much food for the same amount of money. Their food dollars don't go as far, just like their clients.

France has rules on supermarkets to reduce food waste. Spain was working on a similar law. Farmers struggle to get all their crops picked due to worker shortages.

Food banks now more important than ever in COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic

A "capitalist" society struggles with the idea of making sure people can get food because there must be payment. Food being wasted. People desperately needing food. We should make this work.

"I've tossed the idea by the board of directors of maybe we should you know, we have 200 food banks in the city of Toronto maybe we should shut them down and just distribute food at one location until government policy changes and that location being City Hall or Queen's Park. And and so if you need food and we serve about 12,000 per day, the 12,000 people would be inconvenienced and they'd have to come to two to Queen's Park to pick up their food. And we would do that every single day, every single day, until policy change happens. That's not like us. That's, you know, we're not that kind of an organization. But at some point we have to say enough is enough." — said Hetherington.

The lines from 2020 were a visual reminder of the impact of food insecurity in rich countries. Hetherington is suggesting another visual impact. Queen's Park is where the Ontario provincial government meets.

"But at some point we have to say enough is enough." Will that be enough for us to see what is happening with food insecurity? Should we do better before then?

photo credit: Neil Blake/Grand Rapids Press/AP

Celebrating Full Frontal with Samantha Bee for fighting for a better food system

As an actual journalist, I bemoan what passes for food journalism. The best reporters on the food system in the United States have been comedians, such as Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, and yes, Samantha Bee.

For 7 years, Samantha Bee took on topics real journalists were afraid to confront. Samantha Bee might have been afraid yet she did segments on important issues such as school lunch funding.

Full Frontal with Samantha Bee on TBS ended its run over the terribly awful Warner Bros. Discovery merger with the new TBS management making several stupid mistakes, one of them cancelling the show. We had hope the show could find a new home but that seems highly unlikely.

Having a half hour a single day a week meant the show couldn't cover as much as The Daily Show did. Still, we would love to celebrate what we had.

Full Frontal with Samantha Bee makes the case for universal free lunch

The stigma of lunch debt. The pandemic led to the USDA to waive price as an issue for the cost of school lunches. Those waivers pretty much expired about a year ago.

The economic numbers don't reflect the number of people unemployed or sharply underemployed, many of whom have children who go to school. Feeding lunch to children is crucial to their ability to learn, which benefits everyone in society.

Since the GOP controls the House, there will be zero legislation to improve the situation.

The food system is also about who is involved in your food

The impact on immigrants, no matter their status, makes a gigantic impact on the U.S. food system from farm workers to restaurant workers and even chef/owner immigrants. Samantha Bee is an immigrant from Canada (that counts) so Bee and Padma Lakshmi, host of Top Chef, talked about the impact of immigration on food.

"I think the food landscape in this country would be completely different without immigrant labor," said Lakshmi. "We all have a responsibility to reach down and pull up the people who really break their back for you day in and day out."

Bee spotlights Cristina Martinez, who runs a popular barbacoa restaurant. Martinez explained in Spanish that she came to the United States to escape her abusive now ex-husband.

The food insecurity coverage in most mainstream journalism during the pandemic was about the visual of long lines for food pantries. Once again, Samantha Bee points out the food insecurity before the pandemic and the loss of school lunches since children weren't going to school.

BalanceofFood.com school lunch coverage

BalanceofFood.com U.S. food policy coverage

BalanceofFood.com television coverage

The Daily Show is in transition after Trevor Noah left. The future of these late-night shows, once so crucial to supplementing journalism, is really up in the air.

What's Eating America devotes cable news time to important food issues

How Trevor Noah and The Daily Show poked fun at the food supply

The MSNBC series was brief and mostly got on the air thanks to the popularity of Andrew Zimmern. This is the exception in cable news, not the norm. While the Trevor Noah version wasn't as diligent about the food supply system, Roy Wood Jr. could have his own show on the topic.

In a TikTok world, the idea of 7-8 minutes for a segment devoted to a food policy concern with humor and significance finding a happy partnership feel wonderful but may be only a pipe dream.

The Food Network and Cooking Channel, both owned by Discovery, the group that took down Samantha Bee's program, would be the ideal place for a block of programming once a week on actual food policy issues. Over the air stations are required to run educational programming. We could check that box, though cable channels don't have that requirement.

photo and video credits: Full Frontal with Samantha Bee/TBS

Grocery rebate is a nice idea but only a short-term solution to rising food prices

Is a grocery rebate a grocery rebate if the rebate isn't tied to groceries? The Canadian federal budget has called for a grocery rebate targeted to 11 million low- and modest-income Canadians and families. The total of the rebate would reach $467 for eligible couples with children; $234 for single Canadians without children; and $225 for seniors, on average.

The money would show up as a one-time rebate through the goods and services tax (GST) rebate system.

Our American readers might wonder why the [bleep] we are writing about an initiative in Canada instead of the United States. The Republicans have a majority in the House of Representatives so there will be no bills concerning high food prices unless the Dems win back control in the fall of 2024. Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party (centrist party) has a minority federal government with help from the left of centre (center) New Democratic Party.

A bit of money will help but if you think grocery store prices are bad in the United States now, Canadians generally pay a lot more for groceries in their country in urban places such as Toronto, Vancouver, and Montréal. Rural places pay even more, whether that be Atlantic Canada or places such as Nunavut.

$467 will help a family in Toronto but not as much in Iqlauit, the capital of Nunavut.

Still, some grocery help is better than zero help. Yes, we are looking at the GOP-controlled House.

About That from CBC News Explore is part of a new trend in TV journalism going online and ideally delving more in depth with explaining the impact of the grocery rebate in Canada. Anchor Andrew Chang uses the whiteboard to go through the numbers and the significance of Canadians' personal budgets.

The U.S. has 24-hour cable news channels, 2 of which broadcast actual news. Steve Kornacki of MSNBC would have fun with a whiteboard but again, U.S. federal politics won't introduce anything new to help food prices until at least 2025.

CTV News also broke down elements of the grocery rebate, such as how Canadians would spend the money and answering questions about the rebate itself.

Besides high grocery prices, Canada also suffers from a monopoly on major grocery stores in Canada. The United States has had a wide-open regional battle that brings prices down. The Kroger-Albertsons merger will make things worse in the United States.

Comparison shopping helps you pay less for groceries, provided you have the energy and time to pull this off.

The Backbench podcast had an episode on soaring food costs. The Commons podcast delved into that monopoly and how the Competition Bureau is more of a theory than a relevant force.

Make the switch from grocery store eggs to eggs from local farmers

Shopping for vegetables is a reality, not a political stunt

You can reduce food costs despite inflation

Appreciate quality in grocery staples when shopping

Think food prices are high? Try the northern territories of Canada

The grocery rebate is psychological. The government is doing something. Are they addressing the virtual monopoly of Canadian grocery stores? Are they making grocery store CEOs nervous with threats of diversifying their dominance? No and no. They are offering a token amount of money.

I took advantage of a $25 gift card to my local grocery store. This would have had more value in 2020 or even 2022. Still, $25 made a difference. I did spend more but I will eat all of the food I bought. Psychologically, this was a boost. A reminder of the wonderful gift I got that I could definitely use.

I still have a gift card for food delivery. That is out of my comfort zone since I tend to cook more. Grocery store prices still don't compare to the cost of eating out, even these days.

Qu'ils mangent de la brioche | Let them eat cake

When I visited Paris a few years back, I was struck with how cheap baguettes were. They were amazing in taste and texture yet they were relatively cheap.

The French society incorporates that philosophy to this day, making sure bread is accessible to everyone.

The cheap food in the United States and Canada is usually made with high-fructose corn syrup and poor quality ingredients, which further amplifies the struggles of basic nutrition in countries where people have trouble buying even cheap groceries.

BalanceofFood.com Canada food policy coverage

$467 or $234 is like fixing a pothole in the spring. Nice but the potholes will come back. Better government leadership would address long-term society solutions. A grocery rebate will fix that pothole in Canada while Americans have a GOP-lead House who won't acknowledge those potholes exist.

video and photo credit: CBC News Explore

The difficulty in finding the old Grade B maple syrup

Spring time means maple syrup. The prime time to attach the buckets to the taps of maple trees in Quebec and Vermont.

Buying maple syrup used to be simple, especially if you loved the dark stuff. You didn't have to look for fancy or vague adjectives. All you needed to see was Grade B. There were several Grade As with different descriptions but if the label said Grade A, you could ignore the bottle.

The powers that be changed all of them to be Grade A variations. Ugh. Now you had to read the various descriptions. Unlike the above photo, you didn't have the comparison as you stared at maple syrup containers in the grocery store.

If your palate debates between the subtle nuances of Golden Delicate Taste and Amber Rich Taste, you might not appreciate where some of us are in the maple syrup world. Dark is better and not as easy to find.

Every grocery store, conventional or upscale, had Golden Delicate Taste and Amber Rich Taste. As easy to find as Log Cabin syrup (buy real maple syrup instead).

Finding Dark Robust Taste was also relatively easy to find. Trader Joe's and Whole Foods had Dark Robust Taste along with some conventional grocery stores.

All of these new descriptions were Grade A maple syrups under the old and new classifications. So what about the old Grade B?

Grade A Very Dark Strong Taste was impossible to find at conventional grocery stores. No tag, no product. Trader Joe's does not carry this category either. Whole Foods doesn't carry this category in its house brand. We did find a bottle of Grade A Very Dark Strong Taste maple syrup at Whole Foods.

So good news. We found one bottle at one store. Wow. Except. The cost differential between the old Grade A and the Grade B was visible but not significant.

When we shopped for this Grade A Very Dark Strong Taste at the Whole Foods store, the Grade A Very Dark Strong Taste maple syrup was $19.49 for a 16 oz. container. The Whole Foods version of Dark Robust Taste (next best) was $18.29 for a 32 oz. container.

More than twice as expensive as the next level. No Whole Foods discount for the good stuff. The old Grade B should be more expensive but not by this much.

The old Grade B was typically produced later in the season. Dark, thicker, more minerals, more maple flavor.

You could make a Golden Delicate Taste level argument that conventional stores shouldn't have to carry the old Grade B maple syrup aka Very Dark Strong Taste. They did before the reconfiguration.

Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. Carrying the Very Dark Strong Taste category is in their wheelhouse. They don't.

We don't think there is a maple syrup conspiracy to hide the good stuff from us. We also don't believe in coincidences.

What was Grade B was easier to find under the old system.

The maple syrup story as told in a new documentary

If you don't have a maple syrup preference — if you have childhood memories of the Log Cabin bottle — you might not even know that the old Grade B is so hard to find. Most shoppers stare at 3 choices: Golden Delicate Taste; Amber Rich Taste; and Dark Robust Taste. How can consumers choose when Very Dark Strong Taste is invisible on shelves?

Imagine if all you saw on Sex in the City was Carrie, Charlotte, and Miranda without Samantha. Let's be honest: Samantha is the equivalent of Very Dark Strong Taste. Why Sex in the City was better than And Just Like That.

I won't judge you if your ideal maple syrup is either Carrie, Charlotte, or Miranda. I may not eat pancakes at your house. I want you to have those options. I just want my Samantha on pancakes, waffles, French toast, and as a sweetener in avocado chocolate pudding.

Dark maple syrup lovers want to find what they want. You shouldn't need a fine print reader in a grocery aisle to figure out what is out there and all options on the table should be on grocery store shelves.

Daily Show has fun with Quebec maple syrup heist

We can't mention maple syrup and not refer back to the Daily Show coverage of the maple syrup heist in Quebec. You might know the Vermont version more than the Quebec version. Maple syrup is valuable in Quebec.

Cabanes à sucre aka sugar shacks is a part of the Quebec culture tied to maple syrup.

How the climate crisis is affecting maple syrup (Ici/Radio-Canada)

Why we should appreciate maple syrup, especially good quality maple syrup.

photo credits: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada/Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers; me; The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

Percy film is a useful tool to learn more about the dangers of GMOs

Based on a true story. What an amazing, actually true story. Not just the saga of Percy Schmeiser, a Saskatchewan farmer on the wrong side of Monsanto, but the thousands of farmers forced to settle with the large conglomerate.

We have written a lot about glyphosate and its impact on corn and soybeans as well as the feed that goes into animals that we eat.

Percy, otherwise known as Percy vs. Goliath, tells that story in a straightforward presentation. Not building characters but acting out the actual story, within reason. A direction that will help explain significantly complex material through a feature film setup.

From the review: "The film doesn't waste time in the beginning with an elaborate open. We pretty much are there at the beginning with the start of the story. The film is a blow-by-blow essence of the actual story. We apparently aren't here for character development, except for when Percy buys a large tractor in the beginning of the film."

Percy is a troubled film due to the absolutely terrible dialogue. Our sibling blog, Canadian Crossing.com, has a full review.

Canadian film review: Percy

We wrote about a very troubled film called Food Evolution full of questionable editing and deception and lies. Here are the stories we wrote on the topic.

Buying truly natural food is the best way to avoid Monsanto GMOs

Film review: Food Evolution

Food Evolution tries to show us GMOs aren't all bad

There are prominent Americans in the cast of this Canadian film. Christopher Walken plays Saskatchewan farmer Percy Schmeiser. Christina Ricci and Zach Braff plays supporters of Schmeiser's case.

What's Tempting: GMO-free Cheerios

From the review: "Glyphosate, the primary ingredient in Roundup, is a disaster to the American and Canadian farming industry. You may know the phrase GMO; you will learn a lot more about it in the film."

BalanceofFood.com film coverage

We are great believers in buying local from nearby farmers that are not plugged into a world that is glyphosate. If you are new to this idea, watching Percy can help you, even with this level of dialogue.

Percy is available on demand in the United States and on Crave in Canada.

photo credit: Percy
video credit: YouTube/Mongrel Media

Make the switch from grocery store eggs to eggs from local farmers

We've seen the memes about how expensive eggs have become of late. Supply chain issues, grocery store greed. You don't care why the price is going up; you just want the price increases to stop and maybe, perhaps go down in price.

You could say eggs are eggs-pensive. (ha ha)

I don't buy eggs that often. Then again, the price of the eggs I buy isn't being jacked up by supply chain issues and grocery store greed.

I buy my eggs at farmers markets: local, great quality eggs not affected by supply chain issues. Hens that are treated well and lay beautiful eggs. The price I generally pay may be shocking to some readers: $6-$7 per dozen. The price of a single egg — at $6/dozen — is 50¢ per egg.

If you buy grocery store eggs, you never thought about paying 50¢ per egg. Your argument before the huge price increases could be that people were idiotic to pay 50¢ per egg. They might pay $6 for a fancy coffee drink yet $6 is too much for a dozen eggs.

Simplifying dinner could start from breaking a couple of eggs

Is the cost of fresh produce worth the price?

Years ago, I wrote for Marketing News about a politician complaining about the cost of breakfast cereal. This was so long ago that Chuck Schumer (D-NY) was a representative in Congress before becoming a senator and the current Senate majority leader.

I joked about the Roseanne TV show suggestion of buying generic cereal and putting it into the brand name box. I broke down the cost of a 1 oz. serving to show the relative insignificant cost of a bowl of cereal.

An individual egg supplies fat and protein that is versatile and boosts nutrition whether the egg is a supporting player or the star of the dish. Good quality eggs are worth 50¢ per egg to you and the farmer.

Egg prices are up 60%. That’s absurd. People are paying up upwards of $6 and $7 for a dozen eggs.

Why? Corporate greed.

Cal-Maine, the largest egg producer in the US, is raking record profits — $198 million in its latest quarter.

That’s a 65% increase from a year ago.

— Robert Reich (@RBReich) January 20, 2023

I have a vegan friend who posts a lot of vegan information on Facebook. She would gladly offer that you don't have to use chicken eggs as in the above examples. Avocadoes are a lot more expensive than bananas, if price is your primary objective.

Some of these methods require more time, such as the flaxseed and chia seed. If you live in a snowy, cold climate, a substitute can help if traveling to the store is uncertain. Flaxseed (4:1) and chia seed (3:1) are good Omega-3 sources.

You can still eat eggs and use these suggestions. My friend wants people to ideally go vegan while I suggest that omnivores come up with a nice balance. Baking is a great way to use a substitute while still having scrambled eggs. If you wonder why the blog is named BalanceofFood, this is part of our philosophy.

Egg recall proves food producers are 'too big to fail'

Food review: Just Crack an Egg

BalanceofFood.com farmers market coverage

Food inflation is a real factor in the United States and all over the world. Some products can be bought purely on cost while other products are worth more by paying more. Eggs would certainly qualify in the latter category. If you have a choice between paying $7.25 for a dozen regular eggs at a grocery store vs. $6 for local, better-grown farmers eggs, the latter choice is the ideal one on multiple levels.

meme credit: @carnivorecabal/Instagram/Gizmodo
Twitter capture: @RBReich
photo credit: Nana's Recipe Picks/Facebook