USDA: Friend or Genetically Modified Foe?
Bear with me, this is long but informative…read on if you dare.
It is do or let GMOs die time at the United States Department of Agriculture, and they are letting you weigh in on their decision. The USDA’s mission is to utilize public policy, science, and management to provide leadership on food agriculture, and natural resources. Yet organizations like the Center for Food Safety have not been satisfied with their leadership, as is the European Union among other large entities. The current debate revolves around Genetically Engineered (GE) crops that were previously approved by the USDA as safe. But after being sued in 2006 by the Center for Food Safety and with pressure from a multitude of organizations and farmers, they are reviewing their approval of Monsanto’s GE Roundup Ready alfalfa. Now is your time to send them your thoughts on GE crops and their process for approval, but your time to act ends tomorrow, March 3rd!
Genetically Engineered Crops aka “Frankenfood”
Genetically modified organisms have been growing exponentially in the United States since the early 2000s in the field of agriculture. Some argue that Mendel, who originally discovered hybridization and gene characteristics in plants, was in fact creating GE crops. Yet the majority of scientists in the field disagree, they suggest it is when laboratories started manipulating the specific genes within a plant and injecting foreign genetic material. For example, scientists input salmon DNA into tomato plants to increase their cold weather resistance. This type of gene manipulation is what the European Union has banned from their food system and US food exports, calling it “Frankenfood.” While in the US very little of this seething debate was heard and companies such as Monsanto were privately patenting a large variety of seeds they claim as their own.
What are the risks of GE Crops?
For the average consumer, first and foremost your health is at risk. Next is the integrity of our food system as a whole. And of course the larger underlying threat is our ecological system and the long-term irreversible impact GE crops have already had in North America. If you are a farmer, the risks are a hundredfold.
Health
Human health issues always get a great deal of attention, and are often the primary reason action is taken when ecological disaster arises. For GE crops, this is a sensitive issue in the United States. Scientific research originally studying the long-term health impacts of GE crops was put under intense scrutiny by GE crop companies, and ultimately their funding has been revoked or minimized. Their decisive response has been to align themselves with highly respected Universities across North America (since GE crops are not allowed in the majority of developed nations) and fund only GE crop research that would shed a positive light on its nutritional and ecological ‘value’ as the company deems appropriate and favorable. This type of controlled science is unlikely to produce a result that will benefit the general public’s knowledge base and health. The original studies and those conducted in Europe prior to banning GE crops demonstrated an increase in allergies, carcinogens and cancer rates, and an overall increase in chemical build-up in the body’s fatty tissue leading to a variety of health issues.
Food System
Our food system is and has been in great peril since the 1970s food crisis. The major issues such as intensive chemical dependency, unsustainable land use, and unjust farmer-company relationships have sprouted up in literature by Michael Pollan, Eric Schlosser, and Francis Moore Lappe and movies like Food Inc. Movements revolting against this system, that cry for something more just, such as Slow Food and Slow Money, are only seedlings relative to the extensive power the major corporations hold over our food system in the United States.
History of our Food System
Let’s take a quick look at history to help put the unraveling of our food system into context. In the 1970s the price of oil flew sky high, demolishing the savings of farmers across the Midwest, America’s breadbasket. Their reliance on petroleum to run their machinery and utilize pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers left many families broken and in debt. Major corporations took advantage of their downfall by purchasing their land and designing a deal that would lure debt-ridden farmers under the company’s control. The main strategy was to purchase the land, and then allow the farmer to stay on the land and ‘lease’ it from the company. In return, the farmer would grow the crops the company demanded in the method the company deemed appropriate. The seeds, machinery, and upkeep of the land were all on the farmer and still are today. The United States transformed from a land of opportunity filled with small and medium-sized farms to a privately-owned land that could be yours (partially via lease) for a price.
Manipulation of our Food System
The food system that these companies have manipulated to their best profit margin is dependent upon their crops, their specialized fertilizers, their herbicides, and their desired management practices. GE crops made the monopolization of agriculture all the easier for these companies. Now a company, for example Monsanto, designs a seed that has a special mutation to fight disease and pests. They also design a special herbicide that will kill everything except that special seed. The farmer is now locked into part of the company’s system. They must purchase Monsanto seed, as Monsanto has dictated or aligned with land owners to dictate, and then purchase the Monsanto herbicide since it is the only product on the market that will work with their seed. Did I mention that Monsanto has designed the majority of these seeds to be “terminator” seeds, meaning they only last one season and cannot be saved to be replanted the next summer? This fact alone led to a revolt across all of India. They were outraged that they could not practice seed saving. A practice in the US that gets you on Monsanto’s notorious “Blacklist”, where they block you from customers, other farmers, and buyers of your crop, not a pleasant place to be for farmers who work with large risks of debt in their business.
Profiteers of our Food System Hint: its not you.
These companies also failed to mention two other major factors that will determine a farmer’s profit margin, other than the requirement to be locked into purchasing their products. First, the farmer’s relationship with the land is permanently altered. The companies will dictate the seeds based on desired stocks, their own Research and Development (which they test on farmers, not at their own testing facilities), among other ‘confidential’ factors. Meaning a farmer may be required to grow soy for 10 years straight with no regard to the land’s natural nutrient cycle or capacity. Soy, the one of the largest monocultures in the United States, requires a 5 year replenishment cycle for soil. If you have ever driven through Iowa, you will see miles and miles of soy, year after year. This requires the farmer to pay for large quantities of fertilizer to simulate the land’s nutrient cycle every year. So farmers have not escaped from their main source of vulnerability in the 1970s; the price of oil.
The second major factor is the power companies hold over the grain silos and the price of a crop on particular days. The unethical nature of this initially sounds like a conspiracy theory, but after speaking with farmers in company-infested farm towns, it turns out that it is more than true, it is deeply disturbing. They will purposefully manipulate the price of a crop based on the farmer and their relationship or lack their of with the company, a collaboration among industry giants that keeps farmers out of the marketplace who do not concede to their ‘rules of the game’.
Ecology
GE crops impact on the environment is not understudied, despite companies such as Monsanto’s best efforts. GE crops have been proven to mate with other plants, are not contained by 15 foot high wind barriers (previously deemed suitable by Monsanto, Dupont, and after closed door discussions the USDA), and leave an array of chemicals, unusual residue and genes in the soil beyond conventional agriculture’s significant impact on the land. The most important fact to keep aware of is that GE crops are capable of contaminating organic agriculture, meaning unless every plant is tested there is no way to determine if certified organic food in the US is free from GE crops. Farmer’s have sued Monsanto for contamination and Monsanto has sued farmers claiming patent infringement, every case to date Monsanto has won. Most often because the legal fees and barrage that they throw at the farmers literally put them out of business. The US has not determined sufficient containment procedures, resulting in the contamination of an entire portion of an island in Hawaii. This also means that GE crop seeds are spreading to plants in the wild. Since not all of their seed are terminator seeds, it is an unseen and unknown issue that is slowly creeping through our road ditches and grain spills.
This article’s intent is not to scare you, it is to make you aware of a major issue within our food system. Unfortunately, the budgets of large companies has consistently overridden the concern for the well-being of the general public. GE crops were originally touted as the cure for world hunger and a source for alternative fuel sources to eliminate the need for oil. To date, they have accomplished neither, and in the majority of cases made each issue worse. Mexico’s farmers did not appreciate the US’s ‘aid’ of goodwill terminator seeds when their rural communities tried to harvest their corn crop the following year. Farmer’s to date are more reliant on oil as is their supply chain, than in the 1970s.
The wonder and awe of our scientific games is long gone in the world of GE crops.
Current Debate – Act by March 3rd
If this has you concerned, than I encourage you to review and decide if you would like to take action. You may do so by telling the USDA that you support the Center for Food Safety’s position that GE crops, specifically Monsanto’s GE Roundup Ready alfalfa should not be grown in the United States. Please review the True Food Network’s write-up and sign by tomorrow, March 3rd if you would like to support their efforts. Their website has an overview of the debate and a pre-written letter that you can email through their website.
Shopping Tips
For those of you who would still like to eat your food in good conscience here are some important shopping tips for selecting food.
1) Numbers matter! Check for these hints on your produce at the grocery store:
If it begins with a…
9 = Organically Grown
4 = Conventionally Grown
8=Genetically Engineered
2) The EU has banned GE crops, so although I encourage you to shop locally, seasonally, and to get to know your farmers and food system, EU products outright state that they are not made with GE crops. So feel free to use this as a good guideline. Many companies based in the US have different EU and US brands, selling the GE crops to US markets, so finding EU approved companies isn’t enough. Check the product for information.
3) The Shop non-GMO App for IPhones and consumer guides can be found at The Institute for Responsible Technology
Of course local, organic, seasonal food choices will always help, but you may be surprised (possibly horrified) to learn how GE crops have infiltrated your diet. So I encourage you to read about it, speak out about it, and continue to take an educated stand on this issue. Please note that the US had a national discussion about labeling GE food, but after significant publicity efforts and closed door discussions, the government decided there were no additional dangers. The opposite conclusion the EU reached after their extensive scientific research into the issue.
The United States Department of Agriculture is in the midst of a discussion that will ultimately determine its stance on food safety. What will be your role?
Toothbrush Tips
Brush up with “eco” toothbrushes. They clean one of the most susceptible parts of our body everyday, and are typically changed every 4-6 weeks.
Despite being a small disposable consumer product, toothbrushes can pile up with an estimated 50 million pounds being discarded yearly in the US alone. These toothbrushes each target different waste streams and resources, so feel free to choose based on style, your mouth’s sensitivities, or their differing environmental “un”impacts.
Replaceable Head Toothbrush
The Fuchs Ekotec Replaceable Head Toouthbrush is an easy and inexpensive way to keep up on your dental hygiene, save money, and save resources. The head of the toothbrush has a blue line, like conventional brushes, that indicates when it is time to switch heads. You literally pop out the head of the toothbrush and then pop in a new one. Each brush comes with three extra heads and replacement packs come with four, so you can keep your costs low. The company also offers other toothbrushes with natural bristles and eco-friendly toothbrush styles. This is actually the toothbrush I use because it significantly reduces the amount of waste over the long-term and can be found locally (for me). Personally, I like this toothbrush, its great for everyday use and, so I would recommend it.
Recycled plastic Toothbrush
The toothbrush by Preserve is made in the US with 100% recycled #5 plastic and is actually recyclable through their Gimme 5 program. The curved handle and three levels of bristles are designed to thoroughly clean your teeth and gums. Preserve has chosen #5 Plastic because it has not been found to have serious negative environmental impacts, such as off gassing and does not contain BPA. They are truly trying to stop the cradle to grave ideology of most product consumption and work toward a cradle to cradle approach, offering recycling for all of their products. They offer three different types of bristle strength: ultra soft, soft, and medium.
Wooden handle, Natural Bristles
The toothbrush made by Naturborsten is so natural you can compost it. This brush has natural bristles, meaning boar or badger hair, which they state can be harmlessly removed similar to sheering a sheep. The wooden handle is from sustainable wood, although I didn’t find any certifications like the Forest Stewardship Council. The wood is varnished with vegetable oil, keeping in line with its compost-friendly design. Even their packaging is sustainable with biodegradable plastic and cardboard. The only trick is finding company information and ordering the product, I found it on a few online shops but couldn’t track it further then being a German-based company. Just FYI in case you are working on localizing your supply chain.
Ionic Toothbrush
With electric toothbrushes being praised for their “new and improved” cleaning capabilities, this innovative Japanese toothbrush doesn’t even use toothpaste. The Soladey ionic toothbrush is an interesting addition to today’s mix of devices. The toothbrush’s handle has a titanium rod that is charged by indoor and outdoor lighting with negative ions. According to the company, these ions ‘blend with saliva to attract the positive ions (hydrogen) from the acid in the dental plaque of your teeth.’ The result is neutralized acid and disintegrated plaque, leaving your mouth clean. One note of caution, I don’t know anyone who has used this product, but have read the reviews of consumers online that are surprised that it works. So, for the curious, this may be an interesting long-term solution to teeth cleaning, although Titanium is not typically categorized as renewable nor abundant.
These aren’t the only options out there, so please share if you have any additional recommendations. And don’t forget used toothbrushes can be great cleaning brushes, art tools, and put to other innovative uses before they hit the trash can (or recycle bin and preferably the compost bin).
Toxic Candles under Fire this Valentine’s Day
Turn on the romance, not the toxins with candles. The seemingly innocuous candle can be a source of lead poisoning, indoor air pollution, and cause long-term damage to your house along with the environment. So here are the top things to know about candles to make any romantic venture a safe one.
Wax and Waning
There are seven candle waxes used to date: beeswax, palm wax, paraffin, soya, synthetic gel, tallow, and vegetable oil. Tallow, at one time the most widely used wax, is made essentially from animal fat. As you may have guessed, production of tallow-based candles has significantly declined since the industrialization of food, in particular the meat industry so these candles are rare in developed countries. Palm wax, harvested primarily in Southeast Asia, undergoes a refining process prior to being used in a variety of body products including candles. It is not a major candle resource, so there is little research on its impact but it is expected to be small. Vegetable oil has a similar story to palm oil, yet is more readily available locally.
Paraffin is the most common and least expensive wax available. It is a petroleum byproduct, although is more commonly produced synthetically today. It is linked to non-renewable resources and a global supply chain. Studies by the EPA and American Lung Association link these candles to poor indoor air quality and Black Soot Deposition. There are other particulate emissions linked to these candles. Since manufacturers are not required to provide an inclusive ingredient list, it is uncertain whether the carcinogens found in the candle emissions are due to paraffin or other additives. The bottom line is to avoid buying these candles, and if you have some in your household, do not burn several at one time.
The synthetic gel candles, although intriguing to look at and play with, are severely understudied regarding their health and environmental impacts. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission has on record several issues with gel candle containers exploding. I use the precautionary principle on this one, if there isn’t enough research to prove that it is safe for me to use, I avoid it. This gel is also non-renewable and typically manufactured in several different locations adding to its overall footprint.
Soy candles have exploded in popularity, yet they are not without their own hazards. Soy candles are considerably better for human health and the environment than paraffin and synthetic gel candles. Yet, as a monoculture that is quickly catching up to corn, it is also not as renewable as it once was. Studies on adverse health effects have proven the candle benign, but there are new studies analyzing “White’ Soot Deposition, so the jury is out on damage to the home. As for the age old concoction of beeswax, well there is only good news except for the bees. It is believed with a few supporting scientific documents that burning beeswax releases negative ions that improve an individual’s health. As for being renewable, the debate continues as bee populations are in flux. So time will tell if this resource will continue to renew itself.
Here is a wax guide to help you choose:
| Wax | Renewable Resource | Supports Local Economy | Negative Health Benefits | Cost | Green Rating |
| Beeswax | Yes | Yes | No | $$$ | #1 – Greenest |
| Soya | Yes | Sometimes | Unproven | $ | #2 – Green |
| Veggie Oil | Yes | Yes | Unknown | $ | #3 –Green |
| Palm Wax | Yes | No | Unknown | $$ | #4 – Green |
| Tallow | Somewhat | Sometimes | Unknown | $$$ | #5 – Green |
| Gel | No | No | Unproven | $$ | #6 – Not Green |
| Paraffin | No | No | Yes | $ | #7 – Not Green |
Wicked Wicks
Lead poisoning is back in a big way when you burn a lead core wick candle for an hour. Lead, zinc, and tin are added to provide support to the wick, but after health studies urged the National Candle Association to voluntarily ban lead from wicks, their use has declined significantly. Unfortunately, a study of a few US candles and the majority of candles from Asia revealed lead core wicks that could be lethal. So perform this simple test on all your candles: rub a piece of paper on the wick and watch for a pencil-like residue. If you see this result, immediately dispose of the candle, otherwise you could be exposing yourself and family to carcinogenic levels of lead poisoning.
Scents
Be aware that there is a difference between fragrances and synthetic scents versus essential oils. Essential oils can be therapeutic, while the others are fillers. There are a few studies conducted that have found adverse health effects from various fragrances. It was unclear whether these were tied to specific cases or overall sensitivities to the fragrances. So if a product advertises calming sensations and the like, check for the use of essential oils. If they are fragrance based it is unlikely to have this effect.
Colorants & Containers
Au natural is best when it comes to colors, although the majority of dyes have been found to be benign. If you are fortunate enough to buy your candles from a local artisan feel free to enquire to learn more. As for containers, beware of plastic containers. The US Consumer Safety Commission has documented several containers melting or imploding due to excessive heat, these studies were typically linked to the container and the synthetic wax.
So what now?
Top Tips
Here is a quick tip list to help you make the season of romance healthy and eco-friendly.
1) Check your Wax
2) Do the lead wick test
3) Do not burn several synthetic candles at one time
4) Check the claims of the company
5) Enjoy your romantic dinner for two!
Sources:
National Candle Association
EPA Candle Report
Palm Wax
Encyclopedia Britannica
Spirit of Change
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Cleaner Household Air with Plants
According to Susan McGinnis, in her article, Breathe Easier with Purifying Plants, featured in Kiwi Magazine, www.kiwimagonline.com/articles/articlepage.php?art_id=114&cat_id=3&full=1), choosing the right indoor plants can be an effective way to combat indoor toxins and chemicals that can interfere with our breathing. This can be especially important if you or your family members have allergies and or asthma. Instead of investing in an expensive air purifier, which also runs on electricity and must be kept on all of the time, the author suggests trying out one or more of the plants on her list, which include spider and other common plants. She also lists some of the common major offenders to our indoor air quality, such as paints, carpeting and adhesives.
Natura World Ultimate Latex Pillow Giveaway – CLOSED
Natura World is offering my readers the opportunity to win one of their Ultimate latex pillows valued at over $100! Check out my recent post that goes into detail about Natura and a review of the Ultimate Pillow.
Natura is a growing natural sleep product manufacturer that makes pillows, mattresses, toppers and more. All of their products are made with the environment in mind. They use natural ingredients like latex, organic cottons and wool. They also follow green business practices to lower their environmental impact and make their products healthy for consumers.
How to Win
There are many opportunities to win this contest. You must leave a separate comment for each entry. Here’s all the ways to increase your chances to win:
- Comment ( 1 entry ): Visit NaturaWorld.com and tell us which of their products you like the most (even if it isn’t the ultimate pillow).
- Subscribe to my email subscription ( up to 2 entries ): Follow my daily articles by simply subscribing to to my email subscription service and/or RSS feed. This will give you a great chance to win and give you all the latest updates to my blog. A win-win situation. You get 1 entry for each subscription.
- Spread the Word ( 2 entries ): You can get a better advantage by publicizing this giveaway on your blog. All you have to do is give a brief description of this contest and a link to it. Be sure to include a link to the post in a comment.
- Twitter ( 1 entry ): Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this contest including a brief description of this contest and a link to it. Include a link to your Twitter account in the comment.
- StumbleUpon ( 1 entry ): Stumble this contest or one of my popular tools and leave a review.
When is it over?
This giveaway will end November 11th, 2009 at 11:59pm. I will randomly select an winner from the list of all entries and announce the winner the following day. This contest is only to U.S. residents 18 years or older.
Good luck to everybody!
Latex All Natural Foam Bedding
Latex foam bedding is one of the best ways to get a great night’s sleep, while still being friendly on the environment and saving some cash along the way. So many bedding products on the market use dangerous chemicals and offer poor support during some of the most important hours of our lives.
What is Latex?
Latex is natural rubber material produced in a variety of plants, but most of the latex we use from the Hevea brasiliensis or Pará rubber tree, mainly found in South America. The barked is stripped from the tree and a milky substance drains from the trees. This substance can be used to make a variety of products including rubber. In the bedding world, the milky serum is processed to produce a foam that is used in mattresses, as a mattress topper or pillows.
There are so many great things about natural latex, let’s take a look at why latex is an excellent choice for bedding.
Durability
I have heard and read stories of so many people who have owned some form of latex product in their bedroom for years. Latex outlast almost any other bedding material, while still providing the same level of support over the years. Most latex will last for at least 10 years and sometimes as long as 20 or 30 years.
Excellent Support
Latex is one of the few bedding products that is both fairly soft, yet provides excellent support throughout the night. Many of the best quality mattresses are either fully constructed from latex or contain latex as padding because of the great support it provides.
Environmentally Friendly
Since latex is made from harvesting trees sustainably, it is considered one of the most eco-friendly for bedding. So many mattresses and memory foam products contain dangerous chemicals that they are not safe for you or the environment when disposed of. There are some memory foam makers that keep the environment in mind, but do not compare in terms of durability and support to latex. And don’t be fooled by “synthetic” latex products as they may have similar properties to its natural counterpart, its made using petroleum products.
Savings
One of the first things that could prevent most people from buying latex is the higher prices than products made from other materials. This is just another example of how if you spend a little more money, the more you can save in the long haul. Both the durability and support aspects alone make latex worth slightly higher price. Instead of having to purchase pillow after pillow and mattress after mattress,
The Processing
Usually advertised with latex bedding products is the process in which the latex foam was made, either Dunlop or Talalay.
Dunlop
The first of the two pr0cesses to make latex bedding is Dunlop. This process has been used since the early 1900’s and is the more traditional and simple method of producing latex bedding. It’s made by whipping the substance, pouring it into a mold and then baking it. This method produces is said to produces a slightly more uneven foam, but it requires much less processing than the Talalay method.
Talalay
This process is much more advanced process than the Dunlop. The latex starts out the same way as in the Dunlop method, but after it’s put into the mold, it is then flash frozen to help get a more even finished latex product. Heat is then added to help the foam set.
Both types of latex have their followers and which type you buy really depends on your preference. Dunlop are said to be a little more firm, while the Talalay are said to be more consistent. It also depends on the manufacturer that makes the actual latex.
The best way to really determine which type of latex to buy is to try them out. Laying on the product is the only true way to determine if the brand/type of latex is right for you.
Eat More At Home To Save
Nobody wants to cook every night and it’s sometimes great to out to eat to get a nice meal with no cleanup required. The major problem with going out is that most restaurants don’t usually serve many healthy dishes that also taste great. On top of that, restaurants can be really expensive, even when considering fast food. Why not choose to make food at home where you know exactly what ingredients are going into the meal while saving extra money.
Whole Foods recently conducted a survey that concluded that 51 percent of adults are choosing to eat at home due to the hard economic times. An even higher percent of the respondents, 68 percent, said they have least changed their cooking and eating behavior. There is not a whole lot to shed light on times like we are in, but at least people are becoming more grounded again and realizing that we can get more quality meals at home for a fraction of the cost of getting them at restaurants.
Regardless of the current economic situation you are in, changing your eating habits ot eat more at home can make a huge difference in your life. Eating at home on a nightly basis can seem daunting to many, but you’d be surprised just how easy it can be to eat a healthy meal, while saving a little extra cash.
How To Fit In Home Cooked Meals
I’ts not always easy to fit making a meal and cleaning up into our hectic schedules. Here are some ways to make it easier to fit eating at home in our schedules.
Reduce Work Schedule
Too many people have stressful lifestyles that often lead us to eat out as often as we do. It’s become too acceptable as a society that we work much more than our 40 hour work week. This only leads us to be more stressed out and not want to make a good meal at home. Not only do you suffer, but the rest of your family suffers as well. By working less or reducing some of the major stresses, making a meal at home will become so much easier. If you can’t work less, try working some later day and some shorter so that you will have the time to make a meal at home.
Meal Planning
Planning you meals for the entire week can really make it easy to fit eating at home in our lives. People often get discouraged when they get home from work and realize that they have no idea what they want to make nor have the ingredients to make it. A great idea is plan out the meals before going grocery shopping and shop for the entire week. Surf the net and seek out healthy, yet easy recipes that you can make for the week. I find that going to my local farmer’s market and stocking up on produce for the entire week is the easiest way for me. The quality of the foods you will buy will be superior what you could find in most grocery stores and almost always stay fresh throughout the week.
Improve Your Life
Now that you’ve found more time to eat a home more regularly, it’s time to look at some ways that it can help improve your life.
Healthier Ingredients
So many times when we go out to restaurants, the only fruit or vegetable we usually get is either a potato or is fried. Also, just because we eat at home doesn’t mean that we eat healthy or spend less than restaurants. This gives also us the opportunity to eat less meat and use healthy ingredients for you meals. It’s especially easy since many of the foods at our local farmer’s markets are healthy and fresh. Buying healthy foods doesn’t usually cost more money even if it does cost a little bit more, isn’t your health worth it?
Improve Family Life
Whenever I hear the song ‘Cat’s in the Cradle’ it always reminds me of just how dysfunctional our family life has become. So many families don’t sit down to eat a meal together and parents have no idea what their kids are eating. Involving the entire family in cooking the meals and getting them to sit down to dinner every night may help strengthen the relationship we have with our families. You can also ensure that everybody in your family is eating a healthy meal.
Save Money
This may be the most important reason for many people, as the survey above suggests. It’s so easy to save money by cooking at home, especially since the average cost of a meal at a restaurant is around $25 per person. Even if that figure is closer to $5 as you would get at a fast food restaurant, you can still possibly save some money. There are so many ways you can save money by eating at home since you exactly what you put into the meal. One great way that I found to really save is to eat less meat. Try making at least one meal a week without meat. Not only is it healthier for you, but you will find that it can much less expensive to make. Also, you can save much more money on usually expensive dishes like fish, while also knowing exactly where the fish is coming from. Get creative and you will find it easy to spend far less when eating at home.
