I agree totally. I often will put something back if I can't tell where it comes from. I've quit buying any products that have moved their production to Mexico or China, if I'm aware. I'm more inclined to buy something like European sourced cheese or pasta because I believe they have more stringent pesticide, gmo, hormone and antibiotic use regulations than either Mexico or China (and other countries geographically close to them) and even the US.

With Trader Joe's I do see the vast majority of their imported items to include the country of origin if not U.S. sourced. I think some ready made things are probably made regionally for freshness, but labeled only as distributed by instead of from the individual, regional producers/kitchens.

I care to the extent I don't want any food coming in from China. I also try to avoid GMOs and non-organic but sometimes that is not possible (especially avoiding GMOs). We try to buy local from farms as much as possible. I feel fairly safe with Trader Joes even though maybe that is an illusion of safety.

Timely topic as we're getting ready to vote on GMO labeling here in Oregon.

I refuse to buy food products, human or pet, made in China. I am not so worried about Mexico-but most things I buy aren't from there. We have a great local source for foods, so I tend to buy local. I don't like to buy fruit from outside the US-so I buy seasonally or frozen. That means no strawberries till May or grapes till late summer. But on the rare occasion that I do buy imported produce, I make sure it's something I can peel as it's less chance of pesticides being on the edible portion.

I have also tried to cut out corn products and now soy, unless it's specifically labled organic, because those are the two products that are Franken-foods, and they're in EVERYTHING, and they're grown here in the US!

There have been a few mass e-mails lately about food, where it comes from how it is processed. I absolutely do not want to ingest anything that does not meet the USDA's standards. They are a minimum in my mind. China and halal are two words if I see on a label, I do not purchase or eat.

Interesting--I don't care one whit where my food comes from. Really, it's just not on my radar.

With Aldi, you can phone and they can tell you. It's too much trouble to do this on a regular basis. But it works in a pinch. I bet stores like Costco could do this as well.

National brands of bottles spices can tell you, too, if you call. Again, it's a hassle, but I've done it.

I care a lot about pesticides and chemical fertilizers in fresh produce, and locale of origin doesn't reflect this, so I have a share in an organic farm that gets us through the growing season.

Doesn't halal mean simply what the food is and contains, and how it was slaughtered (for meat)? Food could be US-produced and organic and be halal, couldn't it?

I do check food origin especially seafood. Our grocery store seafood freezers are filled with stuff from China. But we also eat out a fair amount and I have no idea where the stuff on my plate comes from. Perhaps I should go all Portlandia on my next server

Here is a link that might be useful: Portlandia

LOL @ Dee @ Portlandia.

Signed: A Portlandian (albeit transplanted from LaLaLand)

I'm pretty much of the same opinion as runninginplace. Sometimes I do a double take when I see where something is from but if it's what I want to buy, I usually just buy it.

I'm at the age where I could drop dead from any number of things and at the point where quality of life is more important to me that quantity. Having anxiety about my food and spending more time and money finding "better" food is not my idea of a good time. If I was younger or had young kids I might be more concerned.

"Where it comes from" is kind of shorthand, for me.
I am not so interested in eating local, per se. Local can be just as poisonous as anywhere else. But where can be a stand in for how many chemicals it has in it. In the case of fish, I don't buy farmed, regardless of whether it was farmed down the block or in China, because farmed fish eat food that, to me, makes them not really fish any longer.

Apples and blueberries are another good example. I live in apple and blueberry country. But I buy organic from far away if necessary. It's bad enough that I'm breathing what they spray on the apples; I don't have a choice about that unless I move. But organic apples can move to me, and they travel pretty well.

I think local eaters are more politically inclined and value community first. I am more health inclined and value my physical well being first. In truth, you need both, of course.

Halal refers to how the animal was slaughtered,
Here is a Wiki link.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halal

Like Kosher meat, it is supposed to be killed quickly with a very sharp knife.
In both cases there is no reference to hormones, antibiotics or grass fed, which concerns me.
I don't buy farm raised fish, shrimp or fish that has been colored.

I do care where my food comes from, although I don't always know and suspect that if I did I know where everything comes from and how it is slaughtered, harvested and prepared, I would stop eating altogether.

I think my user name kind of spells it out. And my car has one bumper sticker, 'Know your farmer, know your food."

Have no idea where my eats come from.

I prefer organic, but sometimes, I am not willing to pay for it.

I care, but cannot obsess about it, because I cannot afford to. I raise as much as I can myself. Chickens, vegetables. I have access to a lot of locally grown vegetables in my Mennonite community.

I do not think animals need to be happy.

While I do care, it is not something I am willing or able to devote too many resources to. I am mostly concerned with what type of foods I am eating but there are only so many hours available in the day and they are all spoken for. I do have a few issues that I pay more attention to, such as keeping our own chickens for eggs, growing some of our vegetables, etc.

On something like the above mentioned wrap, I imagine that since there are many components that are assembled in one place, it would be nearly impossible to state a country of origin anyway.

I grow a good bit of our food, we do buy canned beans, frozen vegetables (when we run out of homegrown ones), pasta, rice, meat, cereal, fruit. We're getting chickens (for the eggs, not meat - yet).

But there is something to halal - though I don't look for it. Meat from animals that were stressed before/during slaughter is of poorer quality and will have a reduced shelf life due to rapid depletion of muscle glycogen, hence decreased lactic acid formation. Humane handling and quick slaughter (perhaps even on-farm, fairly easy with chickens) is best choice if available. I can't afford local organic meats, though I do look for antibiotic-free meats, hormone-free milk and grass-fed (or finished) meats in the grocery store. Maybe once the teenage boy is out of the house we can afford organic meat (maybe not, since we'll be paying college tuition).

My inner idealism is not reconciled with my pocketbook nor with my crazy schedule (which = drive thru) so while I do deeply care, (I want my chicken (dinner) to have had a warm, happy life filled with friends and a painless death) I don't have the time or money to actually pursue the realities. The dream is easier.

Give me a steak on a piece of foam covered in plastic wrap. Better be well marbled. That is where it stops.

I wish I could remember the comic who said (much better than I can paraphrase) that he'd rather eat a chicken that had a miserable life and was glad to die instead of a free range chicken that was happy.

Pesky our Florida strawberry season runs December through April so you can enjoy winter strawberries grown right here in the USA.

In answer to the OP's question I do care very much where my food comes from and also buy almost exclusively organic.

Yes, I do care very much and examine food labels very closely. But, I also tend to give pretty much anything from Trader Joes a clean pass . . . even while reading their labels. We eat very clean food for the most part and I make the majority of our meals from scratch. My biggest concern -across the board when it comes to anything I buy- is the poor and/or questionable quality of things that come from China these days. I don't trust them and I don't trust the quality of anything they produce.
Lynn

Pesky1, a great deal of soy used in our food is grown in China. I spent some time years ago trying to find an organic soy milk made with US grown soy and found only 2...Organic Valley and one other, that I've forgotten. Even tho the others were labeled organic, I just do not trust that there is anyone overseeing the "organic" standards in China.

I care, but pick and choose and don't get carried away. We buy some organic stuff mainly from the dirty dozen list, but it doesn't always happen. I mean, this house can EAT. We grow a lot of veggies in the summer and buy our eggs and most meats local. I do check where fish comes from and won't buy anything farm raised. I don't like to buy shrimp from the store, but try not to think about it if I do. Food labels really irritate me though. I wonder how they sleep at night. They should have to be fully upfront and clear on the labels/package.

Actually around here it's hard to find fruits and veggies in stores that aren't from other countries. I believe it still has to be better than eating processed food.

This post was edited by sheesharee on Wed, Oct 29, 14 at 0:12

Halal has been "outed" recently. In REALITY it has NOTHING to do with slaughtering--it has to do with prayer said over the process...Halal slaughtering houses are not USDA approved. Animals are killed very inhumanely and the meat is not processed under USA standards for safety. BUT no one has died yet from their practices sooooo maybe it is not an issue for many. Where is PETA when you need them!!!!

I pretty much ditto what Lynn said. I do not buy food from certain countries.

I pretty much ditto what Lynn said. I do not buy food from certain countries.

arcy, that's just illogical generalizations. Halal just compliance with Islamic law, just like kosher (in the strict sense) means compliance with Jewish dietary laws, and Organic (in the U.S.) means meeting federal regulations concerning organic content.

It's entirely possible for one slaughterhouse to be both humane and halal and another slaughterhouse to be inhumane, but still labeled halal. Likewise for organic labeled meat. Likewise for kosher.

As for saying halal slaughter houses aren't USDA approved, perhaps there have been some isolated incidents. But any slaughter house in the US for meat to be sold to the general public must be USDA approved, halal, kosher, or whatever.

See http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/halal.asp, which debunks the myth that halal is only about the prayer.

"while I do deeply care, (I want my chicken (dinner) to have had a warm, happy life filled with friends and a painless death)"

While this might, or might not, have been a facetious point I do wonder sometimes about that whole free range/happy life/slaughtered humanely ideal...it all seems totally ridiculous because you are still KILLING IT TO EAT IT.

Ahem, sorry for yelling there. But really, what the heck difference does it possibly make that you are nice to the chicken or provide a pleasant experience for it before you end its life and hack it apart to eat its flesh?! You're headed for the exact same end goal there, and all the gentle living and pleasant killing methods sure don't change the result for the poor chicken. Or cow, or pig or whatever.

Seriously, this one has always mystified me. If you don't want to be cruel to animals, don't eat them. Seems simple to me-and FWIW I'm not a vegetarian although I don't eat red meat anymore mostly due to the health issues and general squeamishness about that blood and muscle sitting in front of me oozing on the plate.

Ann

You said it well Running!

I've been pretty much off red meat for a while, just seem to have lost my taste for it since my kids went vegetarian and when we go out to eat, it's usually for vegetarian fare.

I'd love it if we got US grown veggies & fruits, but our stuff comes out of Mexico or South America. When I don't get local produce, I do try to purchase only certified organic. I also try to buy pre-made food organic as much as possiible. While I don't buy organic bananas, I DO buy organic milk and I read labels on groceries I buy.

When we eat out, we have a terrific choice of local/organic restaurants, we avoid chains as much as possible since the stuff is always so loaded with sodium it's nearly impossible to eat. Plus portions are ridiculous! Not that we're Portlandians (tho I hate to admit just how much that show has basis in truth!) we have become more food snobby than before. And we DO live in a great agricultural area, where even our BEER is organic!

Sort of OT, but I found this article interesting!

Here is a link that might be useful: A Foodie Repents

Uh, I should have clarified, but that comment was made after watching the above posted Portlandia clip- which is very funny, btw.
However, to a degree, I do relate with it!
ALL of us will die at some point, but to purposely inflict cruelty on another creature just so they TASTE better is wrong to me.
My own opinion, is that a happy life, and a quick, painless death is what I want for all living.

I will never buy veal (or foie gras) for that reason and after seeing the conditions of veal calves while vacationing in Vermont, any doubts were confirmed.
Heck, an armadillo is tearing up my yard in a huge way ( for 2 years now) but I still feel sorry for it as I try to think how to humanly kill it. The trap didn't work.

I am not in line with my ideals though, I still buy regular, chicken, pork and beef. (I just don't think about it).
Nothing consistent here.

Runninginplace,

I do think it makes a huge difference how the animal lived. I mean, we're all going to die someday too, but I certainly want a good life during my days on Earth, and I would like the same for animals too.

Everyone has to reach their own personal comfort level with meat consumption, so I'm not trying to change anyone's mind, but just chiming in with another perspective.

Of course being a vegetarian is best for animals, but an intermediate step, IMO, is to only eat animals that are treated well. Sadly, I just learned on the Environmental Working Group website, that over 90% of US meat comes from confined feedlots. I find that upsetting. Reading Michael Pollen's Omnivore's Dilemma got me to rid our kitchen of the last holdouts of traditionally-raised meat (chicken breasts). Now we pay cringe-worthy prices for local meat from our co-op, but we eat a lot less of it. I'd go mostly vegetarian if DH were into it. But often we'll do his/hers dinners so I can go veggie.

The more information the better. DDT was found in the brain tissue of many who died of Alzheimers. It is coming in on produce grown outside the USA. We should care what is going on. Why watch loved ones suffer from Cancer or a hundred other diseases caused by impure foods. You cannot eat these chemicals in your food every day and not get sick later on. Please protect yourself and the ones you love and eat the best food you can get. We have the right to know what is in our food.

It's hard to not buy that tasty stuff on the shelf. If food companies could make sawdust taste great and sell it to us as food they would. You need to try it for yourself. After you get used to food without the extra salt, sugar and flavorings you can really tell the difference between fresh food and the doctored up food. I used to get headaches all the time and now I don't. I would never go back to eating the way I used to.

I think they should have to disclose every chemical in the food and that would be a very long list indeed. Remember too that if your liver is working overtime to break these chemicals down and get rid of them, it has a hard time working on fats to keep your weight in balance. What worries me the most is products that contain ingredients that are loaded with chemicals but are only listed as "tomatoes", "chicken", etc. What about oils like cottonseed that are loaded with toxic cancer causing chemicals because cotton isn't a food regulated crop. They use it in snack foods that kids eat. Most of the soybean oil is GMO and is extracted by a petrochemical solvent process. But all the label says is cottonseed oil or soybean oil.

kittymoonbeam, I can't believe what people put in their mouths sometimes. I do really feel for those who have kids and are trying to watch what they eat, food is costly and the extra burden of buying organic and non GMO can be a real financial hardship. I truly wish there was a movement in this country to take the fluoride out of our water, rebuild depleted soil, outlaw GMO, etc. etc. I don't think we care enough as a whole.

I do care where our food comes from, which is why I am very careful about the origin of any fish, vegetables, etc that we buy. Like Lynn, I don't want to buy anything from China, we try to eat fresh, and I eat a lot of things we grow and freeze or can from our summer garden, but due to time constraints, it's not nearly enough. Even when you buy from a local farmer's market, do you really know if it's been treated with chemicals or not? I do buy from one local market that labels things they get from nearby Amish farms, but who knows really? I don't trust a lot of fresh fruits and veggies from across the borders so I rinse a lot before consuming raw. But I know it happens here in the good ole USA too. Salmonella scares me.

Because of our activity level, we both need a fair amount of lean protein and complex carbs. I also try to eat a mostly gluten-free diet, especially pre-race or pre-long-run, so I've learned what works for me. I've also substituted some meals with a fresh spinach/kale/fruit drink that lets me get those foods in a hurry.

RIP, at the most basic level, a chicken that has lived a rather good life, eating a varied diet with sunshine, etc. tastes better and the eggs it lays are healthier, too. Further, chickens that have more room to roam instead of in small cages are less likely to get sick and less likely to need antibiotics.

Death is a part of a life, yes, but the life lived does not need to be unnecessarily cruel. We do try to teach our children also about the sacrifice that comes from eating meat as well and we do honor that. Unfortunately, I cannot vote with my dollar as often as I would like in that regard but we also do not eat a ton of meat.

I'm not impressed with the USDA standards. I work at a local food bank and we get free food from them monthly. I'm very thankful for that, don't get me wrong. But their standards of quality is poor. We try to grow as much of our own food as possible. I dream of becoming self-sufficient someday. Too many chemicals and additives in most of our foods now. GMO and Round-up Ready veggies really scare me. It's all about money and greed. The Big Boys don't care about our health!

I think being kind to our animals that feed us is important. We raise chickens for eggs. The have a large, clean coop and a very large run where they spend most of their day. We free range them for several hours each day. They always have food and fresh water and many times have a treat of pumpkin or cabbage.

In a production farm the hens are often in cages just big enough to turn around in. They are stacked one on top of the other. No exercise, nothing but artificial light which is kept on all year to make sure that egg production doesn't go down with the shorter days. Not all production farms are run that way but many are.

I don't think that our chickens need to be happy but we are taking care of the animals that God gave us and it makes me happy to know they are well cared for. They provide us with breakfast and we donate all the eggs that we don't eat to people at our church. Our girls provide a lot of food for a lot of people. IMO to think that if an animal is going to be slaughtered it doesn't matter how he is treated when alive is like saying since we are all going to die in the end why worry if we are happy or had a good life.

If we ever start to raise meat chickens I still want them to live in clean surroundings with fresh water and abundant food because it's our duty to do so.

Well said Holly-Kay! I appreciate and share your outlook, and I too am happy that you choose to give your chickens a good life. :)

I do not usually look at where some products are made.
But I do try to buy better brands when shopping, but lately discovered that the Del Monte Fruit that I buy for when my grand daughter visits are from China.

I was surprised because I buy this brand rather than less expensive or no name brands thinking it was better.
Well I was wrong..

I do buy nearly all organic food, grass feed beef, organic free chicken and eggs, etc. On the rare occasion when I eat out, I don't expect organic food, but in the back of my mind I do wonder what's in what I'm eating....I'm another who will not buy anything from China - food or otherwise. For myself, I feel I'm bombarded by toxins in the air and everywhere, so every thing I can eat or drink to reduce that load, whether pesticides, GMO's, hormones, antibiotics, etc. is probably a help to my system.
When my children were small, we raised chickens as pets for the eggs. One we 'rescued' (bought) from a local farm, but they were kept indoors in cages. It took a year for that chicken to learn to walk more "normally" down a small hill.

Yes, very well said, Holly Kay, my sentiments exactly.

Although I do care where my food comes from, yesterday I was eating delicious blueberries that our housekeeper picked up at the grocery store because she knows they are my favorite fruit. They were smaller than usual, and had a delicious flavor and I realized it was mid November.....of course the container identified them as a product of Argentina. I'm not throwing these away, but neither do I want to contribute to global climate change from fuel emissions just so I don't have to wait for blueberries in my own hemisphere, so we will not be buying them again.

Edited....damn you ipad autocorrect!

This post was edited by kswl on Sun, Nov 16, 14 at 18:29