Today I heard a radio commercial that absolutely mortified me. Its’ message took a cheap shot at local food. It’s basic premise was about what was for dinner……some squash related item that cost $19.99 at the farmers market!? (they of course spun it in a mocking manner as if this is a disgusting and too expensive dinner option). The commercial then went on to say something along the lines of, “why would you buy something locally grown at the farmers market that is expensive when you can go to Taco Bell and fill your belly for $5!”

So after hearing that slap in the face nonsensical commercial, I came home and started writing and this is what came out. It’s probably going to offend most who read it. In reality, it should convict you but unfortunately we live in a world that when someone points out that we are doing something wrong we get our feelings hurt and immediately go to how insensitive and judgmental the accuser! “You don’t know me!” “You don’t know my situation!” So read the follow at your own risk. It might hurt (but I hope it convicts and results in change).

Now, let me say up front that I hate Taco Bell. Talk about some nasty, cheap food. It’s been many years since I had that garbage and I hope I don’t have to ever eat it again and I don’t think you should ever eat there again either. That is if you value your health.

Have you ever heard, “you get what you pay for?” I believe this adage to be 100% true. And while the majority of us don’t think this about our food, I believe it to be all the more relevant regarding our food. You are what you eat and you get what you pay for are not only true, but scary to think about. O how we Westerner’s love cheap food. Cheap and fast. That’s how the vast majority of us think regarding food. Did you know that the average American spends only 10% of their disposable income on food? That percentage was 50% in 1950.

What’s Your Problem?

We have a problem in America. We don’t value high quality food. By value, I mean that we 1.) don’t recognize quality food and 2.) we aren’t willing to pay a premium for it. However, we value our electronic gadgets. We value the speed of our internet connection. We value our cars. We value all kinds of things other than what may be the most important product we consume; our food.

Joel Salatin once told a story of a man who drove up to his farm-store in a new Mercedes and at the checkout complained that Salatin’s eggs were too expensive. Joel’s response was simple yet brilliant. He walked out into the parking lot with the man, pointed to his nice new Mercedes and said, “Sir, you clearly understand and appreciate quality.” End of story.

Salatins point was that the customer was obviously willing to spend more money on a car that he believed to be of a higher quality than most. In order to receive a superior product (Mercedes) the man did not have a problem spending more. To support this claim, the MSRP of a 2019 Chevy Impala was $28,000 while it’s Mercedes equivalent C-Class model started at $41,000. The Mercedes is 46% more expensive than the Chevy equivalent. Someone who believes that Mercedes is of a higher quality is willing to pay 46% more for a car that is the same size and drives down the highway the same as a Chevy. They recognize the value (46%) of a quality product.

As I write this, Kroger’s eggs are $1.99 for the cheap caged raised dozen up to $5.99/doz. for pasture raised. But the average dozen eggs at Kroger (there are 16 different options) is around $2.80. If you were to believe that a higher quality egg was as important as a higher quality car (I think it’s far more important) than let’s say that you should be willing to pay 46% more for a quality egg. Based on Kroger’s average of $2.80, that’d be $4.09. What’s interesting is that Kroger has even determined that a quality egg is FAR more valuable as they have priced their pasture raised eggs at $5.99 – that’s 201% higher than their cheapest option of $1.99 or 114% more than the average priced eggs of $2.80!

There’s More To It Than “The Price Of Eggs”

Now you may ask, who’s to say one egg is healthier than another. Well, there have been numerous studies proving that pasture raised eggs offer FAR more nutrients than cage raised eggs (what most Americans buy in the grocery store) and less cholesterol and saturated fats. In fact, Joel Salatin has sent his eggs into University labs and had them tested next to a grocery store egg. The results: 21 X more OMEGA-3, 7 X more vitamin E, 1.5 X more vitamin A, 7.5 X more BETA carotene, 217 X more folate, 30% LESS cholesterol, 25 X LESS saturated fat compared to the USDA standard egg sold in the grocery store. That’s a significantly higher quality egg!

So I wonder why most Americans don’t value quality food? Heck, I know farmers who will pay tens of thousands of dollars more for a John Deere instead of a White (bet most of you haven’t even heard of the tractor brand, White) because they believe it to be a higher quality tractor (by the way, it is). But those same farmers go to Wendy’s and/or Taco Bell everyday for lunch and wash it down with some high-octane Coca-Cola. Irony? I think so. I know people who will spend over $1,000 every time a new iPhone comes out but their eyes bug out when I tell them our grass-fed burger cost $5.99/lb.!  Irony? O, I do indeed think so.

Let me ask you several questions, please. What is it for you; what consumables do you find valuable? What consumables are you willing to pay more for? Is food on that list? If not, why isn’t it? Should your food be thought of on a value scale? If your answer isn’t yes to these questions, I’d ask you to please reconsider. Why? Because not only do you get what you pay for but you are what you eat.

Food, like any other consumer product is value scaled. Take for example my previous example of Kroger’s eggs ($1.99 for cage eggs and $5.99 for pasture raised). Why is this true? Because production of a superior food demands higher cost inputs and requires more time and energy. Most of the time it requires more real estate (not cheap). And simply put, quality food is better for you. It’s safer than low quality, cheap, easy food. It’s like the car salesman says, “….the safety features of this car are superior. Won’t that help you sleep better knowing that you put your teenager in the safest car your money could buy?”

I think that’s great if that is your thought process, but why wouldn’t you think the same way about the food you give your children? Wouldn’t it help you sleep better knowing that you’ve given your kids the keys to health? By giving them healthy, high quality food you’ve helped them establish healthy habits and given them a jumpstart on beating disease and sickness? Why would you buy them a fancy phone and then feed them McDonalds and Taco Bell? Why would you spare no expense on their safety and well being yet let them eat Pop-Tarts and Starburst? Pop-Tarts!? Am I condemning Pop-Tarts!!? Yep. There you have it. They are cheap and they are bad (dare I say, evil).

So what am I saying? Am I saying that if you let your kids eat or you yourself eats Pop-Tarts, Twinkies, and Taco Bell that you’re a bad parent that doesn’t love their kids? Not necessarily. I am saying that if you fall into “that” category, you are not setting your kids up for future wellness. If you love someone, why would you condone destructive habits?

I want to leave you with this; the next time you’re tempted to hit the drive-thru or fill your grocery cart with junk just remember, you are what you eat and you only get what you pay for. If you buy cheap food, your maintenance bills will eventually catch up.

P.S. If you are looking for high quality food, just ask. I’ll either hook you up myself or help point you in the right direction!