Everyone values different things when it comes to what they are consuming. My values have changed throughout the years and probably will continue to do so. For now, I am much more aware of what I am putting in my body and I understand the intense consequences of some foods. I am mindful of what needs to be done to help our country move towards a better food system. If more people are able to contribute to help our country move towards a sustainable agriculture, the outcome will be beneficial.
When I was younger I did not care about what I ate, all I wanted was ice cream and junk food. I would ask my mom to buy froot loops at the store and she would never do it. I now have a clear understanding as to why my mom would say no to the things I would I ask for at the store. Although it would make me pretty angry when she wouldn’t buy me the froot loops, I am grateful now.
Over the years I have started to realize the real effects of eating junk food. I have watched my grandparents suffer health problems which were caused by food they were consuming, I have felt the pain after eating chicken nuggets from a fast food chain, and I have learned enough about the obesity issue in our country.
I don’t want to say that I am going to eat only locally grown food, but I will think before I do. I am very guilty for quick eating, I have done it for a long time. My family and I are busy, it is rare that we sit down every night of the week and take two hours to eat our dinner. With school, work, and sports it is difficult to take the time. Recently I have been putting in the effort, I have been reading what I eat and sitting at a table to eat for longer than 15 minutes to meat my meal.
My ethics have obviously changed and that is because of what I have been learning in the classroom, it has made a profound effect on me and my usual lifestyle. I recently visited a local ranch called James Ranch and it was interesting to see how different the food at the ranch is produced compared to what I have learned about industrial farming. I learned how important it is to understand that differences. As I said, my food ethic has changed tremendously due to this project. There is still a lot that I don’t know about what I am eating in my day-to-day life, but by being aware of that I can make me more cautious decisions about what I eat.
Another important factor to my food ethic is cooking. I have always enjoyed cooking and preparing my own food or food for my family. I have learned that cooking is another healthy component to my food ethic. When I purchase ingredients at the store I can choose to be healthy and organic with the ingredients. Paying the extra money or buying it from a local ranch is worth the outcome.
Sydney Beekmann Humanities 11 - Section 1 Food Ethic Essay
The most important piece that I will take away from this project is the understanding of how much the little things matter. Supporting local farms every once in a while, cutting down on the amount of meat I eat in a week, and not wasting as much food is all a huge step in the right direction. As you can probably tell, there is not just one thing that shapes my current food ethic, I have discovered that there are many things that can contribute. I have a greater understanding, one that many people do not, and it can help me to continue to make the right choice when it comes to the food I consume, and hopefully others can do the same or more. Some people may think it is pointless to have a stable food ethic I understand that we may not be able to solve this issue right now, but it doesn’t take a ton of effort to be aware. .