Buying Food

Please check out this article from CTV.

There is going to be a lot of publicity surrounding ‘healthy’ foods as Heart and Stroke week approaches.  According to CTV,  Canadians are paying between double and nearly six times the average price for healthy foods, depending on where they live.

The report finds price discrepancies across Canada and within provinces. It also found many Canadians have difficulty accessing healthy foods at their local grocery store. 

One of the most startling differences is the prices of apples: six apples cost $0.90 in Peterborough, Ont., but $7.64 in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut. Obviously, eating a healthy, well-balanced diet decreases your chances of heart and stroke dramatically–but, for some Canadians, healthy eating truly is not an option.

Growing food in Toronto

Big thanks to Breanna for passing along this article from The Toronto Star. 

Writer Vanessa Lu reports on the idea of growing organic food in public spaces like on the side of the Gardiner or on grassy medians like those on University Avenue. 

It’s a great idea, but I’m not sure I would be so enthusiastic about eating a salad that had been washed in commuter traffic pollution.  The idea of growing locally is great, but it has to be practical and I just don’t see how this would work.  

In addition to the problem with pollution, who would do the weeding and other necessary care for the plants? How would the food be sold? How would theft be prevented? Would it cause yet more rodent infestations in our city?  

Details aside, I love the idea of garden sharing. I do not have any green space and it’s something I dearly miss once summer hits the city.  Does anyone in the Annex need help in their garden?  I would be interested in an exchange of labour for food!

Friday Food Face-Off: Chocolate Update

So last week I wrote about how disappointing carob “chocolate” is in place of chocolate.  Thanks to Jane–who suggested I try Dance in the Rain Chocolate–I found some fantastic, organic, guilt-free chocolate. 

This week, my friend Nicki suggested cocoa bean chips.  Since the chips are made from whole, cracked cocoa beans, there are no unwanted extras like white sugar or other nasty additives or preservatives. The chips are not sweet at all, but they provide all of the chocolate-y goodness I sometimes crave and they smell so good!

The cocoa chips do not get two thumbs up over the Dance in the Rain chocolate, but they’re a good alternative and better than carob! 

Thanks to Panos Voudouris on Flickr for the pic!