Yummy Local Eats Under $10-15

When eating out, here's what I like: a locally-owned place that makes its food from scratch, using whole/unprocessed ingredients, which are if possible, locally and/or organically grown, and not at gourmet prices. Do such eateries exist? Yes! I am constantly on the lookout for these mouth-watering oases, in my city (Atlanta) or yours (because one day my children will be old enough to join me on a foodie roadtrip across the US) so please add your local recommendations as comments below.

In the meantime, check out Cooking Channel's "Unique Eats", which spotlights "casual neighborhood treasures" across the country. Here's my running list for Atlanta by area:

Multiple Locations
Alon's (Bakery/Deli) - Since 1992, European-style market serving hot sandwiches, salads, prepared foods, breads, desserts, cheeses, wines. Where? Virginia-Highlands, Dunwoody (www.alons.com)

Try...the fresh breads, ginger scones, Tuscany sandwich - goat cheese/arugula/eggplant; gelato (Dunwoody only); ordering ahead online; and checking out the soon-to-be restaurant in 2010 (Dunwoody)

Caribbean Fiesta (Caribbean) - Since 2001, serving a daily-changed array of authentic caribbean and other less-spicy options cafeteria-style, with several staples as constants. Where? Norcross, Sandy Springs, Alpharetta

Try...Coco bread around a beef patty, peppery/creamy mac-n-cheese, rice and peas (beans), fried plantains, a combo dish (for less than $10, choose up to 2 meats and 2 sides)

Eclipse di Luna (Tapas) - Small plates of specialty foods, fun drinks, live music and artsy, lush decor make this a great place for a small bite to eat, or party time. Menus differ at each location. Where? Miami Circle, Dunwoody (www.eclipsediluna.com)

Try...$10 Bottomless Sangria Sundays; $15 All-You-Can-Eat Mondays and BOGO Mojito Mondays (Miami Circle only); Pan Catalan (crusty bread with tomato sauce), Roasted Beet Salad w/goat cheese, Pimiento Peppers Stuffed w/goat cheese, the Spanish cheese plate, Grilled Chicken Breast, Empanadas (all of them)

Figo (Pasta/Italian) - In 2002, native Italian Sandro Romagnelli brought authentic Italian pasta and sauces to Atlanta, many of them family recipes. Since then, both Figo's Atlanta presence and its menu has grown; now they serve sandwiches, salads, appetizers and desserts. You choose which pasta and sauce to pair - try them all! Where? Howell Mill Road, Little Five Points, Virginia Highland, Decatur, Buckhead, North Point, Dunwoody (www.figopasta.com)

Try...Zucca for $9 - butternut squash/amaretto ravioli with mascarpone/Italian red chicory radicchio sauce; and the Lunch Special for $5.95 = an iced tea and 2 items (soup, salad or panini)

Mediterranean Grill (Middle Eastern/Greek) - Family-owned Mediterranean Grill serves fresh, homemade Mediterranean specialties, cooked to order. Where? Marietta, Midtown, Decatur (www.mediterraneangrill.com)

Try...the hummus, the Falafel Plate; the Business Lunch Combo Special for $6.49 = shish kabob, kufta kabob, gyro slices, rice pilaf, salad, pita and a drink

Buckhead
Souper Jenny (Soups, Salads, Sandwiches) LOVE THIS PLACE for the creativity it oozes and a daily-changing-freshly-homemade menu of 6 hot soups, 2 sandwiches and a few salads, served cafeteria style. Open for lunch 6 days a week, and now dinner on Tuesdays and Thursday nights, Souper Jenny is founded and operated by local theater performers, who add vibrant service to the already colorful, cozy decor, outdoor garden seating area, and take-home words-of-wisdom. Cash or check only! Where? 56 E. Andrews Drive, Buckhead, 30305 (www.souperjennyatl.com)

Try...the $12 lunch deal = 2 each (soup, salad, sandwich), cookie, roll and drink; and joining the email list to be notified of the day's menu

Chamblee
Maison Robert (Bakery/Chocolatiers) - Maison Robert was opened in 1977 by the Reeb family, natives of France, and third and fourth generation patissiers-confiseurs. They have recently moved to a larger location in Chamblee, where they handcraft confections, pastries, breads, sandwiches and salads to-go. Where? 5256 Peachtree Road, Ste 110, Chamblee, 30341 (www.maisonrobertchocolates.com)

Try...the rich and perfect quiches (any flavor), the Roast Beef/Swiss sandwich on French bread, all of the chocolates (i.e., the Vanilla Marzipan in dark chocolate)

ZenTea (Tea Bar) - What was once the Chamblee town hall is now one-year-old ZenTea, where more than 100 assorted high-quality teas are served hot, cold, in spritzers and lattes. In addition to an assortment of sweets and savories provided by Maison Robert, ZenTea has recently expanded its food offering with locally prepared light fare. Where? 5356 Peachtree Road, Chamblee, 30341 (www.ezentea.com)

Try...sampling the 2 featured teas of the day; the matcha latte with soy milk; Friday-night $10 tea tasting = taste 4-5 teas with pastries; Saturday-night $6.50 tea flights = 3 9oz pots of hot tea; drumming, yoga and meditation classes; sipping tea while you work at ZenTea (free Wi-Fi); reserving afternoon tea

Decatur (also see Mediterranean Grill listed above)
Duck's Cosmic Kitchen (Bakery/Bistro) - Everything at Duck's is made on-site with all-natural, seasonal ingredients, from fresh breads and desserts, to sandwiches, soups, salads and pizzas. Where? 111-D New Street, Decatur, 30030 (www.duckscosmickitchen.com)

Try...the cinnamon doughnuts, the cupcakes, the James Calvin - slow roasted pulled pot roast/horseradish sauce/Dijon on walnut leek bread

Southern Sweets (Bakery/Sandwiches) - Family-run bakery open in 1992, they home-make sweets, sandwiches and soups according to their motto, "Perfect Ingredients, Simple Preparation." Where? 186 Rio Circle, Decatur, 30030 (www.southernsweets.com)

Try...all the desserts, especially the freshly-baked warm fruit pies, the Grown Up Grilled Cheese - choose 2 cheeses and add Smithfield Baked Ham; the Greek Turkey Wrap - roast turkey/feta/Kalmata olives/vinaigrette/horseradish sauce

Your Dekalb Farmers Market Restaurant (International) - Serving freshly prepared foods cafeteria-style, made with the market's organic and natural ingredients, with a heavy emphasis on fresh vegetables. Pay by weight, including a salad bar and daily specials of fish, meat, chicken, and vegetarian dishes. CASH ONLY. Where? 3000 E. Ponce De Leon Avenue, Decatur, 30030 (www.dekalbfarmersmarket.com)

Try...the seasonal vegetables, the samosas; bringing your recycling to drop off at YDFM's recycling center

Dunwoody (also see Figo, Alon's, Eclipse di Luna listed above)
E. 48th Street Market (Italian/Deli/Bakery) - the Augello family opened E. 48th in 1986, transplanting their New York - Italian - restaurateur -baker roots to Georgia (thank God for the rest of us transplants that they did!). Here they make available traditional Tuscan, Piedmontese and Sicilian delicacies and staples, preparing their own fresh mozzarella, sausages, fresh pasta, breads and sauce among other things. Serving as a neighborhood Italian grocer, deli (hot and cold subs) and caterer, they stock the shelves with imported Italian wines, pasta, cookies, cakes and candies. Where? 2462 Jett Ferry (at Mt. Vernon), Dunwoody, 30338 (www.e48stmarket.com)

Try...the Eggplant Casserole, the cannolis, the marinated artichokes with stems, the tiramisu, the Greek salad, any of the deli sandwiches on fresh bread

Midtown (also see Mediterranean Grill listed above)
 R.Thomas Deluxe Grill (American) The only 24-HOUR healthy restaurant in Atlanta, R.Thomas has been using high-quality, at times homegrown ingredients, since 1985 (before "organic" was in fashion), to offer carnivores and vegetarians equally interesting menu choices, serving all meals all day long. Where? 1812 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, 30309 (http://rthomasdeluxegrill.net)

Try...Visiting with R.Thomas' pet birds outside; the Warm Chicken Supreme salad, the Magic Quesadilla, Hot Sweet Chai Yerba Mate, or any of the fresh juices and smoothies (i.e., Donkey Kong - strawberry, oj, coconut, banana, honey)

Norcross (also see Caribbean Fiesta listed above)Bleu House Cafe (Sandwiches, Wraps) Family-run catering business also opens for lunch weekdays, serving generous portions of inventive hot and cold sandwiches, freshly-made salads and soups, and home-baked desserts. Where? 108 Cemetery Street, Norcross, 30071 (www.bleuhousecafe.com)

Try...the Bronx Bomber - prosciutto/sopressata/salami/fresh mozzarella/roasted red peppers; the Roman Muffaletta - turkey/prosciutto/eggplant/fresh mozzerella/olive spread/pesto mayo; the Funky Chicken Melt - grilled chicken/cheddar/honey mustard; the Spicy Chicken Wrap - grilled chicken/yellow rice/cheddar/onions/spicy ranch

Mojitos (Cuban-American) - the Fernandez-Cortes family opened this bistro a couple years ago, where they prepare authentic Cuban food and delicious drinks, as well as the live entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights. Where? 35 S. Peachtree Street, Norcross, 30071 (http://mojitosbistro.com/)

Try...the Stuffed Plantains with avocado-cilantro sauce, the yuca fries, the Guantanamera Salad - greens/baby spinach/caramelized Charleston pecan halves/diced pears/fresh goat cheese/champagne-guava vinaigrette, black bean soup, Guava BBQ baby-back ribs, the Mango Pie, the mojito (of course)

Zapata (Mexican) - recently moved into downtown Norcross, Zapata serves authentic Mexican dishes, a refreshing alternative to the ubiquitous "Mexican" On-the-Border-esque chains. Where? 15 Jones Street, Norcross, 30071 (www.zapata-atl.com)

Try...Crema de Chile Poblano (creamy poblano soup), Fantasia Olmeca - flank steak/roasted poblano peppers/onion/au gratin, the margaritas; generous kids portions for less than $6

Roswell
Roswell Teahouse (Sandwiches/Salads/Afternoon Tea) - Native Belgian owner and chef Carine Bourgeois prepares "food from scratch every day with the best possible ingredients using organic as much as possible." International flavors of Europe and Asia inspire the menu of sandwiches and soups. Where? 108 Magnolia Street, Roswell, 30075 (www.roswellteahouse.net)

Try...ordering off the extensive tea list, hot or cold; the Chicken Spinach Wrap Panini with goat cheese, the Vol-au-Vent - Belgian style chicken potpie, the apple strudel; reserving afternoon tea

Sandy Springs
World Peace Cafe (Vegan/Vegetarian) - Built with donations and by volunteers, World Peace Cafe is owned and operated by the Rameshori Kadampa Buddhist Center, which puts all profits towards meditation classes and special events designed to help others find peace of mind. The entire menu -- including breakfast all day, sandwiches, salads, soups, "peace burgers," entrees, and desserts -- is organic, and whenever possible, locally supplied. Take-out packaging is biodegradable, non-toxic cleaners are used, coffee comes from Atlanta-based JavaVino, desserts from Southern Sweets (see listing in Decatur above), groceries primarily from Dekalb and Buford Farmer's Markets. Where? 220 Hammond Dr., Suite 302, Sandy Springs, 30328 (www.worldpeacecafeatlanta.com)

Try...the Mock Mint Julep - organic ginger ale/lemon juice/fresh mint, Grilled Polenta Cake with Eggplant Caponata, Mushroom Stroganoff, Sun Salad - avocado/sunflower seeds/dried cranberries/and raisins, $4 kids menu, 2 items for $4.99 specials

Speaking as a Mammal...

If you are a man realizing this post is about breastfeeding, please keep reading! You are essential to the success of breastfeeding.

According to National Geographic's Encyclopedia of Animals, mammals -- evolved from reptiles more than 195 million years ago -- have two things in common: 1. they have hair and, 2. they "all have mammary glands that produce milk to nurse and nourish their young." Yet somehow, in American society, we find ourselves debating whether 195 million years of evolution can compare to the invention of formula.

Do we believe we can concoct something in a laboratory that rivals the sophistication of the human body? Indeed we do, evidenced by our low breastfeeding rates. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reported that in 2005, only 3 out of every 4 American babies were breastfed at birth, and by 6 months of age, only 43.4% of our babies were still being breastfed. Boundless technophilia, clever marketing and a misguided trust that any product available in national chains must be harmless, actually make many new mothers see breastfeeding and formula as near equals. While formula has played an important role in many special circumstances, in the United States, formula-feeding is not the exception, but the ruling method of nourishing our infants, with more than half of babies on formula before they are 6 months old.

Though the American Acadamy of Pediatrics (AAP), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Academy of Family Physicians, Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, United Nations Children's Fund and World Health Organization (WHO) "strongly recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life and that other foods should complement breastfeeding for up to two years or more," only 13.6% of American mothers were still exclusively breastfeeding their 6-month-old babies in 2005 according to the CDC.

What Discourages Breastfeeding?
Is 1 out of 4 mothers (who never begins breastfeeding) prevented by special circumstances? There is a wide range of personal reasons American mothers cite for not starting or continuing to breastfeed. Debating the motives of mothers who do not breastfeed will only further polarize us, and distract from the indisputable superiority of breastmilk (see Breastfeeding vs. Formula below for the unparalleled benefits of breastmilk).

"Human milk is species-specific, and all substitute feeding preparations differ markedly from it, making human milk uniquely superior for infant feeding."
-- AAP Policy Statement: Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk, 2005

Rather, let's focus on changing our mindset as a community, so that breastfeeding is accepted as imperative to the well-being of our species. Certainly today's American society does not expect mothers to breastfeed for 6 to 12 months. Just think of our maternity leave policy (check out the 2004 Harvard study comparing worldwide maternity policies), which separates mothers and babies too early, at three months or sooner, making the continuation of exclusive breastfeeding difficult, as mothers try to pump a full supply of milk without their baby at the breast to stimulate let-down. Or, think of the pediatricians who, contrary to the AAP's recommendations, encourage mothers to supplement their breastmilk supply with formula, which in turn will reduce the mother's supply and lead to more formula feedings. Or think of the subtle endorsement for formula-feeding made by both my obstetrician's office and hospital, when they distribute free formula samples to new mothers, despite the WHO's policy on formula marketing:

Adopted in 1981, the international code to regulate the marketing of breast-milk substitutes calls for:

• all formula labels and information to state the benefits of breastfeeding and the health risks of substitutes;
• no promotion of breast-milk substitutes;
• no free samples of substitutes to be given to pregnant women, mothers or their families; and
• no distribution of free or subsidized substitutes to health workers or facilities.

Just as a birthing mother will slow or reverse her labor if she senses danger, a breastfeeding mother will have trouble with let-down if she feels afraid, nervous or intimidated. This is our natural biological response when we feel threatened. American society must accept breastfeeding as normal, good and necessary, and accordingly support and honor mothers who do so, in order for our situation to improve.

How many times has a new mother wondered if she "will be able to breastfeed?" That doubt alone can be enough to undermine her efforts. Without other experienced women to guide her, she may not feel confident enough to continue, or know the simple tricks that can help in the first months as mother and baby are learning.

Isolation is one of the most powerful enemies post-partum mothers face. On top of possibly not being connected to a group of women with a wealth of breastfeeding know-how (try La Leche League or kellymom); many new mothers may instead be influenced by other mothers (past generations and present) who boast what they consider the advantages of formula-feeding. Compounding a shortage of breastfeeding peers, many new mothers also feel isolated when in public, where they may undergo the disapproval of men and women who are uncomfortable knowing a breast is being bared for a baby to suckle.

How can our sons, husbands and fathers see breastfeeding as a natural part of life if we closet ourselves away -- in public restrooms, our cars, our bedrooms -- fearing others' cruel remarks or condemnation for an act they deem private. Why do we sexualize breastfeeding?

I am proud of my father. He snapped this picture of me with my mother and eldest daughter as I breastfed my newborn son.



While this sight in public stirs discomfort in some Americans, this GQ cover appeared in newsstands everywhere in January 2009. I don't think I'm winning any sexy or indecent-exposure contest here.

Breastmilk vs. Formula? No Contest!

Why is mother's milk best?

1. ...It is perfect nutrition that adapts. Breastmilk is 80% soluble nourishment, an ever-changing daily blend of more than 200 components: "water, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, trace metals, growth factors, hormones, enzymes, antibodies, white blood cells and more, each in ideal proportion to one another. This precise biochemical balance-virtually a 'symphony of ingredients'-cannot possibly be duplicated artificially." (Dr. Mom's Guide to Breastfeeding by Marianne R. Neifert, 1998) Breastmilk even changes during one feeding, at first thirst-quenching, then changing to the richer, creamier hind milk, full of essential fatty acids (EFAs) and lipids. Mother's diet also alters the taste of her breastmilk, helping diversify Baby's palate. Breastmilk content and supply also change as baby develops and goes through growth spurts.
2. ...It gives Baby the best chance of survival and wellness. Breastmilk contains growth factors that ensure the best development of baby's organs, as well as enzymes, white blood cells, and antibodies. In fact, shortly after Mom is exposed to a germ, her breastmilk includes the antibodies to protect Baby from that specific infection. Breastmilk decreases the incidence and/or severity of a wide range of bacterial and viral infections, including ear infections, bacterial meningitis, urinary tract infections; and diarrhea and pneumonia -- the two primary causes of child mortality worldwide. Breastfeeding has also been linked to a decrease in sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), allergies, chronic immune system disorders, and digestive disorders. Postneonatal infant mortality rates in the United States are reduced by 21% in breastfed infants.
3. ...It makes Baby a healthier adult. Adults who were breastfed have lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and lower rates of obesity, diabetes, lymphoma, leukemia, Hodgkin disease, and asthma.
4. ...It makes Baby smarter. A growing body of evidence suggests that people who were breastfed perform better in cognitive tests, understandable because breastmilk contains fatty acids that optimize brain development.
5. ...It reduces your baby budget. Aside from investing in nursing bras and/or pads, breastfeeding is free!
6. ...It is less work. No sterilising, cleaning and carrying bottles, mixing powder, keeping formula chilled, warming formula for feeds. "Have baby and breast, will travel."
7. ...It protects Mom's long-term health. Moms who breastfed have lower rates of breast and ovarian cancer, as well as bone fractures and osteoporosis later in life.
8. ...It returns Mom to pre-pregnancy weight and uterus-size faster. Calories burned and hormones released at each feeding help Mom shed pounds, and contracts the uterus to reduce its size.
9. ...It strengthens mother-child bond. Hormone oxytocin released in Mom during each feeding, combined with skin-to-skin contact, promote mothering behavior and bonding with Baby.
10. ...It delays the return of Mom's menstrual cycle. While not a foolproof method of birth control (hence my little brother's conception when I was 5 months old and breastfeeding), exclusive breastfeeding can postpone Mom's first postpartum period for up to or more than 12 months.
11. ...It has no environmental footprint. Breastfeeding eliminates the need to dispose of formula cans and bottles; and to use energy for production and transport of artificial feeding products.

Healthy, free and made in the USA, American mothers' milk is the best way to feed our babies. After all, we are mammals. We were made to breastfeed.

Eating Well, Part Two: Cheap Food Nation

"I pay more for my chickens than I would for store bought, mass-produced ones, but I don't pay too much. The farmer charges me only what it costs him to raise and dress my chickens plus a reasonable profit. He is a farmer who endeavors to operate in an environmentally sound, ethical way. Buying from this farmer, I support a food system that embodies my values---one that provides wholesome food, cares for creation, and provides a living wage to family farmers."
--
Marta Cleaveland, “You Should Pay More for Your Food,” Salt Magazine

At first glance, it seems like quite an achievement that Americans today spend less than 10% of our disposable incomes on food, especially compared to 1933, when spending was at 25%.
During the depression era, U.S. government hatched a relief program to encourage farmers to produce food as cheaply and abundantly as possible. Oil was cheap then, as were the pesticides derived from it, and as the chart above shows, we began to feed our families for less.

Perhaps that system fed our hunger sufficiently to allow us to focus on the specifics of how we have been feeding ourselves, and at what real cost to our long-term health and environment.

For generations, Americans have been offered food -- and consumer goods -- at artificially low prices. A fast food value meal may feed you for less than $5, but it didn’t cost $5. Your tax dollars already paid subsidies to the agricultural conglomerate who produced it, allowing them to remain profitable while selling you that meal at a dirt cheap price.

Even though our receipt totals don’t tally the real cost of our food, which also includes climate change…

“the way we grow, process and transport food uses more fossil fuel and contributes more greenhouse gas to the atmosphere than any other industry (17-34%)…”

and rising healthcare costs…

“Spending on healthcare as a percentage of GDP has risen from 5% in 1960 to 18% today. Of 2 trillion we spend on healthcare, 1.5 trillion is going to treat preventable chronic disease linked to diet.”

- Author Michael Pollan, keynote speaker, Georgia Organics’ 2009 Annual Conference

…we get what we pay for, whether it’s obvious to us or not. In Americans’ case, we pay with our tax money via farm bill subsidies to make processed food cheaper than real, whole foods.

“The real price of fruits and vegetables between 1985 and 2000 increased by nearly 40 percent while the real price of soft drinks (aka liquid corn – [made with high fructose corn syrup]) declined by 23 percent. The reason the least healthful calories in the supermarket are the cheapest is that those are the ones the farm bill encourages farmers to grow.”

“Compared with a bunch of carrots, a package of Twinkies, to take one iconic processed foodlike substance as an example, is a highly complicated, high-tech piece of manufacture, involving no fewer than 39 ingredients, many themselves elaborately manufactured, as well as the packaging and a hefty marketing budget. So how can the supermarket possibly sell a pair of these synthetic cream-filled pseudocakes for less than a bunch of roots?”

- Michael Pollan , “You Are What You Grow,” April 2007, New York Times Magazine

“Nearly 90% of all federal farm payments go to only five favored crops that include corn, wheat, cotton, soybeans, and rice, while fresh fruits, vegetables and organic agriculture receive little.” -- Environmental Working Group (EWG)

Then, many of us gravitate towards these heavily marketed products of industrialized agriculture, perhaps for “great value” or “great taste.”

“Energy-dense foods, many of them nutrient poor, are good tasting, readily available, and cheap...Simply put, as incomes drop and food budgets shrink, food choices shift toward energy-dense refined grains, added sugars and fats.”

– Adam Drewnowski, Director of Center for Obesity Research, University of Washington professor of Epidemiology and Medicine, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Nov. 18, 2008

Sometimes we pay again, to treat the health problems we develop (i.e., obesity/heart disease, type II diabetes, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), etc., etc.) from our refined-grain, added-sugar, partially-hydrogenated-fat-filled diets .

“Americans are becoming more obese while spending a lower share of disposable income on food.” – Adam Drewnowski, “Fat and Sugar: An Economic Analysis”, American Society for Nutritional Sciences Journal of Nutrition, 2003

Good Intentions…

“While initially meant to protect farmers from the vagaries of weather and the fickleness of the free market system, the subsidy system now often rewards big growers over small- and mid-sized producers. Moreover, in recent decades it has tended to consolidate government payments in the hands of a few. Between 2003 and 2005, for example, American taxpayers paid $34.75 billion in crop subsidy benefits to farmers, but only the top one percent of farmers received nearly one-fifth of that amount.”

WATCH: “King Corn” http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/kingcorn/

“EWG data shows that the largest 10% of farms receive almost 70% of total farm payments. Often, the large plantation scale operations use the increased capitol to outbid smaller family farmers for land.”

READ THE TRANSCRIPT: Farming Out Billions of Dollars, CBS Miami I-Team http://miami.cbslocal.com/2008/07/14/i-team-farming-out-billions-of-dollars/

“The [farm subsidy] payments are very concentrated in the hands of a narrow slice of agriculture. And it's important to remember that two-thirds of the farmers in this country are not on the programs at all.” - Ken Cook, President, Environmental Working Group (EWG), July 2007 NPR Interview

LISTEN: Groups Push for End to Crop Subsidies, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12309276&ps=rs

Real Food Revolution
Baby, who loves you? The owner of a huge industrialized farming operation, or a fourth-generation farmer who appreciates your patronage in helping sustain his family business? The system needs changing, and I’ll write a future post about political involvement, but in the meantime, we can vote with our dollar, and support food systems that are good for our families and our future. How about…

1. We choose to pay more for real, whole foods, grown sustainably without synthetic chemicals. We frequent local farmer’s markets, co-ops and CSAs for affordable alternatives to supermarket natural food chains.
2. Whenever possible, we buy from a local provider to keep responsible family farms in business, to reduce cross-country transport emissions and to ensure that our produce, meats and dairy are truly organic, free-range, and grass-fed.
3. We make sure we know what is in our food. We read ingredients or ask about them (“What kind of sweetener is in your sweet tea?”).
4. We make home-cooked meals a priority. We learn how to make quick fix meals from scratch, as well as stretch one cooking stint into several meals (check out Food Network’s Robin Miller’s Quick Fix Meals). We substitute real ingredients for the processed ones in a favorite recipe.
5. When we eat out, we pay a little more at locally-based eateries that make their food from scratch with fresh, whole ingredients. Look for a future post on local scrumptious meals for less than $10-$15.

Take inspiration from Georgia Organics’ 2010 conference keynote speaker, Slow Food non-profit organization founder Carlo Petrini of Piedmont, Italy. Petrini founded Slow Food in 1989 to “counteract fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat. We consider ourselves co-producers, because by being informed about our food production and making choices in support of good, clean and fair food, we become a part of the process.”

The time, energy and money we spend to eat well is worth our families’ health and future.

Eating Well, Part One: Local and Organic Rules

“You pay now or you pay later.” Mary Ann Salas said this, years before the organic debate reached the national stage. Not as renowned as some of the experts below, Mary Ann was nonetheless a luminary amongst all who knew her. She was my mother’s sister and best friend, my Godmother, and my husband’s boss and mentor; and she was dying of breast cancer. I write these “Eating Well” segments in her honor.

Mary Ann was saying what is now more widely acknowledged: the true price of conventionally farmed food is our health and well-being. If you don’t need convincing, skip to the “To Market, To Market” portion below to get hooked into your local, organic community, and start eating well!

What is Organic?

What exactly is the difference between “organic” and “conventional”? Check out this sidebar from Go Organic! for Earth Day. and this one-page rundown from the Center for American Progress: http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2008/09/organic_green.html

Need a selfish reason to eat locally-grown organic? Here are 5:

1. Pesticides are designed to kill living organisms. You are a living organism. The nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG) warns, “every year, new research is published demonstrating the toxicity [to our nervous and hormone systems; as well as carcinogenic effects] of pesticides…often at doses previously declared ‘safe’ by the pesticide industry and our government.”
2. You want healthy children. Your unborn child, your newborn infant, your tiny toddler, with rapidly developing and immature systems, cannot metabolize and filter out toxic chemicals like an adult can, making our young the most vulnerable to pesticides’ physical damages. Note: the placenta does not protect the baby from toxins.
3. Antibiotic-resistant bugs (like MRSA) scare you. Animals raised in “factory farm” operations where they are packed together, fed unnatural grain-heavy diets and given synthetic growth hormones to increase their milk production, are uniformly given antibiotics to prevent the disease these conditions encourage. As the World Health Organization (WHO) has decried for more than a decade, this widespread use of antibiotics causes the rise of new antibiotic-resistant microbes that can infect humans. http://www.who.int/whr/1996/media_centre/press_release/en/index4.html
4. You want the nutrients you think you’re getting when you bite into something. Whether we’re talking antioxidants and vitamins in our vegetables and fruits, or Omega-3’s and minerals in our dairy and meat (http://www.npr.org/templates/player/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=100755362&m=100754237), though trade organizations on both sides are still paying for research to argue the issue, the U.S. government ultimately concedes that organic food is more nutrient-rich than conventionally farmed alternatives (see the next point for why). (http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/faq/BuyOrganicFoodsB.shtml#BuyB7).
5. Organic tastes better for scientifically-proven reasons. As recently published in the Journal of HortScience, U.S. conventional produce tastes worse and contains up to 40% less minerals than in our grandparents’ day. Why? Veggies bred to increase crop yield and vegetable size have high carbohydrate content, rather than increased phytochemicals (which give the plant its taste and nutrition). Also, chemically altered and non-rotated crops are produced and harvested faster than ever, which results in veggies that have had less time to absorb nutrients from photosynthesis or the mineral-depleted soil. http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1880145,00.html?imw=Y

Seeing the interconnection amongst all life and ecosystems on the planet? Motivated to create a better future for the next generation? Then you may appreciate these ideological reasons to buy organic, local food:

1. You support fair and reasonable compensation for the farmer who grows your food, and can interview him directly to assure yourself that his farming practices are safe and conscientious.
2. You eat whatever is locally growing to reduce the fossil fuel typically consumed when farmers: a. heat greenhouses to grow veggies out of season and b. ship food to you from another part of the world where it is in season. The Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture (www.cuesa.org) in San Francisco reports that the average American meal travels about 1500 miles to get from farm to plate, putting almost 10 kcal fossil fuel energy into our food system for every 1 kcal of energy we derive as food.
3. You vote with your dollar against, and eliminate the demand for cloned, genetically-modified, gassed or irradiated food designed to withstand long-distance transport well.
4. You protect the long-term health of worldwide climate, air, water, soil and wildlife that are hurt by pesticides, and by CO2 emissions from shipping.
5. You uphold the community that preserves the animal breeds, heirloom fruits and vegetables, handcrafted wine and beer, and other artisanal products, which generations of Americans have cultivated.
6. You require humane animal management of livestock that promotes animals’ well-being and allows them to engage in their natural behaviors.

To Market, To Market

If not for the pesticide factor, purely eating locally is the way to go for the reasons outlined above. Also, we will happily welcome the day when our tax dollars subsidize our local, organic farms rather than industrialized conglomerates of farms – thus making local, organic produce as affordable as conventional. (Part Two of Eating Well will delve into the U.S.’s “Cheap Food Policy”).

In the meanwhile, what to buy, and where to buy it?
Here are two great resources for understanding the USDA’s labeling of organic/natural foods. It gets a little tricky (‘gotta love those marketers), but these sites help you decipher the labels:
a. Navigating Food Labels (see inset by scrolling down): http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90914182#90910901
b. Consumer Reports' GreenerChoices Eco-labels: http://www.greenerchoices.org/eco-labels/

If you’re not ready to switch to all organic, at least avoid what EWG defines as “The Dirty Dozen” – the 12 fruits and vegetables you should always buy organic due to their high pesticide content. http://foodnews.org/methodology.php. The most recent dirty dozen lists peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, kale, lettuce, imported grapes, carrots and pears.

When my father buys conventional, he uses citrus-based Veggie Wash to scrub away pesticide residue. A good protective measure, and vinegar will do the trick too.

Wanting to dive into the local, organic food movement?

1. Become a member of a local organic or slow food organization. For example, for us Atlanta folks, Georgia Organics (http://www.georgiaorganics.org/) produces an annual local food guide, online directory to farms and restaurants, periodic newsletters, and now, best of all, I can follow them on Twitter where their postings help connect me to the day-to-day local organic food scene in Georgia. Also, check out Slow Food USA for a chapter near you: http://www.slowfoodusa.org/.
2. Join a CSA (Community-Supported Agriculture). You pay for a share in a local farm, sometimes also helping work the farm, and you usually go to a designated pick-up spot weekly to get a box of whatever is in season. Find one here: http://www.localharvest.org/csa/
3. Shop or join a Co-op: http://www.coopdirectory.org/index.htm.
4. Go to Farmer’s Markets. These are always fun to explore because more than fruits and vegetables, you may also find organic, locally grown flowers, eggs, milk, honey, baby food, and personal care products. Go here for full farmer's market listings:

http://www.localharvest.org/farmers-markets/

http://www.georgiaorganics.org/OrganicDirectory.aspx.

Throughout the year, we supplement our CSA boxes with trips to Your Dekalb Farmers Market, which is a standing indoor warehouse-esque international market, with a very complete organic selection (though not all local). http://www.dekalbfarmersmarket.com/

As we walk through the front doors, we pass their mission statement etched into the front of the building: “We declare the world is designed to work. We are responsible for what does not work. We make the difference. No matter how technologically advanced we become, we cannot escape our fundamental relationships with food and each other.” Yes, I agree. That is why to be well, we must eat well.

Partially Hydrogenated Oils are So Last Century

Or so I thought. Even as "0g Trans Fat" has been smacked on the front of many packages to help us feel less guilty about eating processed foods, some prominent brands still haven't switched to healthier ingredients. As a former longtime Girl Scout (and Samoas® lover), I am looking forward to the year when this great organization announces they have eliminated partially hydrogenated oils from their famous cookies (http://www.girlscoutcookies.org/).

After all, it's been years since the Harvard School of Public Health found that women who took 2% of their energy intake from trans fats had a 70% greater risk of infertility through lack of ovulation (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-430111/Food-fats-threaten-womens-fertility.html). If anyone should be crying out against the use of partially hydrogenated oils in our foods, why not the Girl Scouts in their dedication to the development of our future women?

Infertility/PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) is the newest addition to the long list of health problems trans fat diets cause, including: increased levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL, "bad" cholesterol), decreased levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL - "good" cholesterol), hardened arteries, and inflammation/overactivity of the immune system that can result in heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. What's more, Leo Galland's Superimmunity for Kids explains how the absorption of essential fatty acids (EFAs) -- which are aptly named because we cannot be healthy without them -- is actually impeded by consumption of partially hydrogenated oils.

Still wondering what partially hydrogenated oils are? Bantransfats.com says it best: "Partial hydrogenation is an industrial process used to make a perfectly good oil, such as soybean oil, into a perfectly bad oil." They are used in commercial products such as cookies, cakes, crackers, bread, candy, chocolate and chips, and as cooking oils (called "liquid shortening") for frying in restaurants.

If you're asking yourself, "why the heck does anyone STILL put this stuff in our food?", Harvard's School of Public Health's Nutrition Source has the answer: 1. Partially hydrogenated oils don't spoil as easily, 2. They can be repeatedly reheated without breaking down, 3. They can be transported more easily, oh yes, and 4. They are a lot cheaper than solid animal fats. Sing it:
"Moneymoneymoneymoney....mon-ey!"
(http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/nutrition-news/transfats/).

Sadly, the FDA actually allows a company to legally call a product "trans fat free" so long as it has less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving, so the only way to be sure you are not eating trans fats, is to make sure the product's ingredients do not list "partially hydrogenated" or "hydrogenated" oils.

If you are a fast-food eater, you can find out which oils each chain uses at Bantransfat.com's Eateries page. Better yet, skip the junk food or find alternatives made from whole ingredients. And be well!

Plastics, Synthetic Fragrances and Canned Food, Oh My!

If you're not a chemist, words like "phthalate" (thal-ate) and "Bisphenol A" probably aren't part of your everyday vocab. Considering you likely ingest or absorb (through your skin) these toxins every day, becoming more familiar with the phthalate and BPA products in your life will allow you to protect your family with safe alternatives.

BPA and Phthalates Hurt Your Body
Click on the links below for clear-cut exposés and articles which explain that BPA -- a chemical used to create plastics and line all metal food cans including soda cans, beer cans, and all canned food except the Eden Organic brand -- and phthalates --chemicals used in vinyl, soft plastics, make-up, toiletries and wherever artificial fragrances are found -- are endocrine disruptors that cause reproductive disorders and cancers (breast, testicular, ovarian, etc.), diabetes, heart disease, genetic damage and birth defects. Sadly, these chemicals have also recently been shown to pass through a mother to her baby in utero and through breastmilk (breast is still best!).
PBS Expose on BPA - http://www.pbs.org/wnet/expose/2009/02/303-index.html
PBS Phthalate Report -- http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/412/index.html
Plastics Fact Sheet -- http://healthychild.org/live-healthy/faq/C186/
Phthalates in Fragrances (skip down to "What is a Plasticizer Doing in My Perfume?") -- http://healthychild.org/blog/comments/fragrance_in_perfumes_and_cosmetics/

Are Your Products Safe?
Thinking that if it were that bad, it wouldn't be legal and sold in stores everywhere? Sadly, no U.S. agency polices our cosmetics industry, which means that your shampoo, perfume, make-up, body wash and other toiletries may be toxic. Check the safety rating of your products at the non-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG) Skin Deep database: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/.

Mark Shapiro, author of Exposed: The Toxic Chemistry of Everyday Products, and What's at Stake for American Power talked to NPR, describing the United States' "wait and see" approach versus Canada's and Europe's "better safe than sorry" ban of potentially dangerous chemicals: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16616951.

VERY IMPORTANT: Heat encourages these chemicals to leech out -- into your food and drink. So DO NOT: microwave your food in plastic containers; cook with plastic spoons/spatulas; wrap a warm item in plastic wrap; leave a plastic water bottle in the sun: or put hot food into a plastic/styrofoam container for storage/takeout. Get rid of your Tupperware, or at least only use it for cold items or non-food storage. Consider bringing your own safe food/drink containers to coffee shops and restaurants. At once you will be protecting yourself and reducing demand for disposable food containers. More substitute suggestions:

Where to find them:

Essential oil diffusers, burners and plug-ins
http://www.uncommongoods.com/product/recycled-glass-reed-diffuser
http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/aroma/diffuser.html
http://www.theherbsplace.com/Aromaball_Plug_In_Diffuser_p_2.html
Deodorants
Desert Essence http://www.luckyvitamin.com/item/itemKey/60866
Funk Butter http://oyinhandmade.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=7
Castile Soap
http://www.vitaglo.com/dr--bronner-s-magic-soaps.html (scroll down)
Soapnuts
http://www.buysoapnuts.com/
Shea Butter
http://www.shea4me.com/
Stainless steel baby spoons
http://www.oneida.com/baby.html
Enamel or Stainless Steel Dinnerware
http://www.novanatural.com/s.nl/it.A/id.1501/.f
http://organicgrace.com/taxonomy/term/100
Stainless Steel Water Bottles
http://www.greenfeet.com/items.asp?Cc=STEEL_WTR_BOTTL
http://www.reusablebags.com/store/reusable-bottles-c-19.html
Cloth Teethers
http://www.moolka.com/jzv/prod?o=froogle&prodId=20495
Glass or Stainless Steel Food Containers
http://www.pyrexware.com/index.asp?pageId=103&pid=348
http://www.lifewithoutplastic.com/cart/storagecont.htm

Hail to the Gods of Consignment

Today I practiced the middleman of the three "R's", as I conspired to harvest a spring/summer wardrobe for my eldest daughter. Reusing was never more fun. This morning, at one of my favorite kid consignment sales (see below for details), I picked up well-made dresses, like-new shoes, fun tops and crossed everything off my list for a song. (On the last day of these sales, most items are 50% off). To put a finer point on it, the final cost of 7 dresses, 6 short-sleeved tops, 3 shorts, 2 skirts, 2 pairs of shoes, 1 bathingsuit, 1 pair of pants, 8 pairs of socks, 6 pairs of tights, and 4 puzzles came to $83.

Of course nothing trumps free hand-me-downs from friends with older children. (Thank you friends, you are at once generous, with lovely taste in clothes and a knack for keeping them looking new). But if this should fail to provide a full wardrobe, buying consignment is an excellent way to conserve natural resources. You are taking from the supply already available rather than demanding new production.

Before you go buy new, hunt through consignment shops for furniture, clothes for babies to adults, home decor, cookware, serveware and more. Garnish the thrill of the bargain-hunt with the satisfaction of having demanded less of the Earth. Especially with furniture, you know what they say, "they don't make 'em like they used to."

For the kids consignment sales, get on their email list to be notified of upcoming sales and then you can plan your kids' clothes purchases around these, saving new purchases as a last resort. Consider helping work the sale, and then you get to shop the night before the general public (which must be very awesome the night before the 50%-off day). Use The Bargain Watcher to find out about upcoming sales nationwide and your local consignment shops: http://www.thebargainwatcher.com/).

In Atlanta, here are my two favorites, because of the enormity and quality of their selection:

1. All 4 Kids (http://www.all4kids.com/), North Atlanta

2. Kidsignments (http://www.kidsignments.com/), Gwinnett

For general shopping, check out:

1. My Favorite Place, 5596 Peachtree Industrial, Chamblee, GA 30341, (770) 452-8397, 10:00 - 5:30, 7 days a week - officially a flea market, but vendors sell new, antique, miscellaneous items - everything, and you get another 10% off at checkout. I will eventually post pics of my most awesome finds (including a solid-wood rocker-armchair for $150, and a set of bar stools and table handcrafted from salvaged wine barrels for $170). For the tea lover, go today! It is the perfect place to collect a tea service, with a new infusion of china cups, creamers, teapots and sugar bowls tucked here and there every time I visit.

2. Plato's Closet - here you will be sure to find trendy clothes at inexpensive prices for teenagers and up, many locations - (http://www.platoscloset.com/)

3. Craigslist - many people already utilize Craigslist, but I just want to remind you to go to it before you go to the store. (http://www.craigslist.com/) Using Craigslist, I scored a perfect-condition Pottery Barn twin iron bed for $150 and wrought iron screens for $25 each to repurpose as a chimney trellis.

Bargain-shoppers and "greenie-weenies" as my neighbor calls the Earth-friendly can be one and the same on the consignment scene.

The Story of Stuff

Why do we buy so much stuff and expect low prices? Why have U.S. companies outsourced manufacturing to other countries? Check out this 20-minute presentation (http://www.storyofstuff.com/) to understand how the world suffers by America's consumption habits. It has made me rethink my glee over dirt-cheap bargains. It motivates me to spend my money with ethical, local businesses rather than franchises and chains. I may pay a percentage more, but in the process I can support business practices I respect, cut out the waste of shipping, and get a product/service I can trace to its roots. (Also, I am not asking another person to pay with their quality of life for my low cost -- watch the Story of Stuff!).

True I still forage in Marshall's and Tuesday Morning from time to time, but I also discovered Labaire Pottery in Norcross, GA. They have beautiful original pottery, jewelry, paintings, and other home decor gems all made by American artists (including owner Anne Labaire who paints vibrant landscapes). For ten years, they have been "celebrating American ingenuity, talent and creativity." Now I do too, everytime I buy a gift there. (UPDATE: Anne Labaire closed her lovely gallery and now works and sells her art down the block at the Kudzu Art Zone, http://www.kudzuartzone.org). Another excellent venue is the local arts and crafts festival. Georgia is home to a bounty of these.

Two favorites of mine are the Inman Park Festival in the spring(http://www.inmanparkfestival.org/) and the Yellow Daisy Festival at Stone Mountain Park in the fall (http://festivals.stonemountainpark.com/mini-section/default.aspx?id=14). Delay gratification, make a wishlist, save your money, and when the festival comes to town, go hunt for something original and fun.

Alternatively, there's Ten Thousand Villages (http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/), which although not solving the packaging/shipping dilemma, does pay its artisans a fair wage, helping families in Africa, Asia and Latin America attain a better quality of life.

If you happen across this post and know of other purveyors of local or handmade merchandise, no matter where, please post their contact info below.

More to follow on awesome locally-owned (and supplied) restaurants.

To Procrastinators Everywhere

When I was at Gtown, we used to joke we'd start a Procrastinators' Club, just as soon as we could get around to it. I cannot believe it has been more than a year since I started this blog. The problem with wanting to be perfect (besides being an exercise in futility) is that it keeps you from taking action. So onwards with the purpose of this blog, just in a less thorough way. With 3 kids, the best I can do is going to be good enough. So here comes the info, on random play...