We make decisions every day.
Sometimes on auto-pilot (scoffing crisps watching Netflix 😊), sometimes with care and consideration (what to cook for a dinner party), sometimes with far-reaching impacts for the future (shall we get married?)
And that probably applies to the choices you make when shopping for food. Sometimes on auto-pilot (I always buy that brand of cereal) and sometimes more consciously (I’m going to read this product’s ingredient list) and yes, sometimes what you choose could have a long-lasting impact on the future.
Take salt for example.
Salt is one of the most essential nutrients we need to live and is also one of the most basic and central ingredients to be found in every kitchen. However, many people buy salt on auto-pilot, believing that salt is simply salt; Sodium Chloride and therefore there’s no reason to distinguish between different brands – just buy the cheapest.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Here are some things to consider next time you buy salt (or any food):
Is this salt pure, unrefined and natural? Does it include natural micro-nutrients, minerals and trace elements such as magnesium zinc and potassium? There is a difference between table salt and healthy, gourmet, premium quality salt.
Do I know where this salt comes from? Opt to buy local products that have been sustainably harvested in unpolluted environments. You’ll be supporting our local economy, as well as caring for our earth and reducing your carbon footprint. We think there is something deeply grounding and nourishing about knowing where the food you eat has been grown, harvested and produced.
How much attention has the producer given to the packaging? What is it made of? Is it friendly to our earth?
We are not separate from the food we buy. When we don’t know or care about the origins of our food, it’s easy to feel disconnected from it, as if where it comes from has nothing to do with us.
You may have felt the satisfaction of growing your own vegetables and herbs in your garden. But it can be just as rewarding to shop at your local community garden for carrots and tomatoes or at farmers’ markets, getting to know the people who make the cheese and bread you buy, saying hello to the producers who cure the bacon you love and make the best pies.
Behind every product, there’s a story of interconnectedness to everyone who contributes to the making of the product, transporting of the product, as well as the earth itself which provides the initial raw material for us to harvest.
Make food choices now, for the future. As consumers, we have a right and also a responsibility to know what story we’re supporting and buying into – even if it’s something as small and basic as a bag of salt.
#befuturewise #stayconnected #foodchoicesforthefuture
