Food Trends

Nancy Wales CSJ

Have you heard about Generation YUM?   They are a large subset of Millennials or Generation Y. Those who were born between the early 80’s and the early 2000’s. In a recent interview on the AGENDA, host Steve Paikin spoke with author, Eve Turow Paul, a free-lance food, travel and culture writer. Her new e-book, “A Taste of Generation YUM” has just been released. The author admitted that it was her own curiosity which prompted her research into the reasons behind the changing relationships of Millennials with food. In her search for answers, she interviewed many of her peers and numerous food leaders. Her findings supported her initial observations that significant numbers of Generation Y are truly obsessed with all things food. ‘Foodies’ par excellence, she labeled Generation Y also as Generation YUM. 

Rachel Greenburger, in her review of “A Taste of Generation YUM,” highlights, “Plenty has been written on Millennials, but not much on their relationships to food and certainly not what underpins it.” One point that I found particularly intriguing about Generation YUM, those who have grown up in a highly technological sphere, was the convergence of their obsession with food. Although Millennials are overly connected in the digital space, it appears they long for the connection and grounding that food offers. Food is their anti-technological antidote for what’s missing in their digitized lives. Food is their source of sensory stimulation beyond their eyes and fingertips. It provides real time face-to-face connection, a source of peer identity and a sense of control. To learn more about Eve Turow Paul’s findings, access the 15 minute interview between Steve and Eve at https://youtu.be/yzg0kPavj-Al. It’s well worth your time.

What might your own food choices indicate about your own relationship with food?

Stop Food Waste

Nancy Wales CSJ

By the Numbers 

It is a startling fact that household waste accounts for an overwhelming 40 % of food wastage.[1] Every year, $27 billion worth of food finds its way into garbage cans, compost bins and giant dumpsters.[2]

Multiple Losses

Food waste causes more losses than one would first think. It has both an environmental and economic impact. On the economic side, when people toss food, all the resources to grow, transport, produce and package it also get chucked.[3]When food is thrown out, massive volumes of water and high amounts of energy resources get lost too.[4] While composting is good it shouldn’t be seen as the perfect solution. Trashed food in landfills environmentally impacts our planet by creating large amounts of greenhouse gases.

Why So Wasteful?

Why we are so wasteful is alluded to in an article by Rosanna Tamburri. She explains: “Food waste can be blamed, in part, on our consumer eating and shopping habits.”[5]David Sparling of Ivey Business School states, “We’re pretty spoiled in expecting perfect food all the time.”[6] Home cooks frequently do little meal planning and often purchase more items and bigger quantities of food than are required.

What Can Be Done?

Meal Planning

One should begin meal planning by adopting the wise habit of performing an inventory of what is already on hand. Checking cupboards, fridge and freezer avoids duplication and waste. The website www.lovefoodhatewaste.com  is one of many recipe sites. It offers a recipe search organized by recipe type, food type and ingredient and offers a quick way to create delicious meals with grocery items on hand.

Storage Savvy

1. An interesting article from David Suzuki’s Queen of Green section begins to outline ways to sharpen our food storage skills to lessen food waste.

2. Take produce out of airtight wrappings which speed up the decaying process.

3. Don’t wash produce until ready to use. Moisture encourages decomposition and mould growth.

4. Eat the most perishable items first.

5. Keep produce whole as long as possible. Once living cells are broken, microorganisms start to grow.

6. Know the right storage conditions. Some produce is cold-sensitive, so refrigeration speeds up spoilage.

Five Ways to End Food Waste [7]

1. Understand best-before labels on food products in Canada reflect the date after which the nutritional content on the item is no longer reliable. It doesn’t mean the product in question has turned bad.[8]

2. Buy in bulk with caution. If you buy more than you need and throw away food you haven’t saved you actually wasted food, money and other resources.[9]

3. Think twice before tossing overripe fruits and veggies. A squishy banana is ideal for banana bread, overripe fruits can be used in smoothies and wilted and cooked veggies can be added to the soup pot.[10]

4. Learn to love your leftovers.[11] Some meals are even tastier on day two.

5. Make use of your freezer by pre-portioning items such as meats into smaller portions when you get home from the grocery store rather than stuffing everything into the fridge.[12]

Are You a Food Waster?

Find out whether or not you are a food waster? To find out, take the short quiz at http://www.foodwastemovie.com/quiz-js/

1. Food Waste : An unappetizing, $27B problem” by Jennifer Bain, Toronto Star

[2] “Our biggest problem? We’re wasting food” by Lesley Young, Canadian Grocer

[3]“Help End Food Waste”, David Suzuki Foundation

[4] “Our biggest problem? We’re wasting food” by Lesley Young, Canadian Grocer

[5] “Canadians waste seven billion kilograms of food a year” by Rosanna Tamburri, Globe and Mail

[6] David Sparling, at UWO’s Ivy Business School

[7]  Five Ways to End Food Waste on the David Suzuki’s Foundation website

[8] Pascal Theriault,, a Canadian agricultural economist

[9] “Words To Live By” by Rosenbloom

[10]“Ways to reduce household food waste’, Andre Mayer-CBC News

[11] 5 Sure ways to save money on your food bills  at  www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/

[12] John Williams, a partner at retail consultancy JC Williams Group

The Truth And Myth Of Organic

Kathleen O’Keefe, CSJ

Over the past two years, I have been blessed to live at Villa St. Joseph Retreat and Ecology Centre in Cobourg, ON; and, most recently, I spent the summer months at the Ignatius Jesuit Centre in Guelph, ON.  Experiencing earth to table eating has allowed me to enjoy the wonderful sensory delight of organic food.  Nettie and Susan, two gifted cooks, skillfully prepared delicious meals that were nourishing for both body and soul!  I learned that persons in Cobourg and in Guelph have the opportunity to rent community garden plots if they wish to grow their own food organically. Community Shared Agriculture in Guelph provides freshly harvested organic products for persons to take home for family meals.  Also, it has been a real joy visiting farmers’ markets and connecting with the people who grow our food. Local food is not necessarily organic, and organic food is not always local.  So we need to keep an eye out for the perfect combination:  local food grown using organic or ecological practices. Look for such opportunities in your own community!

“Why Your Food Choices Matter:  A Guide to Buying Local and Ecologically Grown Food” is an informative pamphlet produced by Canadian Biotechnology Action Network, Ecological Farmers of Ontario, and the National Farmers Union Ontario. “Organic farmers only use the ecological approach and follow the specific organic practices stipulated in Canada’s National Organic Standard.  Among other requirements, the organic standard makes sure that certified organic farmers do not use:

• synthetic pesticides (including fungicides, insecticides and herbicides);

• synthetic fertilizers; genetically engineered seeds or animal feed;

• animal feed made with animal wastes or slaughter by-products;

• synthetic hormones, antibiotics or other animal drugs to stimulate growth or production of livestock;

• sewage sludge (recycled human waste) or waste from factory farms and bio-solids (water waste from industry) on their land.

To maximize profit, most farmers use chemicals to increase the size and quantity of their produce. Pesticides are poisonous and do harm to our bodies. While most research cannot prove beyond a doubt that organic food is more nutritious, it is much safer.  Organic farmers work with the diversity that nature already offers:  They save and exchange seeds and knowledge. Healthy soil that is rich in minerals and nutrients produces food that is also rich in those minerals and nutrients. The quality and taste of organic food are said to be superior.  Since they do not contain additives, organic foods have more natural flavor.

In Ontario stores, you will see the “Canada Organic” logo. The logo will also be put on organic food produced outside Canada. To be labelled “organic”, processed foods must have more than 95% organic ingredients. Check the ingredients list to see which ones actually are organic.  There are misleading labels out there, such as “organics,” “natural,” and “organically produced” without evidence of certification.

As the saying goes, “we are what we eat.”  It is important to know exactly what our bodies are digesting and how it came to be on our plate in the first place.  The wisdom of organic farming speaks for itself.  To sample some tried and true recipes, you can visit Susan Sprague’s blog at:  loyolahousekitchen.wordpress.com.  Bon Appetit!

Further resource material include:  Food Rules:  An Eater’s Manual by Michael Pollan; The Third Plate:  Field Notes On The Future of Food by Dan Barber; Organic Food on the Development and Peace website; and, www.tastereal.ca .

Is There Anything To Eat?

Linda Gregg CSJ

One in nine Canadians – almost 3.9 million people – don’t know where their next meal is coming from.  Food Banks Canada published in its 2014 Donor Impact Report this dire situation of over 11% Canadians facing daily hunger. Furthermore over 1/3 of these empty stomachs belong to children. 

The Canadian Feed the Children agency reported that food insecurity for Aboriginal (and adults) living on and off reserve ranges from 21% to 83%, compared to 3% to 9% for non-Aboriginal Canadians. These grim statistics point out that many Canadians are threatened by food insecurity. The meaning of the term,” food insecurity” is somewhat self-evident.  As is frequently the way in offering more formal definition, we conversely refer to food security when defining access to food availability.

Food Security exists, “when people at all times have physical, social and economic access to food, which is safe and consumed in sufficient quantity and quality to meet their dietary needs and food preferences, and is supported by an environment of adequate sanitation, health services and care, allowing for a healthy and active life.” Committee on World Food Security 2012

Food insecurity is an outcome of inadequate or uncertain access to an acceptable amount and quality of healthy food.  Food insecurity presents a growing challenge in Canada, especially in the north and remote Aboriginal Communities. In recognition of this growing concern, the Federal Minister of Health appointed a panel of experts in October 2011, to assess factors influencing food security in the Canadian North and the health implications of food insecurity for northern Aboriginal populations.

The panel of experts, Council of Canadian Academics, put forward the following initial findings concerning food insecurity:

• It is a complex issue with significant implications for health and well-being.

• There is no simple way to “solve” food security issues in the North. A range of holistic approaches is required.

• Many factors enable or serve as barriers to food security.

• There is a nutrition transition taking place in the rapidly changing North.

• There is no one experience of food insecurity.

• There is much solid research on hand but several knowledge gaps persist.

• Measurement methods used to date lack the ability to respond to the complex issue

• of food security within the northern Canadian Aboriginal context is limited,

It’s an undisputed fact that food security is an issue of well-being. The executive summary of the Council of Canadian Academics begins on a positive note encouraging all of us to turn our attention to the issue of food security. “Canada is in a position of strength to address the challenge of food insecurity. We have the tools and knowledge to build food security in the North [and in the rest of Canada] which is our collective responsibility.”   Should we not consider that our CSJ call to oneness, not only, bids us to find everyone a place at the table (inclusivity), but also, bids us to promote ample nourishment on the table (food security) for everyone.

Advent Ponderings…

On the Stories of Seeds and the Stories of our Souls

Linda Gregg CSJ

Here at the Villa in Cobourg, the garden has been “put to bed” and winter is settling in contentedly around us. The air is colder, seeping into the ground and readying the earth for its winter sleep. I was sorting some dried seeds the other day and was reflecting on the way seeds have stories, each unique to its own variety and type. Within the heart of seed lies a story about to be born, but before that time of birthing there is a journey that it must undergo. 

I remember as a child being told, by a wise old gardener, the miracle of an oak tree seed. Holding the acorn with its little cap in my child’s hand, I listened to the wondrous journey it would undertake – and it would do so by listening to the story written into its being, within that little acorn in my hand. For one day that acorn with its cap would become one of those towering oaks that offer majesty and strength to the forest grove, yet also lend gentle branches to cradle a fragile bird’s nest and, in time, learn to wisely converse with the wind that ripples through the green cloak of its oak leaves.

But it would be a journey, a journey of listening to the story written within and learning to live that story. Not unlike the story of our souls. Inscribed in the seed of our souls is the story of what can be – if we listen to the wisdom written into our soul’s journey.

Seeds all have a particular set of sequences necessary before the seed can be birthed. There are some seeds that have a very hard seed coat that serves to keep moisture out. But over time, this coat is gradually worn down by the weathering effect of the elements, interaction with soil microorganisms, or through being taken up as a tidbit by birds. The inner seed remains safeguarded while the hard seed coat gradually wears down. This strategy is necessary for, in this way, the seed germination is being delayed for several months – timed by an unseen wisdom for when spring arrives and the right growth conditions for germination exist.

And seeds are individuals, as we are.  Peas, beets, beans and spinach like a good soak before they germinate. Many seeds of perennials and woody plants absolutely will not germinate until they’ve have had a good freeze-up. If you plant these immediately after harvest, they will not germinate. These include, Asters, Black-Eyed Susan, Pansy, Coneflower, Primrose and Lupine.

And as we know, in the wild this occurs naturally, in the time of deepening cold as winter visits upon the land and brings upon us the deepest, dark of waiting times. This deepest dark we ourselves journey through at times, a waiting upon what we cannot yet see, but believe will come, if we are faithful to the moment we are living through. The seed knows.

Our Endangered Neighbour

Rita Godon CSJ

My fascination with bees began at the early age of five when I started school.  In our small unfamiliar library, perched on a top shelf, was a grey massive empty hive.  I had to face the reality of this strange form whenever I reached up for a book.  I was reminded over and over again that the hive was indeed empty.  Over time I learned to respect bees.  I got to love them.  I was assured that they wouldn’t bite me unless I disturbed them.  I discovered bees were amazingly hard workers and creators of beauty.  En masse, they cooperate so well with each other in achieving their goal of making honey to my amazement.  In my later years I became aware that honey bees account for 80% of all insect pollinators. They play a vital role in our food chain. 

Bees have been very much in people’s minds, hearts and prayers these days because of their high rate of death over this past winter.  I cannot imagine life without bees for they have been with us for 10 million years.  The Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists identified three causes:  starvation from lack of food caused by our past cold winter, parasites (mites), and primarily exposure to pesticides (neonicotinoids).

Neonicotinoids, a family of pesticides typically applied as a seed coating, help to protect plants from insects and in Ontario are used primarily in corn and soybean crops.  Believe it or not, they are used in greenhouses!  Neonicotinoids are banned by the Europe Union, but Canada is awaiting an interim report to come out next spring before considering a ban.  Meanwhile, extra precaution will be taken to prevent neonicotinoid dust getting into the soil or air during planting season by the introduction of a new seed lubricant.  As well, farmers and beekeepers will have access to an app that will notify each other when fields close to bee hives are about to be planted.

Sadly, beekeepers, farmers and seed-sellers are all impacted by the increasing annihilation of bees.  These three entities need to work with each other to achieve a fair but successful outcomes – one that would have bees as the first priority, not putting self- interest or the economy first.

To learn more about the challenges facing honey bees and what you can do to protect them, please visit www.panna.org  under Issues, – Pesticides 101 A Prime – Food & Agriculture – and scroll down to find the booklet Bee the Change.   In the CSJ spirit to live one with our neighbour, let us ‘bee friendly’.

Wing Beats of Hope – Monarchs and their gift to us and all the earth

Linda Gregg CSJ

At Villa St. Joseph in Cobourg we would always look forward to the arrival of the Monarchs in late summer and early fall. Their orange and black wings, exquisitely patterned, would be everywhere. If you walked near the Mountain Ash tree by the verandah the branches would suddenly flutter alive in a breathtaking dance of winged beauty and dazzling life.  Each year their numbers have been dwindling and we have had the sense something was deeply out of balance. 

The recent Mexican postings reveal that the forest hibernation colonies have once again sharply decreased. There remain only nine hibernating colonies. Last year there was a total area of 7.4 acres and this year it dropped to 2.94 acres. This is a 59% decrease in population in one year. In 1997 there were 44 acres of colonies.

Why is all this happening?    As you might imagine, humans have something to do with this. The dramatic drop in their numbers is due to the decrease in milkweed plants, the Monarchs main food source. Deforestation and urbanization have been significantly altered habitats. But the most critical is that of HT (Herbicide Tolerant) crops such as the GMO corn and soybean crops which are sown with weed killer in their genes. Without these, there was adequate room for milkweeds to pop up here and there in cultivated fields, providing nourishment for the Monarchs on their migratory route. But in the last 17 years there has been an incredible boost in corn and soybean acreage due to the increased prices for both corn and soybeans in Canada and the U.S. Ethanol production from corn has given farmers high prices for a crop that before didn’t provide much income. Deforestation and illegal logging in Mexico have also destroyed the site of many hibernation colonies.

Why does it matter?   Monarchs lead the most spectacular and incredible migration journey of any species, traversing thousands of kilometres navigating territory they have never seen. These iconic butterflies are key pollinators for many species besides milkweeds. And as the same habitats for monarchs, are essential for other pollinators, they are fragile prophets we need to heed. Without pollinators our own food sources will come under risk. What can we do?

Ministry of Learning & Action :   

Monarch Waystations:   At Villa St. Joseph Ecology Centre we have left significant parts of our fields uncut to preserve the milkweeds for the nurture of monarchs .We are now a designated Monarch Waystation with signage, bearing witness. But anyone can create a designated Waystation, in a backyard, a congregational home, a church. There are lots of other plants that provide sustenance for monarchs. Check out: http://monarchwatch.org

Ministry of Prayer & Presence:  Our thoughts and prayers a have a special energy of the spirit that can lift the fragile wings of this butterfly and so many other species. Minds and hearts need conversion, to the sanctity of all life. Let us pray wing beats of hope!

Sanctity of Seeds in this Sacred Season

Linda Gregg CSJ

This column has been suggested as an avenue to express concerns, hopes and opportunities around the realities of food production, food security and related ecological issues.

This is the time of year when we wait in expectant hope for the Seed of God’s life to be born anew in our hearts and lives. All the earth and the universe we know came from the seed of God’s dream in a time of distant past. And it is ours to cherish and safeguard so it can be born anew. The seeds that are tucked into the ground of the earth and stored in jars, packets, barns around the world are keepers of the sacred seed of Creation’s life – its diversity, its harmony and the balance. 

Yet, there are those in our modern technological world who seek to alter the genetic code of these seeds for novelty and for profit, an immense profit. It is the world of biotechnology and GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms). Seeds that were saved from year to year by farmers with an intimate knowledge of their land and an eye for the plants that grew best in their soil and climate are now in danger of being lost. It is not that nature is against new things, as our evolutionary story tells us abundantly, but that this is being done without the safeguards of nature’s original design! It is being done for immense profit. These companies are seeking patents for life itself, which is not theirs to own. Such companies, especially those working in developing countries, deny farmers the right to grow their own seeds. In turn this throws them into bankruptcy. As food activist Vandana Shiva has reported, thousand of poor farmers in India have committed suicide after being unable to purchase seeds and feed their families. There are many stories from around our world that document this reality.

With increasing rapidity our food sources in North America, Europe and around the world are made with GMO seeds – without our knowledge or consent and without the labelling of GMOs in the grocery store. Canadian organic farmers are battling against the government approval of GMO alfalfa, which is critical for organic production. There is an insidious conspiracy of secrecy that is funded by companies like Monsanto where backroom deals with government officials are ‘de rigueur’ and immense pockets of money blanket us with misinformation. What god do these companies serve? What God do we serve?

Recently, Cardinal Turkson the President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, was invited as keynote speaker at the World Food Prize. It is the showcase for GMO food technology and the dinner was made from all GMO foods. When Cardinal Turkson rose to speak he warned his audience that his words might cause indigestion for this group. In his speech he spoke plainly saying it is hazardous and sinful to employ biotechnology without a responsible ethic. He raised concerns about the economic, environmental and social consequences of GMOs. For it is not the farmers who are missing the point – but whoever refuses to look at the whole food insecurity picture – that includes people and their dignity and their lives as well as food production –  will miss the point. Indeed, at the end of his address, there was some indigestion.

What might we do?   Ministry of Learning & Action:  Canadian Biotechnology Action Network: Food Sovereignty & Environmental Justice – www.cban.ca/;  Canadian Organic Growers http://www.cog.ca/; Cardinal Turkson’s Address  www.ncronline.org/blogs/eco-catholic

Ministry of Prayer & Presence: We each are bearers of the Light of Christ – and around us the sacredness of creation. Let us in this sacred season keep in our mind and hearts the sanctity of seeds and the sanctity of farmers. May we let our prayer bring the Light of Christ more fully into our world and our earth.