The Impact of my Food Choices

When making food choices, I am primarily concerned with health. I try to eat a lot of vegetables and fruits, with minimal dairy and meat (because I find that is what works best for me). This is mainly related to my food choices when I purchase my own food and eat at home, although my train of thought is often different when eating out or when someone else cooks for me (many times, the healthier restaurant options are not the vegetarian options- often times a vegetarian meal in a restaurant consists largely of cheese which I try not to consume. And when I am eating at someone else’s home I eat whatever they prepare for me- since my meal choices are not moral-based and I find that is often the most polite and, well, easier option in social settings).

Next, I do consider some of the environmental impacts. For example, I try to avoid fish, especially those on the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Guide. I love shrimp, but they are never a “Best Choice,” so I usually avoid them, along with many other fish options (the ocean ecosystems are of special importance to me so I rarely eat fish because I find that it is better to be safe than sorry).

I also avoid meat and dairy as often as possible. I don’t have any meat in my fridge, and I only use almond milk on my cereal. This is for a few reasons: 1) I don’t like to cook, and I am not any good at it, so I don’t trust myself with cooking meat. Also, I like to be able to grab-and-go, and meat just takes too long for me to prepare. 2) I don’t really like dairy. I don’t like cows milk, or most cheeses, but I do eat goat cheese. I understand that these choices are good for the environment, but that is not the most inherent reason I make these choices.

So, while I know that my food choices do have less negative effects that some, I understand that there are still many negative aspects of my food choices, AND I do have vices.

Since I am a college student, I do not have an endless supply of money. If I did, I would probably purchase most of my food from farmers markets as well as purchase only organic. However, I don’t have an endless supply of money. So my fruits and veggies are not always organic, and they usually make a long trek from other parts of the country (and I’m sure, at times, the world). For example, I purchase a lot of my food at Trader Joe’s. I love my raw almond butter, but the only place in the U.S. that grows almonds in California. So, IF Trader Joe’s gets their almonds from the U.S., they had to go from California, to wherever Trader Joe’s makes their products, to the distribution center in Massachusetts, to the store in Bethesda.

I also have a huge vice. One that I hate to admit, and I try over and over again to quit. But I love soda. When I have the money to spend, I purchase Kombucha instead (it has less chemicals so it is better for me, and glass is pretty easy to recycle. I often re-use the bottles multiple times before I even put them into the recycling bin). I even try to drink natural soda as often as possible, one’s that also contain no chemicals or artificial sweeteners. However, every one in a while, I just want a Diet Coke

I had one on Friday. And that was probably the worst thing I’ve consumed in the last few days. First of all, it is HORRIBLE for me. As health conscious as I usually am, Diet Coke does nothing for me. It contains caramel color, artificial sweeteners, and I like to pretend that I don’t know what else is in there, but it is NOT good. And, while I try to buy cans versus plastic bottles (only because they are a TINY bit better- only 10% of plastic bottles are recycled compared to 50% of cans, and it is a lot easier to recycle cans) it doesn’t negate that fact that the Coca-Cola company still makes their cans with 50% virgin aluminum (which is an environmental disaster trying to mine). They are also often scorned for taking the water that they use in their Diet Coke from areas of severe water shortage, like in India.

Overall, Diet Coke is one of the worst things I do to myself and the environment (in terms of food and beverage choices). So I will keep finding and turning to alternatives, and I am known to show up to parties with a Kombucha in hand, but I know that, for me, nothing makes a backyard BBQ quite as complete as a Coca-Cola.