The Food Movement

Wednesday night I went to the Paramount Theater with my neighbors to see Michael Pollan speak about the "food movement". I had been excited to hear what he had to say, as well as be with other foodies who are a part of this movement. The conversation was great and the two hours flew by quickly. He talked about processed foods, supporting organic versus local farmers, eating meat versus vegetarianism, etc. All in all, it was an interesting conversation. However, I did look around the theater and noticed that the majority of the house were white people, early to mid-thirties on average, and I didn't see a lot of people of color. Which got me thinking...is the food movement a middle class white person's movement?

He did touch on the importance of making wholesome food available to the poor, but that was about the extent of how he addressed this issue. I started realizing that it isn't just about whether someone can afford fresh food versus processed food or that their food stamps are enough to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables. It is about living in a neighborhood where there is a grocery store that carries fresh food, not just a 7-11. It is about having time to cook fresh food after the end of a long day when you are a single parent. It is about culture and the kinds of food historically and culturally one might cook.

So, perhaps the food movement has yet to uncover how to become culturally applicable and acceptable to all, which doesn't mean that is a bad thing...the movement is still in its infancy. Asking these questions shows that there are bigger questions on the table about how to support health and well-being in a complex and multicultural world.