The Reese's Dilemma

I am only partway through the book, "The Omnivore's Dilemma," and it already is changing the way I eat and grocery shop. I thought I understood the concept of factory farms, but after reading Michael Pollan's description of a concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO), I decided I could no longer purchase and eat factory-farmed meat and poultry. Not only is this meat unhealthy and frequently contaminated, but it is butchered from animals that are mistreated and fed inappropriate food and drugs.

Our co-op carries Thousand Hills grass-fed beef, from a farm in Cannon Falls, Minnesota. The beef is expensive and won't appear on our menus more than once or twice a month, but it is a start. I plan to research chicken options but for now I am cooking more vegetarian food.

We have reduced our consumption of processed foods and Pollan's book increased my awareness of how many of these foods contain little but sugar and corn derivatives. One of the more disgusting ingredients in some processed foods, in my opinion, is TBHQ, a type of butane. It is listed on the label for Reese's peanut butter cups, and I will no longer eat this childhood favorite.