Food Systems
Reasons to Eat by the Seasons
The state of Washington grows a diverse array of fruits and vegetables thanks to the rich soil and favorable weather. The Washington State Department of Agriculture recorded that over 300 different crops are produced in Washington. Eating produce that is in season...
Reducing Your Food Waste
When planning out a full week of groceries for yourself or your family it can be difficult to figure out what you will need, especially if you are on a budget or do not have time to make multiple trips per week. A common tendency is to over purchase and end up having...
An internalized economic trauma: Capitalism says food waste is OK
This was originally published as an OpEd piece for Real Change News here. There is plenty of food to feed everyone in this country. At the same time, millions of people go hungry every day. One factor that contributes to this contradiction is food waste. In the United...
So many choices, nothing to choose
Have you ever stood in a supermarket grocery aisle flummoxed at the thousands of options of food in front of you? You are not alone. There are hundreds of varieties in every major category including cereals, condiments, crackers, and beverages. Unless you have already...
Food does not end hunger
A nourishing meal is a great antidote to a hungry stomach. And when the stomach is full and the mind calmer, the question we need to ask is: why are people hungry? It’s surely not the lack of food. We have enough food in this world to feed everyone well. In fact, 40%...
A blog with real English words
A blog post with real English words? Doesn't that excite you and make you want to read? Do you think I’m being facetious? Then what do you think of “fruit smoothie with real fruits”? I’m quoting that from a billboard advertisement next to a fast food restaurant which...
Saving a paper cup
A paper cup is all I wanted to save. A normal, regular, paper cup. I wasn’t trying to change the world. I wasn’t trying to stop global climate change. I was at one of many ubiquitous coffee shops in Seattle. I had some time on hand and as a good Seattleite, it felt...
Three steps to end hunger
Wouldn't it be nice if we had a step by step recipe on how to end hunger? We know it's not an unsolvable problem. We have enough food. We have people who need jobs. We have data on what policies work and what don't. But things are messy. Even when we think we...
Don’t stop serving, but don’t stop at serving
It was another Martin Luther King Jr. Day, more airing of his “I have a dream” speech, and tens of thousands of people serving all over the nation from painting day care centers to picking up garbage, cleaning up shelters, and feeding the hungry. For us at HIP, it was...
Attitude is not everything
I complain about all the rain storms we are getting this season, or how cold it is some days. We love to talk about the weather here, so it was no surprise when it came up as the conversation topic during one of our senior meals at the Lake City Community Center. I...
What is hunger?
How long do you have to go without food to be hungry? Do you have to miss a meal regularly to say that you are facing hunger? How frequently does that have to be? Once a week or month? How about once a year? Is hunger a mental state where you are hungry even when you...
