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Thursday, November 11, 2010

Thanksgiving turkeys: Big Food is targeting us

Image credit: Ladyheart
As we get closer and closer to the biggest food fest of the year, when our tables nearly buckle under the weight of the most delicious foods we can conjure in our kitchens and purchase from our local delis and bakeries, Big Food is preparing to wow us with processed foods to snag our dollars all year long.

Take a look at what they're cooking up for us in Top 10 Food Trends for 2011. Hint: Processed is out, "proven" is in, and they're planning to "sell the technology."

Sometimes I feel a bit like a turkey m'self.
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We make peace in a million small ways every day.
All text and images, unless otherwise noted, copyright L. Kathryn Grace. All rights reserved.

8 comments:

kario said...

Oy, why must we market everything? Where is the economy that is gratitude based instead of market based? I want the one that says we will always have what we need, not that we're entitled to want everything and get it.

Dutchbaby said...

Generally, I am happy about these trends. Processed out, home cooking and sustainability in. Let's see if these predictions prove to be true.

Hayden said...

can't reach your link right now, will try later. weekends are not easy online here.

My turkey is ordered & I can't wait! Lots of food here is labeled "grown in Amish country" trying to trick people into thinking that the food so labeled was actually GROWN by Amish, which it wasn't.

My turkey was. No GMOs, truly pastured, no antibiotics, lovely, healthy birds. Not yet slaughtered, either, so he's guessing the weights will run 12 -18 pounds.

Next year I hope to raise Midget Whites. They dress out at about 12 pounds, are members of the Arc of Good Taste, and good foragers. At 12 pounds, it's a manageable size for serving now and then, without the huge work and effort involved w/ struggling with a 20 pounder. Would be lovely to have grown my own! Fingers crossed!

Hayden said...

ok, read the link. For my money, it's good news. Business is business, and they need to be watched every minute to make sure they're not lying. In my mind, business follows customers, and this is a prime example of the shift of food customers to more sophisticated buying. already we're seeing hfcs migrating off labels because food companies have learned that sugar sells better. sugar may be bad, but hfcs is worse! All good news.

The nature of most business is that of a parasite... it feeds on existing attitudes. Only occasionally does a business move the needle, showing it's customers a better path and improving on it's own.

Most folks still want supermarket food - I'm glad to see that customer preferences are moving towards healthier choices and the food companies are following them.

SE'LAH... said...

i try to bake as much from scratch as possible...that way i know what is in my food. thanks for always sharing your conscious throughts.

one love.

Curbstone Valley Farm said...

Well, processed is out for us for sure, as it is in general. I don't buy the 'marketing' BS. If it's packaged, with a label, and a brand, it's processed, I don't care what spin is put on it. This year, admittedly, for the first time, our turkey will be totally brand free (we used to buy from a modest free-range ranch, if that counts a brand). We cull our turkey next weekend, with a dry herbed light brine for 2-3 days, and then appreciate all we (and the turkey) had to do this year to make it possible. A truly thankful, thanksgiving. No plastic wrappers, and no automated turkey 'poppers' to tell us when it's cooked. Here's hoping more of us can revert to how our grandmothers prepared our food, and leave the over-processed, preserved, and packaged foods behind.

Deb Shucka said...

Most of these trends sound good, but since they're meant to sell product, it's hard to trust either the sincerity or the honesty. The more I know, the more I miss the farm food and lifestyle I grew up with.

graceonline said...

Kario, yes, a gratitude-based economy. Got ideas for building it? Only this morning I read again (forget where) of the initiative to base our worldwide economies on gross peace production (no points for weapons or war-based economies) rather than on GDP or GNP.

Dutchbaby, Hayden and Deb, I agree. it is good the manufacturers are hearing us and beginning to shift a little in the direction of more wholesome processed foods. And yes, it is exciting that enough of us are voting with our dollars to make a difference. Like Deb, what is disturbing for me about this list is the undertone. I get the distinct impression manufacturers plan to wash their advertising with words that soothe us while continuing business as usual. We must be ever vigilant in showing them that the profits lie in telling the truth (Thanks again, Deb!) and sourcing locally grown, whole foods from organic, living soil.

Curbstone VF, you are one of my role models and every day I try to move a little closer to having my own space to raise our food. I've been away from your blog too long. Need to go visit and learn which turkey you picked and how you're going about that whole process.

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