The Good Foodie acknowledges that we cannot personally grow or make all of the things that we need to thrive, even as we understand that the products we buy eat, or use daily have a huge impact on the planet. We believe that conscientious purchasing and buying only what we need is the key to making our money count and ensuring that our spending reflects our values and beliefs. Even small, everyday purchases, such as coffee, tea, breakfast cereal, bread, or paper products are a vote for something. For example, buying organically or locally grown fruit and vegetables is a vote for environmental sustainability, and buying Fair Trade goods is a vote for human rights and fair wages in developing countries.

Ask yourself three simple questions before making a purchase:

1. Will I use this?
2. Do I need this?
3. What’s going to happen to it (i.e., the item itself and/or the packaging it came in) when I’ve finished with it?

Additionally, try to focus on three basic principles when food shopping:


1. Buying sustainable seafood.
2. Buying responsibly produced meat and poultry.
3. Buying organically, naturally, or locally grown fruit, vegetables, and grains.

Investing our money in companies and products we believe in helps to ensure their success and voting with our dollars by targeting our spending towards recycled or fair-trade goods, local or organic farms, woman- or minority-owned businesses, cruelty-free products, etc., not only serves to create niche markets but can shift mainstream consumer purchasing behavior and food production practices on a larger scale as well. As consumers, we have a great deal of power in our wallets, and we’ve already effected change. We just need to look at the success of retailers like Whole Foods Market and at examples of how mainstream supermarkets and food companies have responded to the growth and profitability of the organic and natural foods movement.

Unfortunately, it is easy to become overwhelmed by the scale of the problems that face our planet today, and by the number of changes that we are asked to make. Expert opinions often differ and popular advice about what we should or should not eat often conflicts. Sometimes the choices are not clear or straightforward. For example, is it better to buy organic vegetables flown in from overseas or nonorganic vegetables from a local farmer? Is it better to support an environmentally responsible company or a mainstream company that is owned by a well-respected and ethical woman? In these cases, there is often an inherent tradeoff, and you often must decide which issue is more important to you. Above all, it is very important to remember that small steps can lead to bigger ones, and it is better to take a few small steps in the right direction than no steps at all.

As consumers, if we can carry our awareness of global poverty and environmental issues into our shopping carts, we can all work together to help make the world a better place one community at a time.