Food Diary: A Food System Analysis

FOOD DIARY: A FOOD SYSTEM ANALYSIS Danielle Gilmour

Nutrition 302

From this assignment I have learned many things about transparency and my comfort level with that transparency. Working at Trader Joes has given me access to buying very affordable organic foods. This has helped my feel pretty great about my environmental impact through my food consumption. But through this assignment I have realized the stark variance between this organic food, and the organic foods I purchase

at the farmers market (or grow myself at the UW Farm). Those purchased at the farmers market are entirely transparent about location, growing and processing (all of which are minimal and local). Through Trader Joes foods I have the assurance of organic growing practices, but the rest is left to the imagination. It is nearly impossible for me to trace the foods origin and actual brand. I

have learned that with value comes opacity. My hope is to eventually have the means to purchase food from sources I know, because I enjoy the transparency provided by smaller and local growers.

Tuesday April 22

FOOD GROWTH AND HARVEST

PROCESSING PACKAGING SELL POINT TRANSPORTATION LABELING PREPARATION CONSUMPTION

Bobs Red Mill Extra

Thick Rolled Oats

-Oats need lots of moisture, and favor a cool climate and fertile, well-drained

soil - It is best to plant oats in very early spring

-planted in

-hulling process can be done by rubbing them between two rough surfaces that roll the hulls of the

seed (must be done for

consumption by humans, done by farmer)

-Creative and classic

style packaging to

give a holistic and family

farm feel -Signature and drawing

of Bob himself

Crisp Fresh Market:

I buy from crisp because they

are a small local grocer working hard to stay afloat in the U District, they

are a little more expensive but I do not mind

-Largest commercial

producers of oats are the Russian Federation, the United States,

Germany, Poland and Finland (so

start was in one of these places most

likely)

-Certified Organic by Quality

Assurance International -Friend of the Heart -Brief about whole grain consumption and decrease

in heart

I make oatmeal in the morning

using the microwave or boiling water

I eat breakfast alone because no one else in

my house wakes up as early as I

do

Key Breakfast

Lunch Snacks

Dinner

Repeat

fields using a grain drill

-Kiln toasted and milled by Bobs Red Mill

the cost disease and cancer

Woodstock Brown Sugar

- organic cane sugar is not treated with chemicals so

that (apparently) all the original vitamins and minerals are preserved

-Sugar is refined and then molasses is

added -Level of

refinement depends on processer

-Woodstock claims: molasses

content of this organic brown sugar retains essential minerals

-Attractive packaging, looks holistic and natural -Packaged in BPA-free re-sealable bags

Crisp Fresh Market

-Sugar cane is commercially grown in Brazil, China, Mexico, India, Australia,

Thailand, Pakistan and the United

States of America - 70% of

Woodstock products are domestically sourced

- I am not sure where processing and packaging took place

-Eat Because Its

Good -USDA Organic

-Non-GMO Project Verified

-Vegan, no animal products used

I add it to the oatmeal described above

Frozen Blueberries

- Must select type to work with climate: highbush,

lowbush, half-high, or rabbiteye

-The soil must be well

aerated, moist, high in humus, and VERY acidic -Mix in sulfur to raise acidity

-Washed and frozen at peak of freshness

-Plastic recyclable

bag -Laden with pictures of beautiful fresh

blueberries

Trader Joes (TJs):

I shop often at Trader Joes

because I work there. TJs is designed to

bring attractive different and

special products to

consumers at a low price. They

do not advertise other than occasional

Distributed from Monrovia, CA Northwest Trader Joes Warehouses U District Seattle TJs

TJs specifically hides the actual

brands of a majority of their products by

transforming the labeling into a generic brand This is to insure contracts are

Labeled USDA Organic

I add these to my oatmeal in an attempt to get a daily fruit

serving

radio advertisements

and their Fearless Flyer newsletter sent out to relevant neighborhoods

negotiated at a low price (no individual

advertising) and because some

companies make special changes to their products to fit the rigorous standards of TJs. This in turn makes

tracing the products virtually impossible, even to employees (contracting is kept secret, and not in any of the

employee accessible data

systems, I checked)

Soy Milk -Soy is often grown on huge

scale monocropped farms, Im sure this is also true for organics

-Clean, De-hulled,

Blanching/ Enzyme

Inactivation, Grinding, Fiber Separation (decanting), Deodorization (to get rid of unwanted

tastes/smells milk is

deaerated by means of

vacuum and

-Simple, attractive

packaging in recyclable tetra-pack

Trader Joes USDA Organic and

Quality Assurance

International

I add soymilk to my breakfast on a daily basis

parboiling), Standardization (water added to reach desired protein level), Flavoring and Formulation (Calcium and

other vitamins/ minerals are often added)

Torrefazion-e Italia Coffee

-Planted during wet season and kept in shade while seedling

-Harvest cherries after 2/3 years

(mechanized or hand-picked)

-Process Cherries either dry or wet

method to get to bean

-Dry beans -Milling the

beans: hulling, polishing, and

sorting -Exported and

Roasted

-Packaging looks classic,

semi-deceiving considering they are no

longer independent

Gould Court Cafe

-Most likely grown in Brazil (worlds largest exporter of coffee) or Vietnam

(2nd largest)

Brand remains despite

being bought by Starbucks in 2003 and cafes were shut down by them by 2005 (used to be local Seattle Roaster)

Discover the Warmth of

Italy

Getting coffee in my majors

building is often a social event

done after class, but I usually

drink the coffee alone while

studying in the CBE library

Polenta -Corn is grown organically,

most likely on large scale and mechanized

-Corn is ground into meal -Polenta is processed in factory with natural

preservatives added for

freshness and shelf stability

-Plastic thick packaging

Trader Joes Quick and easy to use

are advertised

USDA Organic and Quality Assurance

International

Had lunch with roommates

while they ate their own lunches

Olive Oil -Olives are cultivated over long periods of time because

-Clean olives, grind into paste,

Malaxing (mixing) the

-Packaged in nice thick green glass

bottle

Trader Joes Also: Imported from Italy

-Olives grown in Italy in a

USDA Organic and

Quality Assurance

I use olive oil in many of my dishes for

sauting and

My roommates also use olive oil often, and I often have to hide

trees need long-term

establishment before they bear fruit

-Mechanized harvesting has become the main form of harvesting, this has led to a push in the

standardization and uniformity of olive trees to insure they can be harvested by one tractor

paste, presses used to

separate the oil from the rest of

the olive components

-Shows quality

Mediterranean climate, not sure where they were processed and

bottled, but most likely in the EU

International roasting, I would consider it an essential and staple

ingredient in my cooking

(put it away) mine to assure it

is not used

Sea Salt -Salt is harvested

through solar evaporation

from seawater or salt lakes -Usually

harvested once a year when

the salt reaches a specific thickness

-Grinding to desired size

-Chunks packaged in glass grinder for fresh

salt

Trader Joes N/A A staple for my cooking

Garbanzo Beans

- cool-season annual that

requires about 100 days to reach harvest -Require a lot of sunlight, are susceptible to

-Shelled, salted and canned


Quality Assurance

International

One source of protein I often depend on and add to many

meals

fungus Asparagus - Well drained

soils are a must for successful production,

and very sandy soils are preferred - Plant

asparagus crowns (roots plus plant buds)

- It takes a long time for

asparagus to develop a large root system (many years

before established

crop)

Washed and packaged

Sealed in plastic wrap


Quality Assurance

International

Roasted with salt and oil

Nashs Produce Parsnips

-As a certified organic farm, Nash produced this product following organic

standards -They were harvested by Nashs Farm Farmworkers

Washed and tops removed

No Packaging, put into reused plastic

produce bag

University Farmers Market

From Sequim, WA Seattle U

District Farmers Market

No Label Peeled and roasted with salt and oil

Stoney Plains Organic Farm

Northern

-Follow organic growing

certifications -Plant seeds in spring, great

Washed and dried

In small plastic

recyclable container


From Thurston county in

Washington Seattle U District Farmers Market

No label I soaked these beans for a day

and boiled them for over 3o minutes

Consumed with my personal

meal which I ate alongside my

other

White Beans

for drying and storing

roommates and their dinner

meals Sweet

Potatoes - Require

loamy, well-drained soil

that is not too rich

-Grow to be large plants that need space -Dig up potatoes

Washed and bagged

In netted bag

Trader Joes USDA Organic

I sliced potatoes in my food processor and roasted

with salt and oil

Olive Oil Salt

Once Again Tahini

-Broadleaf plant that

grows about 5 to 6 feet tall,

height dependent on the variety and

growing conditions -Harvested From Pods

-Made from ground sesame

seeds

-Packaged in jar with fun drawings -Doesnt require

refrigeration but oil will separate if left on shelf

Crisp Fresh Market

Domestic and international fair

trade, Small organic farms and

cooperatives

-USDA Organic

-We Spread Integrity -Non-GMO Project Verified

I added to my beans and

potato mixture

Water (All Meals)

Harvested from the Tolt (30%) and Cedar River

(70%) Watersheds

Cedar River: used for Seattle

City Lights hydroelectric powerplant at Cedar Falls, and ensure safety and quality

using watershed protection,

N/A Seattle Public Utilities

Cedar River: Gathered from Chester Morse Lake and the Masonry Pool

reservoirs created by the Masonry Dam 35 miles southeast of

Seattle Seattle City Light

N/A In my home we have a Brita

filter that I use approximately 75% of the

time.

Water accompanies all of my meals, each of my roommates usually has a

water glass being reused

throughout the day.

chlorination, ozonation and ultra-violet light disinfection Tolt: some

hydroelectric, treated with filtration, ozonation, chlorination,

fluoridation and the addition of minerals for corrosion control

Landsburg diversion dam Lake Youngs Cedar Water

Treatment Facility Tolt: 35 miles southeast of

Seattle in cascade foothills, gathered at a dam South Fork Tolt River small hydroelectric

facility regulating basin

Tolt Water Treatment Facility

Sunday April 27

FOOD GROWTH AND

HARVESTING

PROCESSING PACKAGING SELL POINT TRANSPORTATION LABELING PREPARATION CONSUMPTION

Kashi Autumn Wheat

-Grown and harvest whole organic wheat

berries

-Steam, shred, and

weave wheat -Bake Wheat -Add organic sweetener -Package

-Plastic Bag (trash) and cardboard

box (recyclable)

Trader Joes

-From wheat farms to processing plants

-Eventually sold to TJs and distributed alongside their

products

-USDA Organic -Non-GMO Project Verified

-Healthy:

50g Whole

Grains, 6g Fiber,1g

Simple and quick breakfast

Eaten alone

Fat per serving, Sodium-Free

Soy Milk Trader Joes Strawberries -Most likely

grown in San Joaquin Valley on large scale organic farm -Harvested by

migrant workers (my

guess)

-Washed, sorted and packaged

-In recyclable plastic

container

Trader Joes USDA Organic, grown in California

Tops cut and washed

With breakfast

Nashs Peas -As a certified organic farm,

Nash produced this

product following organic

standards -They were harvested by Nashs Farm Farmworkers

-Taken from pods,

Washed and bagged

In resealable ziplock bag


From Sequim, WA Seattle U District Farmers

Market

Simple label with USDA Organic Label

I soaked the peas for 1.5

days and boiled for over 30

minutes, then added to

simple soup

Enjoyed with my lunch, alone this

time

Salt Trader Joes Potato -Stem of

plant, can be grown in many

climates

-Dug up and washed

-Weighed and put into plastic bag


Used in broth and soup

Carrots -Root of plant, can be grown in many

climates

-Dug up and washed, tops removed

-Weighed and put into plastic bag


Used in broth and soup

Navel Orange

-Grown organically on

trees in probably large scale organic orchard

-Most likely harvested by

migrant workers

-Washed, sorted and

boxed

No packaging

Crisp Fresh Market

Not sure of origin, maybe Florida?

USDA Organic judged by produce number

Peeled and devoured

Snack on the go

Holmquist Hazelnuts

Grown in the shadow of the North Cascades in the fertile soil

of the Nooksack

River Valley


From Lynden, WA U District Farmers Market

Polenta Trader Joes As base of scramble

The rest of what wasnt used earlier in the

week UW Farm

Kale I took part in growing and harvesting, simple small scale organic methods

Washed at home

No packaging

Trader Joes In my backpack on my bike No label Sauted and added to scramble

Eaten on campus alone while studying

Olive Oil Trader Joes Tofu Soybeans

grown on (most-likely) large scale organic farm

-Cook soymilk, add coagulant, cool and press, add

soy whey, cut

In plastic package with

water


Sauted and added to scramble

Salt Trader Joes

Water (All Meals)

Sources:

Seattle Public Utilities- http://www.seattle.gov/util/MyServices/Water/AbouttheWaterSystem/WaterSystemOverview/index.htm

Bobs Red Mill- http://www.bobsredmill.com/organic-thick-rolled-oats.html

Oats- http://rodaleinstitute.org/ask-the-farmer-getting-started-with-oats/

Woodstock- http://www.woodstock-foods.com/pages/productdetail.aspx?p=4256300975

Brown Sugar- http://www.organic-sugar.com/properties-of-organic-sugar/

Blueberries- http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/blueberries

Olive Oil- http://www.oliveoilsource.com/page/extraction-process

Soy Milk- http://www.fao.org/docrep/t0532e/t0532e09.htm

Coffee- http://www.ncausa.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageID=69

Torrefazoine Italia Brand- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torrefazione_Italia

Polenta- http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/egg/egg0297/poleckry.html

Sea Salt- http://www.maldonsalt.co.uk/About-Salt-Where-does-Salt-come-from.html

Garbanzo Beans- http://www.harvesttotable.com/2009/04/how_to_grow_chickpeas_garbanzo/

Sesame- http://www.backyarddiva.ca/grow-your-own-sesame-seeds/

Sweet Potatoes- http://bonnieplants.com/growing/growing-sweet-potatoes/

Asparagus- http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/hil/hil-2-a.html

Hazelnuts- http://www.holmquisthazelnuts.com/Departments/Dry-Roasted-Ennis-Hazelnuts.aspx

Tofu- http://www.fao.org/docrep/t0532e/t0532e10.htm

Documents

Food Diary: A Food System Analysis