There is no room for the word "shame" when we are helping others.

The other night I was out with a friend of mine having some dinner. I was so excited to talk about all that I have learned in the past few weeks in culinary school and started to talk about how my chef instructor is really big in the "farm-to-table" movement. This led to a conversation about how I have always loved to go to the farmer's market, pick out my produce and make baby food and eventually toddler and children's meals with seasonal and nutritional foods for my child.

My friend then told me a story about two of her mom friends and a tiff that they got into over organics, farmer's markets and cost. One mom being strict about co-op eggs and how her child would never have anything but local eggs and produce. And then the other mother, who did not have the same financial resources as the other went into how she would love to do that, but simply could not afford to do so. Then the other mother somewhat shamed her for feeding her child what she could afford, which was not as healthy or free of chemicals.

The entire reason why I started this little blog, was to help people have the tools to eat locally without breaking their grocery budget. Why all the shame? To eat like this is not an easy thing to make happen if you do not have the tools or resources.

I have written a couple of times about how to stretch you produce, what you can do with the stuff that is going bad on your counter and mostly how to budget and meal plan. These are just a couple of ways to stretch your dollar, while eating what is grown in your environment and taking care of your family through food.

There is absolutely no reason to shame another parent into eating better or put them down because they are doing the best that they can with what they have. Some of us are so lucky that we have access to good produce and some of us were raised in a house where pizza and fast foods were common place. The only way that we can all have good quality groceries available to us, is through solid and trusting education and then of course through demand.

This process will take a while, but for the first time ever I truly believe that we are on a path to eating better and holding the food industry accountable for their action of the past fifty years. Yet, one thing I just can not stress enough, is that we are all in it together and there is absolutely no room for shaming other parents or children.

Here is a suggestion if you meet someone who you think could eat better on a budget. Invite them to the farm stands and markets for an experience. Share with them your budgeting techniques and make a meal plan for the week. How you can use produce in all of your meals, not just dinners.

They will see how easy and budget-friendly it can all be. And of course bring the kids!

Cheers!