What I Learned From This Semester in Eating Ethics

Over the course of this past semester I have had to reflect on not only my food choices but how those choices have been affected by my environment growing up and how they now affect my environment and the world as a whole. In the past, I had never really taken the time to think about my diet unless I was in the doctor's office. My diet usually gravitated towards sweet things and pasta, and occasionally a salad (but only so I wouldn't feel guilty about eating dessert later). After taking this course I've seen a huge change in the way I eat and interact with food. For starters, I actually cook myself meals now. I have to say, the only thing more satisfying than cooking your own meal, is sitting down to eat it once it's done. I've enjoyed learning to experiment with spices and different modes of cooking. I've found that the oven is my go to kitchen appliance. Most likely because my favorite dish (pie- savory and sweet) is made in an oven. I've also gotten a much greater appreciation for the food that is on my plate when I go out to eat at a restaurant. I now stop and think about all the effort that had to go into creating my meal and those of the other patrons. My diet has also changed a lot over the course of the semester. I started eating whole grain and quinoa oatmeal almost everyday for breakfast. I've also started incorporating a lot more green into my diet. Although I can't say that my aversion go squash and beets has changed, I've definitely developed a deep love for Brussels sprouts and (well seasoned) kale. The discussions we've had throughout the semester have taught me to have a healthy dose of skepticism when entering the supermarket. Now every time someone claims something is good for you because it says "natural" on the label I'm the first person to pipe up and point out the power the private sector has to control that definition. As you can imagine it hasn't made me very many friends, but sometimes the most important truths are the ones we don't want to hear.