How I became interested in what I'm actually eating!

"I was struck by the idea that with food, there could be so much we don't know about something we are as familiar with."

Robert Kenner, director of Food, Inc.

I've always loved food, but I never thought about where it came from, what's in it, or how it has become so cheap.

Growing up my mom didn't cook that often, and my dad traveled a lot. So, for lunch my sister and I would have a school lunch and for dinner my mom would take us through the drive-thru at either McDonalds, Burger King or Taco Bell. Almost always it would be Burger King because it was right next to my middle school and we could get an icee with our meal. All I ever drank was Coke, and there was always bottles of it in the fridge. Ice cream, cookies, and candy were also always available (my mom didn't know how to say "no"). At that age I didn't understand the reason why I was so over-weight, and now I have to deal with this issue everyday.

I wasn't interested in what America eats until recently, and this problem we have just caught me by surprise. About a year ago I decided to sign up for the free trial for Netflix (best thing ever fyi), and I loved it. I loved being able to watch things instantly, and so I ordered the little box that will instantly stream video from Netflix onto my TV. I started to watch documentaries about EVERYTHING! I love researching and learning as much as I can about any topic. That's just what I do. When my friends tell me something and I don't know about it they say "I would tell you, but there's no point you're just going to go home and look it up on google and find out more about than I do."

The first documentary about the food industry that I watched is called King Corn, directed by Aaron Woolf, this is an amazing film about the business of corn. This film really opened up my eyes about how much nutrition we actually get from the food we are eating, why food has become cheap, and using corn in ways that I feel just aren't right.

Click here to watch the trailer for King Corn.

The next documentary I watched is called Food, Inc., directed by Robert Kenner and was nominated for a 2010 Oscar in the category of documentary feature, is an amazing film about the food industry as a whole. Kenner spent six years putting together this documentary, which features prominent food writers Michael Pollan (The Omnivore’s Dilemma) and Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation). This film will open up anybodies eyes that watch it, and it will make you think twice about what you are eating and what you are supporting.

I recommend watching both of these documentaries they are interesting and informative, and both of them are on Netflix for instant play if you have it.