The Flores Family Declaration of Food Values

My wife and I just returned from last week's Hazon Food Conference.  For those of you who have never heard of Hazon, they are a non-profit whose goal is to "help create healthy and sustainable communities in the Jewish world and beyond." It was an amazing three days at UC Davis filled with great learning and inspiring speakers.  We discussed issues regarding feeding the nation's hungry, making kosher food more sustainable and strategies to help our community live healthier lives by making different food choices. 

One recurring theme of the weekend was that our current food system is broken.  It is in dire need of an overhaul, which is not going to be an easy task.  Using the our Jewish values as a backdrop, my wife and I had some great discussions on the six-hour drive home.  We talked about how our family eats and how the food choices we make reflect our values.  We talked about what we are already doing and what more we are willing to do make a difference to our food system.  What follows is our first Family Declaration of Food Values:

We choose to
...buy foods that are produced/grown locally.
...choose organic products as much as possible.
...buy only pasture-raised beef, chicken, eggs or lamb and avoid all other factory farmed/raised animal products.
...eat more whole foods.
...avoid fast food restaurants.
...shop at farmer's markets.
...cook at home.
...eat dinner together.

We believe
...no one in our city, state, or country should go to bed hungry.
...the workers who pick our vegetables, harvest our fruit and produce our food should be paid a living wage and should not be exploited.
...our synagogues can do a better job of feeding our children.
...fresh food should be affordable for everyone.

We agree to
...make informed decisions about where our food comes from.
...share these beliefs with our friends, family and community.
...use our time and money to support organizations whose mission is similar to our beliefs.
...vote.
...write our elected officials in Los Angeles, Sacramento and Washington so that they support policies that help change our food system.
...HELP CHANGE OUR FOOD SYSTEM.

Are you willing to join us?