Tag Archives: food

What I Did on My Vacation – Food, Part 2

I had intended to start in on costs for food, but I realized that a better place to begin this time is on food quality.  It does not matter much if your food is cheaper if it is poor quality as well.

As I mentioned in part 1, no one would argue that if you pick your own produce or get it from a nearby neighbor, farm stand, or farmers market you will in general get better quality, in terms of taste and nutrition, food than what you can generally find in the local supermarket.  This is almost entirely read more

Protectionism, Food and Otherwise, Never Ends Well for Consumers

I am getting close to finishing “The Locavore’s Dilemma: In Praise of the 10,000 Mile Diet” which is a really fascinating look at the modern food system, at least in developed parts of the world.  While the book is focused on food, much of what he says can apply to trade in general.  Today’s quote, from the beginning of chapter 7, is a good example.

In the name of greater food security and economic benefits, countless political rulers have historically sought to increase read more

What I did on my Vacation – Food, Part 1

Buffet at Excalibur Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, NV

Buffet at Excalibur Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, NV

We were sitting at the buffet in the Excalibur Hotel and Casino and I had to marvel at the wide variety of food available in the middle of the desert.  It is virtually guaranteed that none of the food we ate came from within several hundred miles of Las Vegas.  And the price was reasonable as well at about $70 for the two of us for the entire day, as many times as we wanted to go in.  Granted, this was not the highest quality food we could have found, but it was tasty and there were lots of read more

Quote of the Day – Small Scale Agriculture is not That Enjoyable

In doing some research for my upcoming post about food inspired by my recent vacation, I have been reading “The Locavore’s Dilemma: In Praise of the 10,000 Mile Diet” by Piere Desrochers and Hiroku Shimizu.  It does a good job looking at the downside of the growing push for more local food and less big agribusiness.

From the perspective of individuals caught in the urban rat race, small-scale farming and the promise of a simpler life looks appealing.  But the harsh reality is read more