FAIR Food is about a fair go for all: farmers and workers, land and livestock, shops and shoppers alike.
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The documentary, to screen in Bowral next Tuesday, will raise awareness around food and farming issues.
Dr Rosemary Stanton, nutritionist and Barrengarry resident, will speak at a Q&A session after the screening.
“I’m interested in sustainable food supplies and sustainability generally,” Dr Stanton said.
“We waste huge amounts of land, water and fertilisers just to produce junk food. We care about food being cheap, but not what is in it or where it comes from. We need to think about the environment, not just taste and presentation.”
Documentary-makers Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance said the film encouraged consumers to consider the implications of their food choices and prioritise health, wellbeing and land care through small-scale, local production.
Fair Food is about “environmental health, human health, and social health,” says AFSA national co-ordinator Dr Nick Rose.
“The whole message is about fairness across the food system, about the health of soil, waterways, animals, the viability of farmers and agriculture as well as conditions for workers, and access and affordability for consumers,” Dr Rose said.
For Dr Stanton, the nutritional value of fairly sourced and fresh food will be the key take-away message.
“People fuss in their diets about carbohydratess, fats and proteins, but the big problem in diet is that 30 per cent of adults’ and 40 per cent of children’s energy intake comes from junk food,” Dr Stanton said.
“There are all these fancy devices to tell people about what’s in packaged food, but if your grandmother wouldn’t recognise it, don’t eat it. It’s rare to find a food with more than five ingredients that’s worth buying.”
Dr Stanton says convenience food has its place: “I worked and raised children myself; we do need some things done for us.
“I’m happy for someone else to wash the lettuce leaves, so long as nothing is added; and I don’t want to grow my own wheat [for bread]. Yes, people have time constraints, but we need to get in touch with real food again.
“I have collected 27 studies that show children understand the value of fresh food and are much more prepared to eat it when they know how to grow and cook it ... and the whole family’s diet improves.” And foods produced out of season “are never going to taste good. An apple in November can be unappetising, but apples between February and July, they will be pretty fresh, depending on the variety.
“Buy fresh foods in season and stop the waste of keeping food in storage forever.”
Dr Stanton said supermarkets were not entirely to blame: “They are only supplying to consumer demand. The shopper actually has a lot of power, we are often just unaware of how we can use it.”
“Look for “unglamourous fruit and veg” in local supermarkets’ “ugly” produce bins,” she said. “Buy these products and show we don’t care if fruit and veg aren’t uniform in size and shape.”
Fair Food will screen at the New Empire Cinema on Bong Bong St, Bowral, on Tuesday, June 2, 7-9pm, including Q&A time. Tickets are free and available from the box office or online at empirecinema.com.au