Is Organic, Organic

Perhaps you are interested in doing a project about Food Labeling, GMO food crops or Organic Foods with your kids. Below are a couple of links to get you started as well as a student project example about corn from one of my kids.

After reading some health articles I came across something interesting about the word 'natural' which is often displayed on grocery items we buy. In the US, "Federal law requires that organic food products be produced promoting ecological sustainability, without the toxic inputs and genetically engineered ingredients common in the conventional food system," (and even there I'm dubious about its authenticity).

The core value of organic foods should be just that! No pesticides, herbicides at all... full stop. Yet numerous pesticides are still allowed to be used and your product can still be labelled as 'organic'... something wrong here!

Increasingly, organic products are forced to compete with products that claim to be “natural.” There are no restrictions for foods labeled “natural” (very basic standards exist only for meat products). The term often constitutes nothing more than meaningless marketing hype promoted by corporate interests seeking to cash in on the consumer desire for food produced in a genuinely sustainable manner, according to the Cornucopia Institute in Wisconsin.

Reference Cornucopia

Unlike the organic label, no government agency, certification group or other independent entity fully defines the term “natural” on processed food packages or ensures that the claim has merit."

One can find many products, from muesli bars to shampoos, on the shelves in Australia, where I live, as well as in the US, but are these any better or healthier than their cheaper counterparts? Most products containing corn, corn starch, maize... rest assured it's most likely a GMO product. Anything but natural as the packaging might claim.

Cornucopia Institute claims that behavioral problems, poor short-term memory, poor motor skills, and ADHD are common side-effects of consuming breakfast cereals containing pesticides... and I tend to agree with them. It truly is an eye opening exercise for kids to learn about these issues and realize that fresh water and organic fruit is truly better than colourful shapes floating in a bowl of white creamy milk first thing in the morning. As homeschoolers many of you are already fully aware of these facts but some of you might be struggling wondering why your child is not performing like other children their age.

It would be a wonderful learning experience to delve into organic foods, pesticides, herbicides, and the deceiving marketing ploy of "Natural" and don't even get me started on the sugar issue! Lots of kids love researching issues and writing about their findings, some might even become budding researchers, journalists or authors. It's a great way to educate your child utilizing technology, improving reading, writing and language skills... and who knows... you might see an improvement in your child's life and health by making a simple change in their diet.

Corn Project Example done by my daughter.