We are all familiar with the idiom, a bad egg, which means someone dishonest or not to be trusted.  What is amazing is how many ‘bad eggs’ are out there.  My research revealed some disheartening means to which eggs are brought to market.

Let’s start with a regular cartoon of eggs.   These hens are permanently caged.  Their living area is less than a piece of letterhead paper.  The hens are so close that their beaks are burned off so they don’t peck each other. ¹

But then there are cage-free or free-range eggs.  I was fooled on this one.  The USDA’s requirement is for the hen to have access to outdoor areas.  It does not regulate how long the hen goes out or if it even spends any time outside at all. ²   Therefore, a farmer could label his eggs cage free because he opens a door for 5 minutes. The hens could go outside but are not required.

Well, we have organic eggs right?  Yes, organic eggs are regulated more but only with regards to what the hen can eat and the removal of antibiotics and hormones.  This is at least a step in the right direction.

The last label is the best – pastured eggs.  This means the hens are able to run around outside.  They have beaks so they can chase bugs and eat what chickens like to eat, rather than what the farmer wants them to eat.  They are out in the sunlight and absorbing all that Mother Nature has to offer.

But does a pastured raised chicken mean a healthier egg?  Here’s the facts:  ³

Pastured raised eggs have:

-       1/3 the cholesterol
-       1/4 the saturated fat
-       2/3 more vitamin A
-       7 times more beta carotene
-       3 times more vitamin E
-       2 times more omega 3

Yes, pastured eggs are more expensive.  But think of it this way, so are cholesterol pills and vitamin supplements and by-pass surgeries.  Somehow we need to learn that cheaper food is not always cheaper.

Perhaps being educated is the best defense against ‘a bad egg’.

¹   http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/confinement_farm/facts/cage-free_vs_battery-cage.html
²   http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/meat_&_poultry_labeling_terms/index.asp#4
³ http://www.motherearthnews.com/eggs.aspx

With much excitement, Fooducopia proudly presents our newest addition: Corner Store Denver.  Fooducopia’s Corner Store is an online grocery store full of healthy local produce and delicious artisan food that’s delivered right to your door.

Corner Store allows us to go back in time when most of the food we ate came from our community. Now citizens of Denver, our launch city, have a convenient way to buy local produce and artisan food.

Here are some examples of the many benefits of Corner Store:

• Fresh Produce- Using urban farms and local growers, our organically grown produce is harvested, and within a few days, it arrives at your door.
• Fresh Baked Bread-  Our first stop every day is the Denver Bread Company, so the bread you receive is baked early the same morning.
• Fresh Roasted Coffee-  Kaladi Brothers roast their coffee almost every day so your coffee will be full of flavor when you brew it.
• Discover Artisan Food- Our friends, neighbors, colleagues, and fellow citizens use heart and soul as a common ingredient for their delicious products.

And when you think it can’t get any better, it does. We are doing some deliveries with our cool electric cargo trike. Denverites love their bicycles and so do we. Here is a fun video you can watch.

Corner Store Denver’s Cargo Trike

So have a look at our new online grocery store. We just opened and will be filling our aisles with more products every week.  If you live in Denver, we are offering FREE DELIVERY through the end of July. Simply enter the coupon code – 5280deliver.

Want to learn more about the trike? CleanRepublic.com is a great company that makes it easy to install electric bike kits. Enter the code Fooducopia to receive a discount. Main St. Pedicabs is a fellow Denver company that makes all kinds of tricycles.

Tells us what you think. We would love to hear you comments and suggestions!

What do you get when you put together over a dozen grade school kids, some chef hats, knives, and a lot of energy?  (No this isn’t a Foodvenger clue…) The answer is Cooking Matters from Share Our Strength.

I was fortunate enough to experience five weeks with some really terrific kids and teach them how to shop, cook, and eat more healthy, nutritious food. Hadley was our fearless leader that kept everyone moving the right direction. Rachel was our knowledgeable nutritionist who taught the kids all about healthy food.  And last but not least, our skilled chef Jennifer showed the kids how to prepare delicious, healthy meals.

Each week we would spend the first hour teaching kids all about food. Then the fun came, and we would put our hats on, roll up our sleeves, and start cooking.  Finally, we would feast on the meals the kids prepared, which, in all honesty, were delicious! I could go on and on about how much fun I had and how impressive Cooking Matters is, but I thought I’d show you a glimpse through a video.

The kids picked the song, so thanks to the artist: Glee Cast.

Visit Cooking Matters to learn how you can participate: http://cookingmatters.org/.

Leave a comment to keep the conversation going about food and cooking education for kids.

What is extreme?

The two biggest killers in the US right now are cancer and heart disease.   Half of the US population is dying of these two causes of death.  You and a friend go out for coffee.  One of you will die of heart disease or cancer.  That is extreme.

What is extreme?

A bypass surgery involves repairing arteries on and around the heart.  To accomplish this, the surgeon splits your chest in half with a saw, then takes an artery from your leg and uses it for your heart.  That is extreme.

What is extreme?

Cancer treatment is said to be worse than the disease.  Chemotherapy and radiation treatment require the patient to withstand a great deal of pain.  Surgery to remove parts of the body infected with cancer leave lasting effects.  That is extreme.

What is extreme?

Changing our diet.  By becoming more educated on the food we eat, we can significantly reduce the chance of these prior extremes.  There is even evidence now that shows how diet can reverse the progress of cancer and heart disease.  Understanding the strong correlation between diet and these previously stated diseases is not extreme at all.  Nor is it extremely difficult to do.

Return next week and learn what other extreme benefits come from changing our diet.  Read Part 2.