Burger? Salad? Maybe the Sustainably Raised Chicken?

I read a few months ago an editorial from Gourmet magazine’s editor in chief, Ruth Reichl, wherein she discussed the idea of “Occasional Vegitarianism.” “Isn’t it time we realized that eating vegetarian meals is neither penance nor virtue, but simply another mealtime option?”, she asks. As part of her case, Reichl pointed out that we now consume more meat than any other society in history, and that our grazing and feed production uses 30% of the surface of the planet.




Makes me wonder if she’s correct in her assumption that it’s not a penance nor virtue to consume wisely. It’s becoming just duty. This week, the NYT reported on the popularity of certain varieties of fish and its impact on sushi consumption; US consumers believe salmon and tuna rolls are the end all be all, and the rise in sushi’s popularity has placed a strain on these species. The article suggests that sushi lovers expand their orders into a wider range of sushi options.

When Americans sit down at a restaurant—from the sushi bar to Applebee’s—their method of evaluating menu choices has changed. We have become more conscientious of what we want to eat versus what we should be eating. We saw it in the tiny salad selection growing into an array of main dish options for patrons interested in a tasty dining experience without three days’ worth of fat and calories. Menus developed further with the proliferation of a rainbow of symbols to tell us exactly what made food healthy—low fat, low carbs, lactose-free. Today, as demonstrated in the Times, Americans are becoming more aware of their food’s origins—an organic farm locally grown, or from a sustainable resource? So should we be thinking one step beyond ourselves when we sit down at the diner, to consider what we should be consuming? And should restaurants be pushing this agenda by clearly labeling menus with a revised edition of the symbols to help customers make the right choice?

Simon Delivering

From our White Bear Lake, MN operative (you all know. It's King.)

"Thought this was an interesting example of brand action. Last night my wife Stacey took our daughter to her Thursday night soccer game. The fields are a busy place with parents, cars, not enough parking, and overlapping games.

As they arrived they noticed a completely out of place, and large Simon Delivers truck trying to park.

Next they noticed some Simon Delivers guys muscling large plastic tubs onto the field best they could.

As the story goes Simon Delivers decided to reward one of their best customers by deliverying the post-game treats to their kids soccer game. Right after the game the entire team (and a bunch of other people including my son) was able to load up on ice cold bottled water, ice cream sandwiches, etc.

Needless to say many, many, over-scheduled soccer moms and dads left the field last night talking about Simon Delivers having witnessed both an actual fresh delivery (their business) and demonstration of a company who appreciates their customers."

Eco Future: Cage-free is the way to be

"Why shouldn't cows and pigs feel sunlight on their backs, grass under their feet?...Yes, they'll be killed for food--but until then, they should have a nice stay on Earth."

Sounds a little ridiculous, but the premise behind Wolfgang Puck's new philosophy (and business practices) will help him continue to ride the tide of popularity. 25 years ago, he opened Spago, and the empire was borne. Today, his products feed over 10 million people a year. His company's growth is easily attributed to consistent innovation and the ability to respond to what people want (like the genius introduction of grocery store frozen pizzas).

Today's adaptations include promises to use organic ingredients and fish and game that were raised under humane conditions. Not sure if it'll be as rosy as his "grass beneath their feet" ideal, but chickens will be raised cage-free. He also plans to change packaging from plastic to recycled paper.

Another important detail: he's not planning to raise prices.

And good for him. It's not a revolutionary idea (Chipotle), but the equity he gains in brand affinity and positive perceptions will certainly offset the costs associated with this adaptation.

Via Newsweek

Planning Tool: The Budget Graph

Now that you've paid your taxes, see where they're going onThe Budget Graph. While you could get that information on the government's OMB site, the folks at the budget graph have done the heavy lifting for you (and also added a few graphics to hold your attention). You can search by branch or by governmental department and find out how the total funds compare to the previous year.

For example, if you select "Health and Human Services," you see that "Administration for Children and Families" was allocated $12.329 billion, a 10% decrease from last year (that's a loss of ~$1.4 B). A pretty significant cut, and all the more reason to support Susie Flynn and CDF (Digg her here).

Meanwhile, the FDA is getting $1.641 B, a 10% increase (a gain of a mere $151 million). This increase starts to feel small in light of the fact that only 1.3% of imported foods are inspected and many are found to be tainted.

All in all, a cool tool (though the site seems to be a bit slow at time of posting).