I’m very excited to share with you “Rudi’s Asks” videos! Rudi’s Organic Bakery created some cute videos that bring about awareness and education to some ingredients and chemicals found in many of the most common conventional breads. Watch the videos to witness kids really funny responses to questions such as, “What in the world is DATEM” and “What in the world is Azodicarbonamide?”
Our Rudi’s Facebook fans will have some opportunities to win coupons by sharing the videos with friends and family as well as answering trivia questions pertaining to content from videos!
We are excited to announce that our VP of Sales and Marketing, Doug Radi, will be featured in a film that discusses what restaurants, food producers, grocery stores, organizations, etc. have done right to bring people back to our roots. Avaiya’s new film, Simply Me, shares positive stories, interviews, and commentary that highlight attributes and commitments people have made to eat cleaner and farm cleaner.
We are so excited about Simplify me not only because it features Our VP of Sales and Marketing, but because the movie believes in what Rudi’s believes in. Rudi’s Organic Bakery is committed to producing breads that come from the best ingredients without artificial additives, preservatives and GMOs.
Simplify me also reaches out to other food manufactures like Evol Foods, Einstein Bros Bagels, and Chipotle Mexican Grill.
One of the first things that got me interested in food was a documentary we watched in my high school health class. I love documentaries because they bring together all the necessary facts and knowledge to illustrate someone’s point of view. Today I’m bringing you some of my favorite documentaries about food and plants. These films have changed how I eat and think about food – I hope they have a positive effect on your life, too!
–Nikita
Super Size Me
This was the documentary I saw in health class that got me interested in food. In this Academy-Award nominated film Morgan Spurlock eats only McDonald’s for 30 days. He checks in with doctors over the course of the month as his weight and cholesterol climb and as he experiences heart palpitations, depression and sexual dysfunction. When it’s over it takes Spurlock over a year to lose the weight he gained. Find it on Hulu.
Food, Inc.
When this movie came out I was working at Justin’s Nut Butter. We all went to see it together. It opened my eyes to the industrial agriculture we have here in the US and I’ve seen it about a half-dozen times since. Also nominated for Best Documentary, this film covers the industrial production of meat and produce and the economic and legal power of the major food companies. Focusing on issues like consumer information and monoculture, this is a must-see for anyone interested in knowing about their food. It’s narrated by Michael Pollan, a prolific author on the subject of food, most notably The Omnivore’s Dilemma. Find it on Netflix.
The Future of Food
This film focuses on genetically engineered foods and the power the comes with them. If a neighboring farm plants a patented seed, like Monsanto’s Roundup Ready Corn, and they cross-pollinate with your corn, you will be liable for patent infringement! Industrial seeds often have a terminator gene so that farmers must buy seeds to plant every year – imagine if this gene contaminated wild plants! This film also looks at the problems associated with monoculture and how subsidized US corn is driving the biodiversity of heirloom varieties of corn out of Mexico. Find it on Netflix and on Hulu.
Dirt! The Movie
Dirt is incredibly important. It makes lands fertile, keeps erosion in check and recycles nutrients. This film explores the relationship between humans and soil – how we’ve been destroying it with industrial nitrogen fertilizers, fighting over it, and destroying rainforests trying to find it. Find it on Netflix and on Hulu.
The Botany of Desire
This last film is my favorite. In his TV documentary, based on the book of the same name, Michael Pollan explores the symbiotic relationship between humans and four plants: apples, tulips, potatoes and marijuana. This film is really cerebral because it forces you to consider the plant’s point of view. Pollan goes over how each plant was discovered and how it made itself essential to humans, ensuring its propagation. Find it on Netflix and on Hulu Plus.
Today we’re sharing some of our favorite videos about organic food!
This first one was commissioned by Chipotle to emphasize the importance of a sustainable food system. If you haven’t heard, Chipotle is dedicated to serving Food With Integrity – finding the very best ingredients raised with respect for the animals, the environment and the farmers. They strive to source their ingredients organically and locally but keep the big picture of the environment and sustainability in mind, too. I really love Willie Nelson’s version of Coldplay’s “The Scientist”!
Next up, we’ve got a great video from Howdini on growing an organic vegetable garden. The vegetables you grow will be more nutritious and delicious than pretty much anything you can buy. It’s a great way to get the family outside and teach your kids where food comes from. Plus, who wouldn’t brag about developing their own heirloom tomato! This video covers basic tools and setting up a plot. Also be sure to check out our post about growing food in your garden on our Rudi’s Gluten-Free blog!
Finally, we’ve got this cute little video about a girl and her potato project. With her grandmother’s help she first tried to sprout conventional sweet potatoes from their grocery store. She learned from the produce department that conventional sweet potatoes will never sprout because they’re sprayed with Bud Nip (aka Chlorpropham). An organic sweet potato from the same grocery store just barely sprouted, but a sweet potato from an organic market sprouted quickly and vigorously. I love how this smart young woman uncovered something most of us know little about and illustrated it with clear visuals!
Thanks to our friends over at the NON-GMO project for telling us about the Non-GMO Challenge they created for earth month. We encourage all Rudi’s followers, friends of the environment, and fans of good food to take part in the challenge!
‘One of the most personal and direct things we can each do to preserve a healthy Earth for future generations is to choose an organic, non-GMO diet.’ – Megan Westgate, Executive Director of the Non-GMO Project
For inspiration on living a non-GMO life, check out Megan’s Earth Day video blog.
