Last week was a bust. But it ended with a splash (of icing) at The Midwife Center‘s Let Them Eat Cake fundraiser. About 300 people lined up to admire and taste 40 delicious cakes. I have never seen so many adults on a sugar high. Made for a happy bunch!
My son gave me a card he made in school for Mother’s Day (see above). I love it. (notice the ellipsis, he notes my rampant use of it.)… …. …
In the news last week. Angel + Food does not always equal cake. Sometimes it equals The Next Great Company. The GAO audits the FDA. Flavored milk loses favor in LA schools and why low fat is not enough. Finally a 5 minute short with Jason Schwartzman.
Venture Capital + Food first, since this is one of my life’s intersections…two of my favorite topics in one…
There are two new networking sites that aim to connect professionals over pasta and potent potables. Let’s Lunch and Grub With Us. Grub with Us just raised $1.6MM from the likes of New Enterprise Associates, Guy Oseary and….Ashton Kutcher. I hate eating alone — especially when I’m traveling for business! I am so there.
Speaking of VCs. A Silicon Valley investor puts money where his mouth is for sustainable ag. Ali Partovi, an early stage investor in Zappos, Dropbox and Facebook talks about Food as the New Frontier in Green Technology. Having successfully proven to himself the superhero transformative effects of a sustainable plant-centric diet, he was “surprised to find how inconvenient, obfuscated, and expensive it was simply to eat healthful, natural foods. I began studying the business and politics of food, convinced there must be investment opportunities that align with improving the system. Surely, I thought, there must be healthful, sustainable, yet scalable and profitable alternatives to our unsustainable food and agriculture sectors.” He talks about some start-ups in the food movement that he has invested in as well as a site he started called FixFood, a crowdsourced “suggestion box” on how to improve the food system.
Moving on from prospectuses (prospecti?) to pathogens…
The Washington Post published a story on a study that ranks pathogens in terms of their cost to society. “Of the food pathogens that cost society the most money — in terms of medical care, lost days of work, long-term chronic health problems or deaths — half are found in poultry, pork, beef and other meat products…”
And from pathogens to preservatives…
Grist asks if you’re getting your daily dose of chemical cocktails. The GAO (one of my favorite agencies) has opined that “the FDA is not ensuring the safety of many chemicals” and “not systematically ensuring the continued safety of current GRAS substances.” GRAS means “Generally Regarded As Safe.” What does this mean in our daily life? Think Kellogg’s Fiber Plus Antioxidants Berry Yogurt Crunch is good for you (well, between Fiber, Antioxidant, Berry and Yogurt in the name how can it not?). Consider this: “contains more than 13 different additives, preservatives, and food dyes, including Red 40 and Blue 1, which are known to cause allergic reactions in some people and mutations leading to cancer in lab animals. It also contains BHT, monoglycerides, and cellulose gum. In addition, conventional milk often contains residues of artificial bovine growth hormones, known endocrine disruptors as well as antibiotics used in industrial milk production.”
While we’re on cereal, let’s talk milk…
Jamie Oliver may have been shelved in favor of dancing stars for May sweeps but when the LAUSD declares that they are removing flavored milk from schools, that’s price of admission in my book for Food Revolution LA. Big movements start with small steps.
And more milk. An Australian study has found that switching to low-fat dairy doesn’t help kids drop pounds. If you haven’t read The China Study. Do. Also, schools may be serving low fat milk but what about what else is in the vending machines or worse yet, the other food in the cafeteria? I know my son’s school menu has a great rotation of pizza, chicken nuggets, and hamburgers.
So, like I said, milk is a first step but really there is reason for the Revolution.
Finally, here’s a great use of 5 minutes of your precious time: