Marni & Me Series: Why Marni is Non-GMO

Marni and I met at The Big Carrot a couple of weeks ago on the Danforth. I had asked her if she could take me to a grocery store to help me with my grocery shopping skills (which she can do for you too). Her response was  “Let’s Go to the Big Carrot.” I’m a west-end Toronto girl now, but I grew up in the country, so needless to say I was very intrigued about this Big Carrot place. I was sure Marni had misheard me and was taking me to some trendy Toronto art exhibit on carrots.

I was relieved when I saw people leaving the building with reusable grocery bags.  Once we entered the store, Marni pulled me into the produce section (big surprise!) and began to show me how to pick out ripe fruits and vegetables.

After knocking on a few melons, we started talking about Genetically Modified Foods. I heard about it before, but never really understood what it was all about.

Marni, why do you eat NON-GMO (genetically modified organisms) foods?

GMOs were originally created with the intention of benefiting our world by eliminating world hunger and offering new food varieties. In reality, genetically modified organisms have done more harm to our planet & people than good. For our planet, they have proved to be unsustainable, as they require farmers to use new seeds every year destroying the land and contaminating crops. And for people, they have created numerous allergies and health concerns.

Wow. Hard to imagine that we allow this to happen. As a consumer, how can I avoid eating GM foods?

Well I can tell you now GMOs are typically found in crops such as cotton, soy, corn and canola. These crops are the basis of most commercial, packaged food. The solution is simply to eat whole foods instead of processed foods. So the next time you grocery shop spend your time in the store’s exterior sections, like the produce section, rather than the in between aisles where the majority of the foods come in a box.

Do you have any recommendations for more resources on NON-GMO?

Definitely! The NON-GMO Project is an excellent resource that helps consumers learn more about genetically modified foods and find products that are GMO-Free. My food studio is also one of their participating retailers.

Can you recommend any NON-GMO products?

Of course! Navitas Naturals. Their Superfoods are NON-GMO as well as many other companies that I love!

And you can try these foods in any one of my cooking classes this fall.

And you can find them at my Lifestyle Shop or come by my booth at the Veg Food Fair for free samples!

I love free food. Especially when they are GMO-Free.

Join us tomorrow for Why Marni is Naturally Sweet.