Can McDonaldization be countered?
• When you shop: • Farmers’ markets, • Support local food co-ops (here’s an example from Ashland. Food co-ops are locally owned and operated and buy to the extent possible from local producers) • re-use your bags • avoid malls, chain stores • Support local specialty stores (there are a couple of good bakeries in town, for instance) • Know your products (for instance, did you know that Kraft Foods is owned by Phillip Morris, the cigarette people who changed their name to Altria? RJ Reynolds owns Nabisco Foods); also, check out the ingredients (one of my favorites is the ‘juice blend,’ which allows companies to use varying combinations of juices, which often make up only 2% of the frozen concentrate anyway); • When you eat: • Avoid fast food-try new restaurants • Cook from scratch occasionally • Avoid foods made in McDonaldized ways (e.g., factory farmed beef, chicken or pork–Tyson Fresh Meats (formerly Iowa Beef Processors) is one of the primary buyers from factory farms. But it’s okay
