How Our Food Choices Can Change the Food Industry
Mascari, Brooke - July 2nd, 2025
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to feel powerless when it comes to the state of our food system. Grocery store shelves are filled with ultra-processed snacks, artificial dyes, chemical additives, and sugar-laden products masquerading as “healthy.” It can be frustrating, especially when we’re doing our best to take care of ourselves and our families.
But here’s something we don’t hear enough:
You have more power than you think.
And you use that power every time you shop.
The Hidden Ballot in Your Grocery Cart
Every time you spend a dollar, you’re essentially casting a vote for the kind of food system you want to see thrive.
When we stop buying foods with artificial ingredients, preservatives, added sugars, refined oils, and synthetic dyes, and instead support companies that use real, whole, high-quality ingredients, we’re telling the market: This is what we want more of.
Companies are watching. Every purchase, every shift in buying patterns, is data that informs what products stay on shelves and what gets discontinued. It's how we’ve seen things like organic sections grow, more gluten-free and dairy-free options become available, and brands reformulate products to remove high-fructose corn syrup or red dye #40—because people stopped buying the junk and started demanding better.
Change Starts with One Cart
Imagine if more people simply chose to skip over the artificially flavored cereal or the neon-colored snack pack and instead chose clean-label alternatives or made their own simple swaps at home. That’s how movements begin—one cart at a time.
Yes, healthy food is an investment. And it’s true that not everyone has equal access due to systemic issues. But within our own means and choices, we can make a dent. Supporting farmers’ markets, local producers, and companies with integrity in their sourcing practices keeps our dollars circulating in the hands of those doing it right. It sends a clear message that real food matters.
It’s Not Just About Us—It’s About the Future
Every time we prioritize nutrient-dense, hormone-friendly, gut-supportive foods, we’re not just helping our own bodies heal and thrive—we’re helping shape a future where clean food is the norm, not the niche.
We’re helping protect children from the long-term effects of synthetic additives. We’re helping reduce the burden of preventable disease. We’re helping to dismantle a profit-driven processed food empire that thrives on addiction, convenience, and misinformation.
So What Can You Do?
Here are a few simple but powerful ways to vote with your dollar:
Read labels. Avoid artificial dyes (like red 40, yellow 5), synthetic sweeteners, MSG, and hydrogenated oils. If you can’t pronounce it or it sounds like a science experiment, skip it.
Shop local. Farmers' markets, co-ops, and small batch producers often offer higher quality and fewer additives.
Buy from brands with values. Support companies that prioritize sustainability, real food, and transparency.
Cook more. When you cook, you control the ingredients. That’s a revolutionary act in a world built on convenience.
Educate others. Share what you know. Start conversations. Encourage your family and friends to be more mindful of what’s in their cart.
The Bottom Line
Food is more than fuel. It’s culture, connection, and medicine. It can also be activism.
Every purchase is a tiny vote. A ripple. A signal to the food industry: We’re done settling. We want better.
Let’s not underestimate the power of our forks and wallets. Together, we can create a healthier, more conscious, and more compassionate food system—one that supports real people, real ingredients, and real wellness.