Food industry giants, General Mills, Conagra, and Kellogg, have just proposed a set of standards by which to limit advertising of their own junk foods to children. Responding to growing public pressure and government attempts at regulation, the companies have offered to voluntarily limit their marketing practices in the interests of children’s health. However, their standards are unsurprisingly less stringent than government proposals. If their standards for fat, sugar and sodium content are the ones adopted by the government, General Mills would still be able air advertizements for cereals like Honey Nut Cheerios, Trix, Lucky Charms and Count Chocula, directly to kids — those same cereals would not meet government proposed voluntary guidelines. Growing public awareness of the dangers of highly processed food has resulted in a surge of popularity at the local and neighborhood level of ‘real food,’ ‘whole food,’ ‘locally produced food,’ ‘slow food,’ and ‘organic’ food. Farmers markets and urban homesteading are more popular than ever, and appreciation for the taste and savor of food grown locally and cooked in one’s own kitchen is making a come-back. It is in this context that this weekend’s 2-day Eat Real festival at the Helms Bakery District in Culver City is being held. Combining the concepts of a street-fair, a street-food festival, and a block party, Eat Real features local food vendors, food trucks, local food growers, classes and demonstrations, cookbook swaps, a cooking contest, and even workshops on bee keeping and chicken coops.
GUESTS: Susan Coss, Director of the Eat Real Festival
Eat Real Los Angeles
Hiistoric Helms Bakery District, 8800 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90034
Time: Saturday -10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday -10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Free entry. No drink or dish over $5.00! Cash only.
For information, including transportation and shuttle options to the Festival go to: www.eatrealfest.com
