Food
Walmart and the unsustainable Thanksgiving
by theinadvertentgardener

Late last week, a food blogger friend of mine Tweeted about a Walmart press release advertising a $20 Thanksgiving dinner. According to the press release, the dinner, which was available starting on November 4, included the following list of ingredients:

  • One 12-pound Grade A turkey
  • Three 11 to 15.5-ounce cans Green Giant vegetables
  • Two 14-ounce cans Ocean Spray cranberry sauce
  • Three 6-ounce boxes of Stove Top stuffing
  • One 5-pound bag of red potatoes
  • One 12-count package of Sara Lee dinner rolls
  • One 22-ounce pumpkin roll cake

The Tweet spawned a healthy debate in the Twittersphere, but, even though I’m usually happy to run my mouth in support of all things local, sustainable and organic, I didn’t think I could capture the nuance of my position on this in 140 characters or less.

This is a tough one. I firmly believe that Walmart’s pricing policies—the ones where they force their suppliers to lower and lower and lower their costs year after year, creating an artificial pricing structure and forcing jobs overseas to cut labor costs—are evil. Flat-out evil.

The only way that Walmart can offer such a deal—all that food for so little money—is if they’ve forced their suppliers to cut corners and offer the corporation similarly low prices, or Walmart used this as a loss leader to get people in the door of their stores. Neither of those options are particularly in the spirit of giving and thanks and being a good neighbor. They are Walmart’s brand of business. And I abhor that. I simply abhor it.

But I’m going to be straight up and honest here. It’s not like I never shop at Walmart. In fact, I bought probably 85 percent of my supplies for my trip to Burning Man at the Walmarts in Oakland and in Sparks, NV. The stuff I bought—including my ridiculous Miley Cyrus-brand pleated skirt short enough to shock even me—was cheap, and it didn’t matter if it got ruined in the dust of Black Rock City. I’ve also visited relatives in towns like Keyser, WV, where the Walmart was really the only place to shop for electronics, clothes and other consumer goods. So I can’t be one to cast stones—I don’t think it’s right that there are places in America where Walmart is your only shopping option, but I understand it’s the reality for more Americans than I’d like to count.

There’s another aspect of it, though, that checks me from fully passing judgment on Walmart. It has nothing to do with the company or the stores or the way they do business—I repeat…I abhor the way they do business—but it has to do with the families who might not be able to afford Thanksgiving this year if it weren’t for food banks, and industrial turkeys offered up for sale at Walmart.

At the end of the day, here is what I believe: I believe we have to make radical, dramatic changes to our food system. I believe no one should ever have to eat an industrial, processed, hormone- and antibiotic-laden turkey that might be cheap at the checkout counter but also will cost way more down the line in environmental and health costs. I believe industrial food has made America sick, and we’re only getting sicker. I believe the only way to turn this around is to find ways to make local, sustainably-grown, seasonal, and sometimes organic food available at better prices to people who cannot access nor afford that food right now.

But that work is going to take time. And in the meantime, while plenty of good and thoughtful people in this world are doing that work, I still want everyone in this country to be able to sit down on Thursday and celebrate Thanksgiving. As families. As friends. As neighbors. As a community. And if, to do that, they have to eat a meal that is artificially low-priced due to location or finances, so be it. I can’t, in good conscience, ask them to do anything different.

Here are some resources and ideas for making your Thanksgiving affordable and sustainable this year:

 

Genie blogs about gardening and food at The Inadvertent Gardener, and tells very short tales at 100 Proof Stories. She is also documenting her year in photos at 365 in 2009.

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Submitted by theinadvertentgardener (view blog) on Mon, 11/23/2009 - 11:44pm

Comments

 

Agreed

Great post.  I also abhor Walmart's business practices.  It is a challenge to shop sustainably and economically at the same time.  A new Super Walmart went up along my route home from work, and I've been told they have stuff we buy (such as juiceboxes) for less than the local grocery store I usually shop at.  Every time I drive by I have to remind myself about the total cost of shopping at Walmart. The local businesses that are driven out or discouraged from starting because they can't compete with Walmart's prices. The factories cutting costs by underpaying workers and using substandard, unsustainable materials in order to keep their pricing low.  The uninsured Walmart workers who can't pay their medical bills, contributing to skyrocketing medical costs for everyone.

I couldn't agree more that we need to find a way to make healthy, sustainable food more affordable, and raise awareness in the general population about the importance and benefits of buying it.  I searched for an organic, free range, locally raised turkey this Thanksgiving.  The most affordable one I found was $60 for a 10 pounder.  For people on a limited budget, there's no way they can choose a $60 turkey over a $20 complete dinner.  Thanks for posting the links to more information - that's the kind of info we need to get out there.

Submitted by noelle01520 on Tue, 11/24/2009 - 03:51
 

Noelle, you're welcome, and

Noelle, you're welcome, and if you have more links to share, I'd love to see them. I agree with you -- a $60 turkey (which sounds like it's about in the range of what I paid for my 11-pounder, which was $5.99/pound for a heritage version) is out of reach for an awful lot of people. But yes -- there are so many hidden costs (healthcare, environment, etc.) that aren't visible behind the low prices...raising awareness is key.

--- Genie, The Inadvertent Gardener

Submitted by theinadvertentgardener on Wed, 11/25/2009 - 08:37
 

Sustainable may be unsustainable

Friends paid $.38 a pound for a turkey at Walmart the other night. On Sunday I picked up three locally produced humanely raised blah blah blather blather organic turkeys.

The price premium? 885 percent.

EIGHT HUNDRED EIGHTY FIVE PERCENT. NINE TIMES. NIIIIINE TIMES.

That, people, is unsustainable.

 

 

 

Alanna Kellogg Kitchen Parade & A Veggie Venture

Submitted by Alanna Kellogg on Tue, 11/24/2009 - 03:59
 

Thanks for sharing this

Alanna,

Thanks for sharing this -- I was going to use your Tweet about this in the post, but never found a way to work it in. But it's an excellent and interesting bit of mathematical evidence.

--- Genie, The Inadvertent Gardener

Submitted by theinadvertentgardener on Wed, 11/25/2009 - 08:38
 

WalMart Knows Their Customers - More is the
Pity

For them to offer this $20 holiday dinner they must know that people are financially hurting. This means WalMart's profits is down. I know that when I walk into a food store intending to buy two items I usually come out with 10.

They know this too. Because the items mentioned are only part of the Thanksgiving meal. I'm sure the other side dish items have been marked up accordingly. That is Business 101. 

Still, I know it will help take the worry from parents wondering how they are going to provide a Thanksgiving dinner.

In the spirit of the day I'm gonna give them a Thanksgiving pass on this. I really don't like how they do business but this will help some of their customers who would not have had dinner for that day.

Gena - Out On The Stoop

Submitted by Gena Haskett on Tue, 11/24/2009 - 04:23
 

The spirit of the day

Gena, I think you're right about the other markups. My Dad and I were talking about this yesterday, and he was saying that people would likely see that the vegetables were canned, and perhaps they'd decide to sub in fresh ones instead, for example -- that, right there, means they're going to spend more than $20, and Walmart has accomplished what I suspect is its goal (get people in the door with a loss leader). But, like you, I'm committed to continuing to do the work of raising awareness while being grateful that at least people who would otherwise not get to eat the holiday meal have the option to do so.

--- Genie, The Inadvertent Gardener

Submitted by theinadvertentgardener on Wed, 11/25/2009 - 08:42
 

I just can't do it

I've thought about buying (as Alanna put it, lol) "a locally produced humanely raised blah blah blather blather organic turkey" but then imagine the conversation with my mother or my in-laws about how much it cost and I can't do it. When I stop and calculate how many hours my mother would have to work to buy one it would be more than a day's worth of work for her (and she does factory work, it's not easy) and probably more than she spends on groceries in a week. Can the fake husband and I afford it? Probably. But I cannot see myself sitting down to Christmas dinner with my MIL, FIL, SIL and BIL and eating a bird that probably cost close to as much as they spend in a week on groceries.

 

Sassymonkey and Sassymonkey Reads.

Submitted by sassymonkey on Tue, 11/24/2009 - 06:22
 

An interesting perspective

Sassymonkey, that's an interesting perspective. And, please don't take this the wrong way, but is it any business of your guests how much the turkey costs? I can't imagine having the cost conversation with my guests, even my related guests, so it's hard for me to picture that.

I certainly understand the concern of being respectful to your guests and the hard work they do in the rest of their lives. But I always make my food purchasing decisions based on me and what I can afford to serve (or what I choose to afford to serve) rather than what my guests could or could not afford. It works the same way in reverse -- I might have someone for dinner who makes significantly more than me, but I'm going to serve the same wine to them that I'd serve to my friends who make less. I wouldn't spend more just because they could afford it.

--- Genie, The Inadvertent Gardener

Submitted by theinadvertentgardener on Wed, 11/25/2009 - 08:47
 

It's probably not their business

But that doesn't change the fact that it will come up. And maybe it's not something that people who didn't grow up poor completely understand (and yes, I did indeed grow up poor and my mother still lives below the poverty line). The cost of food is discussed in my family all year round. Where you got your turkey and how it much costs comes up every year no matter whose house it's at or if we're even eating together. They would be interested in knowing how much it cost for a local, organic etc bird (aren't most people kind of curious about that?).  It's something I expect to be asked, it's something I'd answer honestly. We'll serve some local produce - hmm actually probably quite a bit of local produce when I think of it. We believe in supporting our local farmers and it's something that our family does too. But there's a big difference between spending a few dollars more on produce and spending the equivalent of a weeks' worth of grocery money on a bird.

We make more money than our family, and yes we are conscious of it (as I imagine they are), but we don't need to flaunt it and yeah, that would be flaunting it. 

Sassymonkey and Sassymonkey Reads.

Submitted by sassymonkey on Wed, 11/25/2009 - 09:13
 

Thanks for this perspective

Sassymonkey, I agree -- flaunting anything is a bad idea, no matter what family anyone is in! And it's really interesting to get your perspective on this -- every family is so different, which makes all of this that much more complicated, right? Everyone has so much driving their set of priorities and values...family make-up and behaviors, history, background, personalities, etc. I really appreciate your sharing your family's story as part of this discussion.

--- Genie, The Inadvertent Gardener

Submitted by theinadvertentgardener on Wed, 11/25/2009 - 09:19
 

It's a delicate balancing act

I am as frugal as I can be in some areas (like down to the bone frugal) so that I can splurge in others. I reuse as much as I can; I'll buy the generic store brand frozen and canned items so that I can buy organic vegetables and that once-a-year free-range organic turkey.

I do the bulk of my cooking from scratch - no frozen meals or prepackaged meals-in-a-box, and I try to buy local and support area farms as often as I can.

I can only hope that by doing so, the cost of healtier foods, as opposed to what is produced in the factory farm system, will come down to a truly sustainable range.

It's a travesty (yes, a travesty) that the cheapest foods are often the least nutritious.

Submitted by babsalaba on Tue, 11/24/2009 - 06:32
 

Travesty is exactly the right word

You and I share the same hope, and I agree with you -- it's an absolute travesty. We might not be paying for it now, but as a country, we're killing ourselves.

--- Genie, The Inadvertent Gardener

Submitted by theinadvertentgardener on Wed, 11/25/2009 - 08:49
 

Mixed Emotions

Actually, Wal-Mart's profits were up in the last quarter, and the crowd at my local store shows me that is the fact.  While I don't doubt that this is a marketing tactic to bring more business to their stores, I will also view this in the spirit of trying to give back.  That is a complete meal...there really isn't a need to purchase any other items for Thanksgiving for a small family, and as many others have stated, there are too many families that need this help this year.  And unfortunately, babsalaba said it correctly...the cheapest foods are often the least nutritious.  Food banks are fighting this fact, trying to educate those that use their services to eat nutritiously, but there hands are also tied by what we donate...preprocessed foods, those least nutritious items that are so cheap.

mamalang

Submitted by mamalang on Tue, 11/24/2009 - 07:10
 

There is an emotional need beyond the actual
meal

This isn't just about putting food on the table. It is about custom, family traditions and expectations. I'm not disagreeing with your point. You don't need more that what it provided.

It is just that someone is gonna look over and see a can of yams or a box or two of Mac & Cheese and flip it in the cart.  Or a 3 liter bottle of grape soda. I wish they wouldn't (the grape soda) but it is gonna happen.

Whatever comes close to providing the holiday dinner. WalMart knows this. Every food retailer knows this and will stock the store accordingly. 

This is one time that I have to step back and look at the greater good. Meat and starches are not long term healthy dining options but on T-Day it will be okay.

I long for the day when there will be organic food/ healthy options that are affordable and accessible.

Gena - Out On The Stoop

Submitted by Gena Haskett on Tue, 11/24/2009 - 16:22
 

Longing for the day when people can make
different choices

Gena, you're exactly right about what other food is going to end up in that cart. I can't imagine anyone's going to walk in with just that as their shopping list. And, like you, I long for the day when people can access and make different choices...and afford them.

Mamalang, you make a good point about food banks and what they receive as donations. So many food banks are doing an incredible job doing a ton of work with what they receive and really trying to educate their clients about better ways to eat and make the food stretch and all that. There's no denying, though, that it's really hard, and to some extent, any food at all is better than no food.

--- Genie, The Inadvertent Gardener

Submitted by theinadvertentgardener on Wed, 11/25/2009 - 09:03
 

It's never black and white

The business tactic that is actually at work here is the "loss leader."  All businesses use "loss leaders" to bring people to their business in the hopes that they will buy more while there, and become returning customers. That's why Macy's will sell a luggage set for $40 or any store will have a buy 1 get 1 free.

There are real issues here - for sure. Locally grown, organic, sustainable food is just way more expensive. Mostly because of the huge government subsidies that go to industrial farms  via lobbying from companies like Monsanto. (If you're bored, we dedicated an entire issue of the magazine to this issue.)

The other reality is that it is very easy to demonize Wal Mart. Big business in general - but at the same time, because of hteir size and reach, they have more power to create positive change than anyone else. And the truth is, they are doing a lot of good in a lot of areas.

There is something arrogant in those of us who can afford free-range turkeys pointing fingers at those who provide food to people who can't. We have to step back and look at the whole system.....  If you ask me, WalMart is the least of the problems - Monsanto and the US Government are much bigger demons in this one.

And Burning Man would suck without all the supplies I get at Wal Mart! ;)

____________

Alyssa Royse

Just Cause It: A Web Site To Save The World

READ the magazine

Submitted by alyssaroyse on Tue, 11/24/2009 - 07:59
 

Definitely not black and white

Alyssa,

I agree with you -- there's no black and white here, and there is tremendous blame to be placed on the U.S. government and its support of industrial agriculture. And don't even get me started on Monsanto.

I appreciate that you posted the link to the Just Cause article re: Walmart's efforts on organic cotton and the work with Coke on making clothes from recycled bottles -- I wasn't aware of either of those efforts. I agree -- big business has the power and the leverage to do a lot of positive work...I just wish they didn't combine those good works with business practices that hurt the communities and people they purport to serve.

--- Genie, The Inadvertent Gardener

Submitted by theinadvertentgardener on Wed, 11/25/2009 - 08:57
 

Great post!

I, too, have relatives in West Virginia, and for many Wal Mart is the only place to shop, period. That's because the Super Center came in, undercut four grocers to the point that they couldn't survive and then jacked the prices up once the other stores all folded. My parents now often drive 20-30 miles once a month for the real bargains. They're retired and have the time and the money. Not everyone does.

Debra Legg
9to5to9

Submitted by 9to5to9 on Tue, 11/24/2009 - 09:13
 

This is one of the business tactics I hate
the most

Debra,

You've highlighted one of the things Walmart does that remains, to me, the most egregious. It's ridiculous. In so many towns, they've destroyed the fabric of the local commercial community.

--- Genie, The Inadvertent Gardener

Submitted by theinadvertentgardener on Wed, 11/25/2009 - 08:52
 

There's a debate going on in

There's a debate going on in my blog about this on a global scale: http://childwild.com/2009/11/24/my-big-question-is-free-trade-a-good-thi...

It is an incredibly sticky issue: to what extent do we have a responsibility to put the needs of individuals right now ahead of the common good in terms of environmental impact and  broader concerns about labor and quality and...stuff.

I'm thankful to be in the incredibly privileged position of being able to think about these issues from the comfort of my middle class American living room, and I hope I keep learning more about how to use that privilege to help make it better for others.

Submitted by Sierra Black on Wed, 11/25/2009 - 15:39