I realize that we’ve all been so strapped for cash at some point that we have had to eat that super cheap bowl of Ramen noodles or that one dollar meal from the fast food restaurant down the street, but this trend seems to be dying off among millennials.
Millennials seem to be trying to live a healthier lifestyle than their elders and also seem to prefer to support the local economy rather than support corporate greed. It’s not our fault ,per se.
Advertisements today are a lot more centered around what the healthier option is for both our own personal health as well as that of the local economy.
There has been a war on genetically modified organisms since I can remember. Looking at the labels on our favorite foods, we now see things like “non-GMO” and “gluten free,” but do we even know what they are?
I first imagine GMOs as mutant food, but with my dad being in the agriculture field, I realized that GMOs are creating bigger profits for farmers and making food more available to consumers, because crops can withstand all kinds of diseases and weather patterns now. Though it’s not necessarily proven to be healthier, it’s just more natural to eat non-GMO foods.
With the health aspect aside, younger people are more interested in spending their money on local businesses rather than huge conglomerates.
Take the Johnson City farmer’s market. Every Wednesday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., the farmer’s market is open at the pavilion downtown on East Market St. and every Thursday it’s open on ETSU campus on the Pride Walk during the same hours.
Downtown Johnson City has been trying to motivate people to help generate the local economy by hosting events like Founders After Five, a concert series held in Founders Park in the downtown area. From there, local businesses like Yee-Haw Brewing Company, White Duck Taco and the others downtown are promoted.
Supporting local and small business has become such a strong movement that it is even a national holiday: Small Business Day. It will be celebrated on Nov. 25 this year.
I’m not trying to place all millennials in a tight little hipster box, because I understand that midnight craving for Taco Bell, but we all seem a bit more conscious of where our food comes from and who is making money off of us.
