It wouldn't even be fair to call myself a vegetarian. I still eat seafood, so technically I'm a pescetarian. Whatever you want to call it, I haven't eaten meat since my senior year of high school. My ecology teacher had shown us a documentary about America's food industry. I was furious, disgusted, terrified and empowered all at once. It made me so nauseous that I couldn't even finish my lunch. If you’re curious about what we’re eating, where it’s coming from and what's really at stake, keep scrolling. I’ve put together a list of powerful documentaries that answers all of those, and maybe even questions you didn’t know you had. All you need is Netflix and an open mind.
1. Food Inc.
Image Credit: Participant Media
If you eat food, you need to watch this film. Narrated by Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser, Food Inc. goes beyond the supermarket shelves to uncover what we’re eating, where it’s coming from, who it affects and how we might be intentionally kept in the dark. Click here to watch the trailer. Click here to learn more information.
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2. Forks Over Knives
Image Credit: Forks Over Knives, LLC
Image Credit: What we put into our bodies is supposed to fuel and nourish us, right? But what if it’s doing the exact opposite? Forks Over Knives focuses on the impact that processed foods and pharmaceuticals have on our health. I mean, it’s cool that our food has been engineered to last longer than it used to, but at what cost? Find out for yourself and go watch this film. You can watch the trailer here. If you're interested in a more plant-based diet, visit their site for recipes and tips for transitioning.
3. More Than Honey
Image Credit: Kino Lorber, Inc.
There are currently seven types of bees listed on the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. Bees are disappearing everywhere, and fast. More Than Honey tells the story of bees and their importance to the world around us. Join Markus Imhoof as he travels the world to find out just what's making these bees drop at such an alarming rate. If you're not a huge fan of bees, I'm warning you now. There's a lot of buzzing in this film, but it's totally worth it. Watch the trailer here.
4. Hungry for Change
Image Credit: Food Matters International
Do you read the nutrition labels on your food? How about the ingredients list? Whatever your answer is, you'll probably pay more attention to them after watching this film. Hungry for Change explores the presence of artificial chemicals in the products we use and consume everyday. Whether or not you’re interested in healthy living, watching this film will inform and empower you to be smarter about your purchases. Check out the trailer here.
5. Fed Up
Image Credit: RADiUS-TWC
Believe it or not, America’s food industry is full of politics. Remember when Michelle Obama said we couldn't eat fries everyday and then the cafeteria started serving us carrots? We couldn't even use the vending machines until school let out. Thanks, Obama. Honestly though, I'm not mad about it. Featured at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, Fed Up explores childhood obesity in America and how soda companies and fast-food industries are among some of the largest culprits. You can watch the trailer here.
6. Food Choices
Image Credit: Indiegogo
Living on a college-student's budget doesn't leave much room to buy organic produce, and Whole Foods is not my go-to for grocery shopping. I'm more of a generic, store-brand kind of girl. I used to think my diet was, for the most part, pretty healthy. That is, until I saw this film. Food Choices documents filmmaker Michael Siewierski's endeavor to find the healthiest, most sustainable foods for our bodies and our planet. Some experts even share tips to make buying fruits and vegetables more affordable and sustainable for a long-term lifestyle. Even if you’re not looking to improve your diet, watching this film will definitely open your eyes the next time you shop at the supermarket. Visit the film's official site to watch the trailer.
7. Food Chains
Image Credit: Screen Media Films
The supermarket industry pretty much runs America’s system of agriculture. They pretty much control every aspect of the supply chain, like wages and conditions of the people that pick our produce. Food Chains follows a group of tomato pickers in Immokalee, Florida as they begin a six-day hunger strike to protest Publix Super Market, one of Florida’s largest supermarket chains. This film is pretty sad at times, but I promise it'll leave you feeling totally inspired. Watch the trailer here. To learn more about the farm workers’ current projects, click here.
8. Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret
Image Credit: A.U.M. Films & Media
One single industry might be killing our planet right in front of our faces. Obviously there are other contributors, but this one's at the very top: factory farming. If you don't know, it's an industrial process that America uses to raise livestock. It's just one of the many components of today's agricultural system. We know it's harming the planet, but no one wants to talk about it. Cowspiracy follows Kip Anderson on his journey to find out why. This film is seriously so important and more relevant than ever. Here's the trailer. To check the facts presented in this film, or simply to get involved, check out their site.
9. Food Matters
Image Credit: Flickr user Anna Verdina
We all know the phrase “you are what you eat,” but what are we eating exactly? From the creators of Hungry for Change, this film examines the effects that preservatives and artificial chemicals may have on our bodies. They might even be contributing to our nation’s biggest health problems, like cancer and cardiovascular disease. Through interviews with medical, nutritional and academic experts, Food Matters explores America's food industry and how it might be fueling the sickness industry. Your lifestyle might be a healthy one, but this film will make you question things you’ve never even considered. Watch the trailer here.
10. Vegucated
Image Credit: Stephen de las Heras
Even if you don’t want to change the way you eat, it’s always fun to watch other people try. In this film, three New Yorkers adopt a vegan diet for six long weeks. They face challenges like skeptical family members, unforgiving restaurant menus and breakfast buffets. Vegucated will show you what it’s like to navigate the world, meat-and-dairy free. Watch the trailer here.
