As a wife, mother of two, and someone who has spent years on a deeply personal journey to overcome obesity and chronic health conditions, I’ve learned firsthand the undeniable connection between the food we eat and the health we experience. I’ve also learned just how broken our food system is.
Here in Chattanooga, like so many communities across the nation, families are struggling. The rising cost of food has made even the most basic grocery trips feel like a punch to the gut. Add to that the challenge of trying to eat clean, minimally processed, and non-toxic food, and you find yourself staring at price tags that feel more like barriers than invitations to health. This isn’t just a budget issue—it’s a systemic problem, one that demands reform.
For years, I’ve worked to garden, and homestead a bit to feed my family better, cleaner food. I know the pride of putting food on the table that I grew with my own hands. But I also know the limits. Not everyone has the land, time, or resources to do what I do. And even for those of us who do, we’re often restricted to the crops and livestock that our small plots of land can support. If you're on the city limits, that's sadly, even more restrictive.
Most people don’t have the luxury of 5, 10, or 100 acres. Many of us are working full-time jobs, just trying to keep the lights on and the bills paid. Growing your own food is rewarding, but it’s also labor-intensive, and it’s not a solution that scales for everyone.
The reality is, clean eating shouldn’t require a homestead. It shouldn’t be reserved for those who can afford organic labels or farmers’ market prices. The food system in this country has prioritized profit over people for far too long, saturating our shelves with processed, chemical-laden options while pricing healthy alternatives out of reach.
Consider this: why is it that a box of processed, sugar-laden cereal is often cheaper than a carton of organic eggs? Why are fast food meals more affordable than fresh produce? The answer lies in a system that subsidizes junk food ingredients and penalizes farmers who try to do things the right way.
Our food isn’t just expensive—it’s toxic. Pesticides, additives, and preservatives saturate our grocery stores, contributing to a rise in preventable diseases like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. As someone who once weighed over 520 pounds and has now lost 335 pounds naturally through clean living, I can tell you this: the food we eat is directly tied to how we live and how we feel.
It’s time to rally together for reform. Clean, affordable food should be a basic right, not a privilege. Here’s what we need:
1. Support for Local Farmers: Let’s invest in farmers who prioritize sustainability and health. Local farms can’t compete with massive agribusinesses without our help.
2. Transparent Food Labeling: Consumers deserve to know exactly what’s in their food. Clear labeling isn’t just a courtesy—it’s a necessity.
3. Policy Change: Subsidies for processed food ingredients need to end. Instead, let’s incentivize organic farming, regenerative practices, and clean food production.
4. Community Access: From urban gardens to co-ops, we need to create systems that allow everyone—not just the wealthy—to access clean, affordable food.
To my fellow Chattanoogans: we’re a community of grit and resilience. Let’s use that strength to demand better from our food system. Whether it’s supporting local farmers, advocating for policy change, or simply choosing cleaner options when we can, every small step counts.
As a wife and mom, my greatest wish is to see my children—and yours—grow up in a world where health isn’t out of reach, where clean food is abundant, and where we can trust that what we’re putting on our tables will nourish, not harm.
Together, we can create that future. But it starts with speaking up. It starts with demanding change. And it starts with the belief that clean, affordable food shouldn’t be a luxury. It should be a right.
Let’s make it happen, Chattanooga.
Brandi Murray