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WE OJa Organic panic

» GMOs aren't as bad as they’re made out to be

..and more!

Jessica Berget Opinions Editor

here are so many things in our

food that we're told to avoid nowadays. Trans fats, carbs, gluten— but none of them are more avoided than the dreaded GMO. I know there are many articles out there about how bad these things can be for your body and the planet, but after doing some research I think the production of genetically modified foods shouldn't be seen as something to fear, but as a necessity for our world’s food supply.

We've all heard the arguments

that genetically modified organisms (GMO) are bad for you and the environment. Some claim that they're linked to cancer, that they contaminate other organic crops, or that the pollution will outlast nuclear waste and global warming effects. Because of these claims, they are so scrutinized that some companies label their food to assure consumers that it is free of these pesky organisms. In fact, non-GMO products are so popular, sales of foods labelled as non-modified exceeded

Deliver me Ff something , delicious

» Are meal delivery

kits worth it?

Roshni Riar Staff Writer

$10 billion in the US in 2014. While so many people are concerned about genetically modified foods, there isn't a lot of evidence that justifies this concern. Actually, according to the website GMO Answers, many scientific experts like the World Health Organization, United Nations Food, Agricultural Organization, and the American Medical Association are in consensus that GMOs are safe to eat. So, to me, it sounds like a lot of fear mongering.

GMOs aren't as bad as they’re made out to be. In a 2016 study by the Pew Research Centre, 88 percent of American Association for the Advancement of Science members said GM foods are safe to eat, and 92 percent of working PhD biomedical scientists concurred. Additionally, GM foods in Canada are considered safe to eat by Health Canada, so we shouldn't have to worry about them. Thanks to consumer anxiety, GM foods are made out to be the bad guys. However, if you do some research, they actually yield a lot of benefits to the supply and sustainability of food.

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You can believe what you want about the harmful effects of GMOs, but there’s no denying they have some significant advantages. Genetically modified foods were developed to have numerous benefits. These benefits include resistance to weather damage, easier growth in some environments, producing more crops, foods that bruise less easily, carrying less diseases caused by viruses and insects, and finally they can be modified to carry more nutrients. For example, a GM crop called Golden Rice has been modified to carry more vitamin A, which helps fight malnutrition in developing countries.

When all is said and done, practically everything is supposedly bad for you in one way or another, so quit worrying about what ingredients in your food might cause some health concerns which haven’t been proven. Considering how much GMOs do for our food quality and quantity, I'd say the pros outweigh the cons.

M2. delivery kits have become all

the rage recently, with companies like Chef’s Plate and Fresh Prep—both established in 2014—rising to prominence. Ads pop up all over Facebook and Instagram to bring in new users, promising your first subscription box at a discounted price. When you sign up and get that first box delivered at no extra cost to your door, what you will find inside is everything you need to cook yourself a few meals. If you're like me and love to cook, but don’t often have the time to spend hours creating the perfect meal, then I think you'll want to give these kits a try.

I’ve ordered a number of meal delivery kits over the past few months and have to say that I’m impressed. I’d recommend you give them a shot when youre really busy (finals and midterms, anyone?) but still want to eat well. Yes, the ingredients come pre-cut and prepared, but you still get the ability to at least bring the meal together by cooking it, and it’s bound to be healthier than some stressful, last minute fast-food binge. Spending just a little time away from your screen and piles of work is always a good idea to reset, especially if you can spend that time in the kitchen.

Not only are these kits delicious and easy to make, they're also reasonably priced. Your first discounted box will ring in around $30 for three meals. If it’s only for you, that’s about $10 a meal with enough leftovers for lunch the next day. After your first discounted meal kit, a regular box comes in at $60 per three meals. Again, if this is just for yourself then that’s $20 a meal, or $10 a serving accounting for the

Photo by Billy Bui

fact that you'll get at least two servings out

of each meal. Sure, you can find something cheaper, but it’s exciting having food come to you, and a delivery meal would cost just

as much if not more.

Meal kits also provide a lot of variety in the foods you make. The meals range from curries, rice bowls, baked pastas, salads, and hearty soups. You have the ability to pick which recipes you want to try, then you get everything perfectly measured to put together as you follow the provided recipe. Not only do the boxes save you a bunch of time since you don’t have to go to the store to get your ingredients and prep them—they also give you the chance to try new things you may not have tried otherwise. The boxes let you experiment with new cuisines and cooking methods that may not have seemed like an option beforehand. Additionally, once you've made the recipe, you still have the recipe card with the ingredients to follow and recreate again in the future. I’ve actually done this a few times, remaking recipes I’ve tried for the first time through Chef's Plate or Fresh Prep and ending up with equally delicious meals, even when I sourced my own ingredients.

I know that people might look at the idea of meal delivery kits as lazy, but I think that they’re great. They allow you to eat well, experiment, and spend some time—but not too much time—in the kitchen in the middle of what may be a hectic schedule. Even if your schedule isn’t particularly crazy, the meal delivery kits are a handy thing to call upon every once ina while to try something new.