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Every year on Earth Day, the world celebrates the anniversary of the modern environmental movement as we know it. It’s a day to be more intentional about our choices, and how they pertain to the planet. This year might be the most important Earth Day to date, as the United Nations recently stated in their climate report that it’s “Now or never” for governments everywhere to change their policies pertaining to global warming if they want the earth to remain habitable.
One way humans could make a positive impact is by switching to a more organic diet. Organic farming is better for the environment as it uses fewer pesticides, relies on less energy and creates less foil erosion, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists. Organic food is also better for our bodies, exposing us to fewer pesticides and often containing higher nutrient levels than non-organic foods. There are some creative Black food entrepreneurs who recognize the importance of going organic, and in response, put out some tasty organic foods you’ll want to add to your pantry. We’ve listed some of our favorites below.
Major’s Project Pop
Major’s Project Pop was created by Chauniqua Major-Louis aka “Major.” She wanted ready-made popcorn that wasn’t filled with preservatives and long ingredients lists, and so Project Pop was born. The ingredients lists on these batches of Kettle corn are short and simple with items like Himalayan salt, organic coconut oil and organic non-GMO popcorn. They also have their Celebrate Black Lives bag, for which a portion of each sale goes to Black-led nonprofits battling hunger and pushing for better education in underserved communities.
Brooklyn Tea
Brooklyn Tea makes organic and Fair Trade tea blends, and was created by Alfonso Wright who developed a love of tea when his Jamaican mother immersed him in tea culture. Brooklyn’s Teas makes tasty varieties like vanilla rooibos, cucumber melon green tea and ginger turmeric. They have brick-and-mortar locations in Atlanta, Georgia and Brooklyn, New York. And, you can shop their products online.
Yummy Spoonfuls
Yummy Spoonfuls makes frozen organic toddler foods, making it easy for parents to feed their little ones nutritious meals in a hurry. The founder, Agatha Achindu, spent years whipping up her own organic food for her baby at home and sharing it with mom friends until she realized there could be a whole market for this. And there certainly was – you can now find Yummy Spoonfuls at several Walmart locations, as well as on Amazon. Some creative dishes you can shop include mac & chicken sausage bowls, turkey & spinach bites and egg & cheese burritos.
It’s NOLA
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It’s NOLA was created by Margaret Barrow, author, professor, mother and vegan. She got her start by making and sharing healthy snacks with her students and it just grew from there. It’s NOLA (formerly Brooklyn Granola) makes delicious, chewy granola balls in ziplock bags boasting a range of flavors from Decadent Chewy Chocolate to Sassy Mango Masala and Luscious Cranberry Coconut that are available for individual or whole sale.
Healthy On You Spice Blends
Samantha Binkley is a health coach and found herself hand-crafting her own spice mixes to give to her students during cooking classes. The spices were so popular that she decided to sell them, and we’re so glad she did. Each of her spice blends contains 100 percent USDA organic ingredients. There are some truly mouthwatering options with fun names like House of the Rising Spice, Hit the Roast Jack and Fish You Were Here. On her site, HealthyOnYou.com, you can also build your own spice blend.
Chicago French Press
If you are in search of a cup of java that will make mornings better and is good for the environment, look no further than Chicago French Press. Created by mother and speaker Kris Christian, every blend of this coffee is hand-flavored to ensure a full-mouth taste and they have decadent varieties like Snicker Doodle, Maple Pecan and Coconut Crème. Chicago French Press coffees come in bags for an auto-drip, whole bean, Keurig, French press or espresso machine so you can enjoy their coffee however you take your cup of joe.
Sanaia Applesauce
Sanaia Applesauce was created by Keisha Smith-Jeremie, who grew up in the Bahamas enjoying picking fruits off of trees for a healthy snack. As an adult, she felt the apple sauce market was missing truly gourmet, tasty flavors for adults, so she created Sanaia Applesauce. Don’t worry: kids will love these, too. Some flavors include lavender pear, hibiscus and guava, to name a few.
