7 Films That Will Change the Way You Look at Food

In April 2010, I stopped eating meat. The first question I get when someone learns this about me is why? There wasn’t one event in particular that made me change—it was really a culmination of things that led me to make the decision. The fact that I never really liked meat played a big part. The fact that there is a lot of cardiovascular disease and diabetes in my family was another. The fact that I had recently watched the documentary Food. Inc. also played a role.

Since I made that decision almost three years ago, I have gone back to eating the occasional seafood dish, but other than that, today, my diet is about 90% plant based. I feel great, I’m healthy, I’m happy, and it just works for me. And the answer to the second most asked question I get: No, I don’t miss eating meat one bit.

Now, I realize that eating less meat is not for everyone, and I’m cool with that. No one should ever judge anyone for what she chooses to eat or not eat. Though, I do believe that everyone should see the following documentaries (which are not all about cutting meat out of your diet!) because the info affects all of us in some way, no matter what kind of diet you follow. They may not change the way you eat, but at least you will have the knowledge, and to me, knowledge is power and something you can never have enough of.

And speaking of knowledge, did you know that going meatless (even part-time) and making small changes when doing your groceries contributes to your eco-friendliness? So while you are keeping your body healthy, you are also helping to keep the planet healthy, which to me is win-win.

It’s important to note that all of these documentaries are American, so everything you see may not reflect what is happening here in Canada.

Food, Inc. (2008)

Oscar nominated Food, Inc. is probably the most popular of all the recent food documentaries. It sheds light on how factory farming practices are harmful for the environment and for the safety of our food and how some of these farms mistreat their animals and employees. The economics of eating real food vs. processed food is also discussed, which is a topic that will most likely surprise you. Food, Inc. also delves into the fast-food industry and the truth about what goes into your drive-thru favourites.

Vegucated (2011)

Vegucated follows three omnivores who take part in an experiment to go vegan for six weeks. For the duration of the experiment, they fully convert into living a vegan lifestyle, and learn exactly how the foods they are used to eating is affecting their health and how those foods actually made it to their plates. Will they remain vegans in the end? You'll have to watch to find out!

Just a warning about this film—when factory farming practices are discussed, there are some extremely graphic and disturbing scenes.

Forks Over Knives (2011)

The message behind Forks Over Knives is “food over medicine.” It explains and shows us how a diet filled with whole, unprocessed foods (REAL food) over one filled with processed junk food can improve anyone’s health.

Super Size Me (2004)

From Wikipedia: Spurlock's film follows a 30-day period from February 1 to March 2, 2003, during which he ate only McDonald's food. The film documents this lifestyle's drastic effect on Spurlock's physical and psychological well-being, and explores the fast food industry's corporate influence, including how it encourages poor nutrition for its own profit.

Hungry for Change (2012)

From IMDB: HUNGRY FOR CHANGE exposes shocking secrets the diet, weight loss and food industries don't want you to know about deceptive strategies designed to keep you coming back for more

Food Matters (2008)

From Rotten Tomatoes: This documentary examines the current state of America's food supply, and suggests that the over-industrialization of food production is making the nation sicker by the moment. The documentary analyzes the proliferation of chemical additives in "natural" foods, looks at the relationship between the lack of nutrients in the American diet and the nation's rising health care costs, and offers tips for system detoxification. ~ Carly Wray, Rovi

Tapped (2009)

From Wikipedia: Tapped looks into the bottled water industry and its long-term effects socially, economically and ecologically. The filmmakers focused on industry giants such as PepsiCo and Nestlé Waters, visiting a town containing a Nestlé factory as well as running tests on the bottles the company uses for its products. Their results came back showing "several potentially harmful chemicals, some known carcinogens".