Bronwen wrote:

> *What is your opinion of drinking water with meals?

What I've read is that drinking large quantities of water, especially ice water,
with
meals interferes with digestion.

> *I find myself thinking I am not buying very high quality food, feeling I
> have to choose between quality and price. ideas?

The quality of food you choose has a direct impact upon your health.
Going to the doctor, buying prescriptions, supplements, etc., cost lots of
money, more than getting good quality food.  If it's a choice between
good quality food and such things as eating out more often, buying a new
bigger TV, more clothes, etc., at least for me good quality food comes first.
If it's a choice between good quality food and paying the electric bill, then
the best you can do is shop carefully.  There are a lot of ways you can get
good quality without paying a fortune.

>
> *with nuts- I just bought a whole bunch. some were salted- is that ok?, some
> tasted rancid, that just doesnt seem too good, like are no nuts better than
> salted or rancid?

Far far better no nuts than rancid nuts.  They are Bad for you. Throw them out.
Don't even feed them to your chickens.

In general, for produce quality, the very best is to find some CSA outfit near
you (Community Supported Agriculture).  There are a lot of them around the
country.  Here is a site where you can look for one.

http://www.csacenter.org/statesfr.htm

In CSAs, you usually pay the farmers in the spring, then pick up a bag of
freshly
picked veggies every week for the season.  When the crop does well, you
get lots of it. You get to know the people who work on the farm.  Sometimes
there is a program for a reduced price in return for volunteering on the farm.
The CSAs I've had contact with give you so many veggies, you have to give
the extras to family and friends.  Your vegetables are usually not more than
a day from the field to you.  Nearly all of them are organic, and even if not,
the vegetables are freshly picked and not sprayed with all kinds of noxious
stuff to get them to keep for weeks in the supermarket.

Welcome to the list, Amy.  It's a really nice and interesting bunch of people
here.

Lynnet