Could you have a GMO-free dinner at your house?

So, what is a GMO? In food, a genetically modified organism (GMO) is a seed or plant that's been altered genetically. Typically the change is made to make the crop more disease or pest resistant. The problem is that research is starting to show, and I agree that there is still great debate on this subject, that GMOs may cause more food allergies and resistance to antibiotics. And, since plants cross-pollinate, if you have GMO plants and non-GMO plants near each other, the originally non-GMO plant can create GMO seeds. You may remember the Taco Bell brand taco shell scare a few years ago where concerns were raised that the shells had been made with GMO corn and Kraft pulled them from the shelves.

Because of these possible risks, countries around the world have begun to ban genetically modified food or require labeling. As Monsanto is the lead company in the GMO effort and they are based in the US, the US is not one of the countries banning GMOs. Again, I'm not a scientist, but in general, I think the less you mess with the genetic structure of your food the better. Call me a purist.

So, how would you know if you had GMOs in your kitchen? Corn and rice are the most commonly genetically modified crops. The challenge is that corn is in many of the processed foods that we buy. It shows up as corn meal, high fructose corn syrup and a variety of other fillers. Beef and other livestock are also often fed corn-based meal to help use up our surplus of corn.

I stopped buying a lot of processed food about 2 years ago. I buy my meat and produce almost exclusively from the farmers markets or locally-sourced from people I know are not using GMO products. When I buy staples, I try to buy organic or I read the labels pretty diligently. One of my favorite things about my H-E-B, Hancock over off of Red River, is they have a nice organic section and they sell the Central Market Organics brand products which tend to be less expensive than some other brands and make buying organic easier and less pricey.

So, here's my challenge to you. Go check out your cupboard and fridge. Could you have a GMO-free meal at your house? If so, up the ante, could you eat GMO-free for a week?