Changing the food system

Since I work on one of the virtuous parts of the food system, vegetable distribution, I read Marc Bittman's column this morning with amusement.   While he also gets to pontificate from a somewhat lofty perch as a food gadfly and cookbook author, he also gets into the weeds (pardon the pun) of the food system and diagnoses the problems.  Chief among them is the foisting of foodlike substances onto the population instead of food.  As he defines real food, it is something that was served 100 years ago.  What most people eat today is stuff that may or may not have been food at one time, but has been processed to the point it is almost 180 degrees from what food should be, namely nutritious.  What can most of us do about the big picture?   Elect better representatives, who will be responsive to people rather than corporations.  Eat better at our own tables.  Less junk food and more vegetables.  Eat a salad at least once a week.  While it may not sound like much, substituting an apple for a candy bar or a salad for a Big Mac is a tangible difference we all can make.