We don't value food in Britain, so therefore the cheaper it is

In the annals of human sustenance, the reverence for food has long been the measure of civilization’s wisdom. Monty Don speaks with both urgency and clarity: “We don't value food in Britain, so therefore the cheaper it is the better it is. We all eat far too much, we all pay far too little for our food. We have environmental problems, we have health problems, we have food transport problems.” Here lies a warning that spans generations: when society treats the nourishment of the body as mere commodity, it imperils both the earth and its people. Food, sacred since the first hearth fires, carries the weight of life, health, and the land that sustains it.

The ancients knew that respect for food was inseparable from the flourishing of society. In the temples of Egypt and the granaries of Mesopotamia, every grain and harvest was accounted for, every sacrifice a recognition that sustenance is a gift, not a right to be squandered. Monty Don’s observation reveals the modern folly: cheap abundance without gratitude leads to overconsumption, to environmental degradation, and to the erosion of human well-being. The wisdom of the past warns that the value of nourishment is measured not by the purse, but by respect, stewardship, and balance.

History offers a striking example in the Irish Potato Famine of the mid-19th century. Reliance on a single crop, combined with neglect and inadequate valuation of resources, led to mass suffering and death. Though the famine was compounded by governance and circumstance, it reflects the truth Monty Don conveys: societies that fail to properly value food sow seeds of tragedy. Health suffers, ecosystems collapse, and the resilience of a nation is tested beyond endurance. The lesson is clear: the way a people treat their nourishment reflects their wisdom, foresight, and moral responsibility.

Modern Britain’s approach, according to Monty Don, compounds this ancient neglect with new challenges. Food transport problems span continents, emitting carbon, depleting natural resources, and disconnecting the consumer from the earth that produces sustenance. Cheap prices, long supply chains, and disregard for seasonality may satisfy immediate desire, yet they incur hidden costs to health, environment, and society. The ancients would recognize this imbalance, understanding that prosperity requires harmony with the land, not exploitation from afar.

Moreover, the prevalence of overconsumption undermines both the body and the spirit. Ancient texts, from the Indian Upanishads to the writings of Plato, taught moderation in eating as a path to clarity and strength. When people eat excessively or consume indiscriminately, they not only harm their health, but also sever the connection between self and the cycles of nature. Monty Don reminds us that to ignore these lessons is to court chronic disease, environmental decay, and the weakening of societal resilience.

Yet in every warning lies opportunity. Communities that embrace local agriculture, seasonality, and mindful consumption demonstrate that paying the true value of food restores balance. The Slow Food movement, emerging in Italy and spreading globally, honors this principle: by valuing nourishment, respecting farmers, and reducing transport and waste, society preserves both environment and health. Monty Don’s words call us to witness the ancient wisdom anew: when we honor food, we honor life itself.

Practically, the teaching is actionable. Support local markets, reduce excessive consumption, consider the environmental cost of imported products, and cultivate awareness of what nourishes the body and the land. Small choices, multiplied across households and communities, transform the cycle of food from a source of exploitation into a means of restoration, ensuring that environmental, health, and transport problems are mitigated through conscious practice.

Thus, Monty Don’s admonition resonates beyond Britain: “We don't value food… We have environmental problems, we have health problems, we have food transport problems.” Let this echo through generations as a timeless teaching: nourishment is sacred, abundance is a trust, and the choices we make in how we eat shape not only our own bodies, but the very earth upon which life depends. Respect food, honor its origin, and consume with conscience, for therein lies the balance of health, sustainability, and human flourishing.

If you wish, I can also craft a more oral, poetic version, with rhythmic rises and falls, imagery, and rhetorical emphasis, making it feel like a timeless teaching from the ancients—perfect for narration or meditation. Do you want me to create that version?