Thesis: The nightmarish effects of the industrial revolution have been widely overlooked and excepted due to the dominant social practices making life easier and more convenient for most Americans.
Major Claim- Americans continue to go to ignore the negative impact of the food industry by going to fast food restaurants and grocery stores because it is convenient and the social norm in the country.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
HW 11 - Final Food Project 1
For this project, I chose to take an activist stance because learning about the corruption of the fast food industry made me extremely disheartened. What made me the most upset was that those who were in poverty do not have an option and were limited to these foods that they can afford. I thought about the strength of numbers and how if everyone who could afford to stopped eating fast food in hopes to better the ingredients used, the decrease in profit would be so massive that food cooperations would be forced to make the changes to make an income.
This sounded like the perfect solution; a strike! My intention wasn't really to illuminate these corporations, which I know I couldn't have possibly done, but they were to better the ingredients so that those in poverty didn't have to subject themselves to such rubbish. But I had one major problem, how do I accumulate such a large amount of people to be apart of this "movement"?
I turned to social networking because I knew how effective it could actually be. In fact, I personally knew of a girl who made it on the New York Times because of a Facebook group she made to convince her parents to un-ground her. I figured that if they got so much popularity off of her Facebook group, which was frankly insignificant, then maybe I could actually receive as much popularity and support for making a page that matters.
So with bright eyes and an overly optimistic attitude, I created a Facebook event named "NO FAST FOOD FOR A WEEK". I made this group for such a limited time because I knew that it would be a struggle for some people to give up Fast food completely. I invited friends and told friends to invite their friends and so on. I spoke to friends personally to persuade them to join or to at least tell someone about it. I even promoted the event on other social networks including my Tumblr blog where I asked followers to please join and reblog the advertisement. I reached out to other Tumblr bloggers with a lot more followers than me to do the same as well. I admit, I probably could have done more to get the word out there but I do believe I put a significant amount of effort into this group.
Once the seeds were all planted, I patiently waited for the whole thing to come together, make it on the New York times and change America (or at least raise more concern about the topic in America) forever. I checked the group constantly seeing how many people were apart of this movement. It turned out that the amount of people "attending" were only 10 more than the When I logged on to my Facebook about two days after I made the group I get a notification regarding it. Once I go and check it, I see a wall post stating "Fuck this". I was a little taken back but I immediately deleted the wall post.It seemed to be to late though because the amount of people not attending started to surpass the amount of people who were.
I got more and more criticism about the group from people who either didn't care, loved fast food, or were upset with my way of going about protesting. I believe that most people from SOF thought I was just doing this for Andy's class to get a good grade, but the truth is I actually did care. But in retrospect, I felt really moronic to believe that making a Facebook group that only made people change for a week was going to do anything. I had to take into account that people are realists (which I am clearly not) and also that not everyone knew as much about the Fast food industry as I did. I also did not give myself nearly enough time to properly promote this "strike". It brought me to tears once I realized I alone can not make such a positive impact on this country but for the approximately 150 that did join the group, I was glad that I could make a little speck of difference in their lives. Maybe those who will avoid fast food this upcoming week will discover new places to eat that they really enjoy.
This sounded like the perfect solution; a strike! My intention wasn't really to illuminate these corporations, which I know I couldn't have possibly done, but they were to better the ingredients so that those in poverty didn't have to subject themselves to such rubbish. But I had one major problem, how do I accumulate such a large amount of people to be apart of this "movement"?
I turned to social networking because I knew how effective it could actually be. In fact, I personally knew of a girl who made it on the New York Times because of a Facebook group she made to convince her parents to un-ground her. I figured that if they got so much popularity off of her Facebook group, which was frankly insignificant, then maybe I could actually receive as much popularity and support for making a page that matters.
So with bright eyes and an overly optimistic attitude, I created a Facebook event named "NO FAST FOOD FOR A WEEK". I made this group for such a limited time because I knew that it would be a struggle for some people to give up Fast food completely. I invited friends and told friends to invite their friends and so on. I spoke to friends personally to persuade them to join or to at least tell someone about it. I even promoted the event on other social networks including my Tumblr blog where I asked followers to please join and reblog the advertisement. I reached out to other Tumblr bloggers with a lot more followers than me to do the same as well. I admit, I probably could have done more to get the word out there but I do believe I put a significant amount of effort into this group.
Once the seeds were all planted, I patiently waited for the whole thing to come together, make it on the New York times and change America (or at least raise more concern about the topic in America) forever. I checked the group constantly seeing how many people were apart of this movement. It turned out that the amount of people "attending" were only 10 more than the When I logged on to my Facebook about two days after I made the group I get a notification regarding it. Once I go and check it, I see a wall post stating "Fuck this". I was a little taken back but I immediately deleted the wall post.It seemed to be to late though because the amount of people not attending started to surpass the amount of people who were.
I got more and more criticism about the group from people who either didn't care, loved fast food, or were upset with my way of going about protesting. I believe that most people from SOF thought I was just doing this for Andy's class to get a good grade, but the truth is I actually did care. But in retrospect, I felt really moronic to believe that making a Facebook group that only made people change for a week was going to do anything. I had to take into account that people are realists (which I am clearly not) and also that not everyone knew as much about the Fast food industry as I did. I also did not give myself nearly enough time to properly promote this "strike". It brought me to tears once I realized I alone can not make such a positive impact on this country but for the approximately 150 that did join the group, I was glad that I could make a little speck of difference in their lives. Maybe those who will avoid fast food this upcoming week will discover new places to eat that they really enjoy.
Monday, October 25, 2010
HW 10 - Food, Inc. Response
#1-
Our purpose in making this movie was to remove the curtain that is shielding us from learning what is actually in our food. Industrial food companies put up this veil because they know if consumers knew what was in the food they were purchasing, they probably wouldn't want to buy it. Most of the food American’s buy in grocery stores have been processed with chemicals, pesticides or have been genetically modified. They also abuse the animals that are used with unfair living conditions and unfit diets. This movie shows all of this corruption that happens behind the scenes of the food industry and contrasts it with local and completely organic farms as well as huge organic companies. The dramatic changes made to agriculture in the passed 50 years has only caused economic, environmental, and physical health struggles but when it comes down to it, we have the power to change all of this. The consumers as a whole have the authority to demand change because the food industry has to supply our needs if they are looking for a profit.
#2-
I believe that this movie and the book “Omnivore’s Dilemma” by Michael Pollan offered very different things. The movie informed me more about the governments influence on modern Agriculture. Because the food industry pulls in so much money, it seems like the government stands out of its way. In fact, they support these major food companies despite the major health concerns regarding some of their product. The government does this by creating the FDA, which agrees to conceal where food was made and how it is made for these companies sake. Major food corporations’ even abuse the law making it illegal to criticize their food.
The book on the other hand offers more first hand experiences from the author. Pollan shares many facts about the food industry but he also shares his reactions to many different types of food, and his encounters with farmers who raise and grow food for a living. He also puts himself in the shoes of an actual hunter gather which is important for him to do because he argues that agriculture was the downfall that led to the food industry.
#3-
I know that one of the main reasons why people in America get sick is because of what we eat. A government that doesn’t immediately ban a food product that causes death is not a government I think I can look up too. Obesity is a clear epidemic in this country and what these corporations argue is that it is the nations choice to eat how they do. This is true for some people but for those who can’t afford healthier food, there is no alternative but to starve. It isn’t fair that the poor who cant afford any better get sick and on top of that have to pay so many hospital bills and get poorer. It is a vicious cycle. But if the nation changed its food ways, would this cycle be ended? Would it be possible to have free health care in this country if eventually there were a drastic decrease in the amount of sick people? It seems as if everything revolves around the food we chose to eat and if we make positive changes then there would be a chain reaction of progression in other aspects such as the environment, the economy and our health.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Hw 7d- Reading Response
Chapter 17-
The reason behind the increase of vegetarianism is due to more and more people who are discontent with animal treatment and slaughtering of animals. People argue that cruelty to animals is just as bad as cruelty to humans and in a society where people are more open minded about equality, this might actually the case. I became a vegetarian myself to gain perspective on the issue and not have a biased point of view.
Gems-
"The industrial animal factory offers a nightmarish glimpse of what capitalism is capable of in the absence of any moral or regulatory constraint whatsoever." (Pollan 318)
"Vegetarianism doesn't seem an unreasonable response to the existence of such an evil" (Pollan 319)
My thoughts-
Many vegetarians believe that cruelty to animals is just as harmful as cruelty to humans. The thing that separates us the most is our language beerier but just because an animal cannot communicate their feelings to us does not mean that those feelings do not exist. We both have the ability to feel pain and are inclined to avoid it. I understand all of this but I do not agree that humans and animals should be considered as equals. I am a meat-eater and I believe that slaughtering animals for food is justified if the animals were raised freely and naturally which is an opinion shared by the author.
Chapter 18-
My first experience hunting by myself put me in an altered state where I was very alert and aware of my surroundings which grew my respect for nature and the animals I was hunting. I then went hunting with Angelo and his three friends and there I was more successful. The first opportunity I had I took advantage of. I shoot a pig and the first time I missed but that was due to my lack of experience with firearms. On my second try, I killed the pig which led to the next step of "dressing" the pig which I found very disturbing.
Gems-
"If for me this venture was about taking ultimate responsibility for the animals I eat, their deaths included, well, I hadn’t done that yet, had I?” (Pollan 349)
" The one emotion I expected to feel but did not, inexplicably, was remorse, or even ambivalence. All that would come later, but now, I'm slightly embarrassed to admit, I felt absolutely terrific."(Pollan 353)
My thoughts-
I believe that hunting should not receive as much disrespect because it removes the shield made by corporations to hide where our meat comes from. Meat has been slaughtered one way or another and I don't think hunters should be looked down upon for mimicking the actions of people before agriculture was popularized. Meat eaters would rather not think about the the death of the animals they are eating because it makes them feel vicious. To refer to the quote summarizing Pollan's initial reaction to hunting, I believe the reason why he felt "terrific" afterword was due to humans instinctively being hunter gatherers. Therefore, our minds are programed to feel accomplished when we capture prey.
Chapter 20-
I set a goal to prepare the ideal meal, including meat, vegetables, and fungi, for my 10 additional friends and I. I made a list of rigorous rules that I had to follow in making this meal, which I either ended up breaking or feeling large amounts of pressure from the tedious and even life threatening work. So I asked myself, why am I putting myself through so much to make this meal and why was I so ambitious? I started to realize that the meal I was making meant more than I thought it had; it was actually my token of appreciation to all of those who educated me about my food ways. The more effort I put into making the food the more it will mean to the people I eat it with.
Gems-
"No, little if anything about this meal was what anyone would call 'realistic'. And yet no meal I've ever prepared or eaten has been more real" (Pollan 392).
"It's impossible to prepare and eat a meal quite so physically, intellectually, and emotionally costly without thinking about the incalculably larger debts we incur when we eat industrially"(Pollan 410)
My thoughts- I really respect Pollanthan they would if they were just ordered in. The food has more purpose that way and has a spiritual connection as well. Eating food surrounded by the people you love the most sends positive vibes throughout. For example, my grandmother's Christmas ham tasted a lot better when I ate it on Christmas night with my family than it did the next afternoon for lunch by myself.
The reason behind the increase of vegetarianism is due to more and more people who are discontent with animal treatment and slaughtering of animals. People argue that cruelty to animals is just as bad as cruelty to humans and in a society where people are more open minded about equality, this might actually the case. I became a vegetarian myself to gain perspective on the issue and not have a biased point of view.
Gems-
"The industrial animal factory offers a nightmarish glimpse of what capitalism is capable of in the absence of any moral or regulatory constraint whatsoever." (Pollan 318)
"Vegetarianism doesn't seem an unreasonable response to the existence of such an evil" (Pollan 319)
My thoughts-
Many vegetarians believe that cruelty to animals is just as harmful as cruelty to humans. The thing that separates us the most is our language beerier but just because an animal cannot communicate their feelings to us does not mean that those feelings do not exist. We both have the ability to feel pain and are inclined to avoid it. I understand all of this but I do not agree that humans and animals should be considered as equals. I am a meat-eater and I believe that slaughtering animals for food is justified if the animals were raised freely and naturally which is an opinion shared by the author.
Chapter 18-
My first experience hunting by myself put me in an altered state where I was very alert and aware of my surroundings which grew my respect for nature and the animals I was hunting. I then went hunting with Angelo and his three friends and there I was more successful. The first opportunity I had I took advantage of. I shoot a pig and the first time I missed but that was due to my lack of experience with firearms. On my second try, I killed the pig which led to the next step of "dressing" the pig which I found very disturbing.
Gems-
"If for me this venture was about taking ultimate responsibility for the animals I eat, their deaths included, well, I hadn’t done that yet, had I?” (Pollan 349)
" The one emotion I expected to feel but did not, inexplicably, was remorse, or even ambivalence. All that would come later, but now, I'm slightly embarrassed to admit, I felt absolutely terrific."(Pollan 353)
My thoughts-
I believe that hunting should not receive as much disrespect because it removes the shield made by corporations to hide where our meat comes from. Meat has been slaughtered one way or another and I don't think hunters should be looked down upon for mimicking the actions of people before agriculture was popularized. Meat eaters would rather not think about the the death of the animals they are eating because it makes them feel vicious. To refer to the quote summarizing Pollan's initial reaction to hunting, I believe the reason why he felt "terrific" afterword was due to humans instinctively being hunter gatherers. Therefore, our minds are programed to feel accomplished when we capture prey.
Chapter 19-
Mushrooms are a very strange and unpredictable organism so you could imagine the anxiety I had while foraging for them myself. The fungi varies from poisonous to hallucinogenic and they are easily concealed in their natural habitat of the forest. Although mushrooms are such an erratic growth, they are still popular and are one of the only food products that are still grown naturally in the mainstream food industry.
Gems-
“The field guides contain our culture’s accumulated wisdom on the subject of mushrooms. Curiously, though, the process of imparting and absorbing this life-and-death information works much better in person than it does on paper, whether through writing or even photography.”(Pollan 372)
"It was such a feeling of empowerment, to feed yourself by figuring out the puzzle of nature" (Pollan 380)
My thoughts-
Its good that there are some foods that I could eat without worrying about corruption of the food industry. It makes me wonder though. Why not try and industrialize mushrooms too? I'm sure some do, but if most food cooperation's found it unnecessary then why not do this with other products?
Chapter 20-
I set a goal to prepare the ideal meal, including meat, vegetables, and fungi, for my 10 additional friends and I. I made a list of rigorous rules that I had to follow in making this meal, which I either ended up breaking or feeling large amounts of pressure from the tedious and even life threatening work. So I asked myself, why am I putting myself through so much to make this meal and why was I so ambitious? I started to realize that the meal I was making meant more than I thought it had; it was actually my token of appreciation to all of those who educated me about my food ways. The more effort I put into making the food the more it will mean to the people I eat it with.
Gems-
"No, little if anything about this meal was what anyone would call 'realistic'. And yet no meal I've ever prepared or eaten has been more real" (Pollan 392).
"It's impossible to prepare and eat a meal quite so physically, intellectually, and emotionally costly without thinking about the incalculably larger debts we incur when we eat industrially"(Pollan 410)
My thoughts- I really respect Pollanthan they would if they were just ordered in. The food has more purpose that way and has a spiritual connection as well. Eating food surrounded by the people you love the most sends positive vibes throughout. For example, my grandmother's Christmas ham tasted a lot better when I ate it on Christmas night with my family than it did the next afternoon for lunch by myself.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Hw 7c- Reading Response
Chapter 11-
Joel Salatin farm is self-functioning due to his little interference with the natural arrangement of his farm. The animals and plants all work with each other, like they are mentally and physically engineered to do. By letting his farm run uncultivated, it allows an increase in efficiency because these organisms are genetically inclined to work the way they do. This is better than forcing efficiency on the creatures from "refining" because it goes against natural which ultimately causes a downfall.
Gems-
"But in a biological system you can never do just one thing, and I couldn't add many more chickens without messing up something else" (Pollan pg. 213).
“By contrast, the efficiencies of natural systems flow from complexity and interdependence-by definition the very opposite of simplification...To measure the efficiency of such a complex system you need to count not only all the products it produces but also all the costs it eliminates: antibiotics, warmers, pesticides, and fertilizers.”(Pollan pg. 214).
“Relations are what matters most, and the health of the cultivated turns on the health of the wild.” (Pollan pg. 225).
My thoughts-
Joel understands that everything has an effect and an outcome. I understand that most farms aren't self ran like Salatin's, but they are working for larger corporations and they are the ones who set these rules. Why aren't they aware of the outcome of their cheaper methods? If they are aware why don't they care? Why doesn't it effect them?
Chapter 12-
Unfortunately, animal slaughter is apart of the farming process and is something Salatin has to do. The USDA prevents him from slaughtering cows and pigs, and even though they are against the way he slaughters his chickens, there are no rules prohibiting it. Although I considered slaughtering chickens brutal, I contributed to the process because I am a meat eater and it is necessary to participate and kill chickens if I am going to eat them. Salatin on the other hand enjoys slaughtering because he has more piece of mind killing chickens himself rather than sending them away to be processed industrially.
Gems-
"We do not allow the government to dictate what religion you can observe, so why should we allow them to dictate what food we buy?" (Pollan pg. 236)
"It was hard to watch. I told myself the spasms were involuntary, and they probably were, I told myself that the birds waiting their turn appeared to have no idea what was going on in the cone next to them. I told myself that their suffering, once their throats were slit , was brief." (Pollan pg. 231)
My thoughts-
I really respect Pollan for killing those chickens because it is important as a meat eater to experience what goes behind the meat you eat. If the opportunity ever presents itself, I believe I should contribute too because I definitely love eating meat.
Chapter 13-
Salatin's food cost more than industrial food does but this is because the food quality is better. The reason why local farmers like Salatin aren't as popular is because the industrial food industry is based on convenience and lower prices so food quality isn't really payed attention to. The polyface farm sells its meat to local markets rather than shipping it around the country like industrial food is delivered. A lot of energy is taken to industrialize food and ship it out across the nation it is a fact that is overlooked.
Gems-
"So it makes evolutionary sense that pastured meats, the nutritional profile of which closely resembles that of wild game, would be better for us." (Pollan pg.267)
My thoughts-
I don't get it. Food is industrialized, packaged, and shipped around the country to lower prices and add convenience but in a way, convenience has decreased. To my it makes more sense to have several local farmers rather than several super markets. It seems like a lot of energy is being put into lower quality food which blows my mind! Not only are we affecting our bodies health but we are also damaging the health of the planet. And for what? A quick buck for corporations and the appeal of having all our food in one place for consumers.
Chapter 14-
At my last week at the Polyface farm, I cooked a meal for Joel and his family using only food from the farm. I made two slow roasted chickens, cooked corn, a salad, and a souffle. The meal was very good and the chickens from the farm had added omega-3 and vitamin E so the meal was more nutritious.
Gems-
"When chickens get to live like chickens, they'll taste like chickens, too" (Pollan pg. 270).
My thoughts-
Quality food has a spirit to it and makes you feel a certain way. Sometimes after eating very good food, I am put in a certain mood lively mood. I get the opposite feeling from eating food like McDonald's. Although I grew up loving McDonald's, I feel heavy, tired, sick, and gross after eating it now. And this led me to ask, is the way meat is raised (and processed in most cases) affect the feeling you have after you eat it? Maybe the author was happy after eating an organically grown chicken because the chicken was raised happily and freely!
Chapter 15-
The next step in my journey of understand food was to hunt and gather it myself. Like the vast majority of the nation, I too was raised on the industrial food chain so I felt uncomfortable adjusting to foraging food in the forest. Thankfully my friend Angelo put me through a hunter education coarse to help with my lack of preparation. Although I was having trouble adapting to the gathering my own food from the wild, I did gain a respect for nature through this experience.
Gems-
"... it's hard to explain why humans would have ever traded such a healthy and comparatively pleasant way of life for backbreaking, monotonous work of agriculture." (Pollan pg. 279)
"....hunting and gathering (and growing) a meal would perforce teach me things about the ecology and ethics of eating that I could not get in a supermarket or fast-food chain or even on a farm" (Pollan pg.280)
My thoughts-
How would life be different if agriculture never became popular and the most dominant resource for food? It makes me questions how much does food really effect? Has agriculture made us more or less civilized?
Chapter 16-
Humans do not only eat to gain energy but we eat for satisfaction, comfort and to experience culture. This is due to the fact that our minds are relatively larger than our stomachs. We judge food based on how familiar we are with it and how our taste buds react to it. As omnivores, we are able to eat a variety of things which leads to the separation of good food and bad food and ultimately begs the question, "what should I eat?"
Gems-
But rats and humans require a wider range of nutrients and so must eat a wider range of foods, some of them questionable. Whenever they encounter a potential new food they find themselves torn between two conflicting emotions unknown to the specialist eater, each with its own biological rationale: neophobia, a sensible fear of ingesting anything new, and neophilia, a risky but necessary openness of new tastes" (Pollan pg. 288)
My thoughts-
I find it interesting that rats share the same approach to food as we do. We apparently eat "with our brains" which is something that rats do as well. I like the fact that we are able to enjoy and adapt to many different foods and I believe if that weren't the case, food processing would be even more popularized. What would be the need for any real food if we aren't searching for the pleasurable benefit? We could be fed industrialized, bland slop for breakfast lunch and dinner with artificial nutrients and not have anything to complain about, because in that case food would be more of a necessity and what ever gives us energy, we will take.
Joel Salatin farm is self-functioning due to his little interference with the natural arrangement of his farm. The animals and plants all work with each other, like they are mentally and physically engineered to do. By letting his farm run uncultivated, it allows an increase in efficiency because these organisms are genetically inclined to work the way they do. This is better than forcing efficiency on the creatures from "refining" because it goes against natural which ultimately causes a downfall.
Gems-
"But in a biological system you can never do just one thing, and I couldn't add many more chickens without messing up something else" (Pollan pg. 213).
“By contrast, the efficiencies of natural systems flow from complexity and interdependence-by definition the very opposite of simplification...To measure the efficiency of such a complex system you need to count not only all the products it produces but also all the costs it eliminates: antibiotics, warmers, pesticides, and fertilizers.”(Pollan pg. 214).
“Relations are what matters most, and the health of the cultivated turns on the health of the wild.” (Pollan pg. 225).
My thoughts-
Joel understands that everything has an effect and an outcome. I understand that most farms aren't self ran like Salatin's, but they are working for larger corporations and they are the ones who set these rules. Why aren't they aware of the outcome of their cheaper methods? If they are aware why don't they care? Why doesn't it effect them?
Chapter 12-
Unfortunately, animal slaughter is apart of the farming process and is something Salatin has to do. The USDA prevents him from slaughtering cows and pigs, and even though they are against the way he slaughters his chickens, there are no rules prohibiting it. Although I considered slaughtering chickens brutal, I contributed to the process because I am a meat eater and it is necessary to participate and kill chickens if I am going to eat them. Salatin on the other hand enjoys slaughtering because he has more piece of mind killing chickens himself rather than sending them away to be processed industrially.
Gems-
"We do not allow the government to dictate what religion you can observe, so why should we allow them to dictate what food we buy?" (Pollan pg. 236)
"It was hard to watch. I told myself the spasms were involuntary, and they probably were, I told myself that the birds waiting their turn appeared to have no idea what was going on in the cone next to them. I told myself that their suffering, once their throats were slit , was brief." (Pollan pg. 231)
My thoughts-
I really respect Pollan for killing those chickens because it is important as a meat eater to experience what goes behind the meat you eat. If the opportunity ever presents itself, I believe I should contribute too because I definitely love eating meat.
Chapter 13-
Salatin's food cost more than industrial food does but this is because the food quality is better. The reason why local farmers like Salatin aren't as popular is because the industrial food industry is based on convenience and lower prices so food quality isn't really payed attention to. The polyface farm sells its meat to local markets rather than shipping it around the country like industrial food is delivered. A lot of energy is taken to industrialize food and ship it out across the nation it is a fact that is overlooked.
Gems-
"So it makes evolutionary sense that pastured meats, the nutritional profile of which closely resembles that of wild game, would be better for us." (Pollan pg.267)
My thoughts-
I don't get it. Food is industrialized, packaged, and shipped around the country to lower prices and add convenience but in a way, convenience has decreased. To my it makes more sense to have several local farmers rather than several super markets. It seems like a lot of energy is being put into lower quality food which blows my mind! Not only are we affecting our bodies health but we are also damaging the health of the planet. And for what? A quick buck for corporations and the appeal of having all our food in one place for consumers.
Chapter 14-
At my last week at the Polyface farm, I cooked a meal for Joel and his family using only food from the farm. I made two slow roasted chickens, cooked corn, a salad, and a souffle. The meal was very good and the chickens from the farm had added omega-3 and vitamin E so the meal was more nutritious.
Gems-
"When chickens get to live like chickens, they'll taste like chickens, too" (Pollan pg. 270).
My thoughts-
Quality food has a spirit to it and makes you feel a certain way. Sometimes after eating very good food, I am put in a certain mood lively mood. I get the opposite feeling from eating food like McDonald's. Although I grew up loving McDonald's, I feel heavy, tired, sick, and gross after eating it now. And this led me to ask, is the way meat is raised (and processed in most cases) affect the feeling you have after you eat it? Maybe the author was happy after eating an organically grown chicken because the chicken was raised happily and freely!
Chapter 15-
The next step in my journey of understand food was to hunt and gather it myself. Like the vast majority of the nation, I too was raised on the industrial food chain so I felt uncomfortable adjusting to foraging food in the forest. Thankfully my friend Angelo put me through a hunter education coarse to help with my lack of preparation. Although I was having trouble adapting to the gathering my own food from the wild, I did gain a respect for nature through this experience.
Gems-
"... it's hard to explain why humans would have ever traded such a healthy and comparatively pleasant way of life for backbreaking, monotonous work of agriculture." (Pollan pg. 279)
"....hunting and gathering (and growing) a meal would perforce teach me things about the ecology and ethics of eating that I could not get in a supermarket or fast-food chain or even on a farm" (Pollan pg.280)
My thoughts-
How would life be different if agriculture never became popular and the most dominant resource for food? It makes me questions how much does food really effect? Has agriculture made us more or less civilized?
Chapter 16-
Humans do not only eat to gain energy but we eat for satisfaction, comfort and to experience culture. This is due to the fact that our minds are relatively larger than our stomachs. We judge food based on how familiar we are with it and how our taste buds react to it. As omnivores, we are able to eat a variety of things which leads to the separation of good food and bad food and ultimately begs the question, "what should I eat?"
Gems-
But rats and humans require a wider range of nutrients and so must eat a wider range of foods, some of them questionable. Whenever they encounter a potential new food they find themselves torn between two conflicting emotions unknown to the specialist eater, each with its own biological rationale: neophobia, a sensible fear of ingesting anything new, and neophilia, a risky but necessary openness of new tastes" (Pollan pg. 288)
My thoughts-
I find it interesting that rats share the same approach to food as we do. We apparently eat "with our brains" which is something that rats do as well. I like the fact that we are able to enjoy and adapt to many different foods and I believe if that weren't the case, food processing would be even more popularized. What would be the need for any real food if we aren't searching for the pleasurable benefit? We could be fed industrialized, bland slop for breakfast lunch and dinner with artificial nutrients and not have anything to complain about, because in that case food would be more of a necessity and what ever gives us energy, we will take.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
HW 9 - Freakonomics Response
In Freakonomics, correlation vs. causation is mentioned a lot, but in most cases people who argued both sides had no real resolution in the end. In the first section of the movie where it focused on how names affect a child's life. One person who studied the subject argued that having an "African American" name does not affect the child's life growing up, it is how the child is raised that determines their outcome. Another person who also was studying the subject discreetly disagreed with the other person saying that a person with an "African American" name and a person with a "White" name can have the same qualities and qualifications but they will still be treated differently because of their names. Both cases were expressed with some evidence but there was no solution! I saw the same thing happen in the last section of the movie where they showed examples of how incentives did and didn't work. There was no clear conclusion as to what was really causation and really correlation in the movie. Maybe this was supposed to leave us feeling ambiguous to the topics brought up, or maybe the creators weren't to sure themselves what was really correlation and causation.
Majority of the evidence used in the film was either based on real life examples, personal experience and generalizations. I believe that the least reliable pieces of the evidence was used to prove that abortion possibly led to the decrease in crime rate in the late 80's. Although it was a beautifully put together theory, I believe in that case the movie showed lack of proof. The idea was interesting but was it was based on generalizations saying that most women who want abortions can't take care of a child and that most children raised by mothers who considered abortion will grow up to become criminals. The movie also contrasted this theory with an example of a country where women were forced to become pregnant and their children grew up to become criminals. This example seemed very extreme seeing as no one was forcing women to produce babies before abortion was completely legal in the state of New York. In the end, I didn't think there was enough strong evidence to convince me that this was causation rather than correlation.
I disagree with the statement: Freakonomics serves as an inspiration and good example to our attempt to explore the "hidden-in-plain-sight" weirdness of dominant social practices. This is because the movie's focus wasn't on exposing the strange things we do normally without considering how strange they might be. The movies main goal was showing the importance of incentives and how opportunities/consequences can alter our actions. Although the topics are loosely related, the movie doesn't directly adress what we are trying to do in class.
Majority of the evidence used in the film was either based on real life examples, personal experience and generalizations. I believe that the least reliable pieces of the evidence was used to prove that abortion possibly led to the decrease in crime rate in the late 80's. Although it was a beautifully put together theory, I believe in that case the movie showed lack of proof. The idea was interesting but was it was based on generalizations saying that most women who want abortions can't take care of a child and that most children raised by mothers who considered abortion will grow up to become criminals. The movie also contrasted this theory with an example of a country where women were forced to become pregnant and their children grew up to become criminals. This example seemed very extreme seeing as no one was forcing women to produce babies before abortion was completely legal in the state of New York. In the end, I didn't think there was enough strong evidence to convince me that this was causation rather than correlation.
I disagree with the statement: Freakonomics serves as an inspiration and good example to our attempt to explore the "hidden-in-plain-sight" weirdness of dominant social practices. This is because the movie's focus wasn't on exposing the strange things we do normally without considering how strange they might be. The movies main goal was showing the importance of incentives and how opportunities/consequences can alter our actions. Although the topics are loosely related, the movie doesn't directly adress what we are trying to do in class.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Hw 7b- Reading Response
Chapter 6-
There is a definite correlation between the high amounts of alcoholism during the 19th century and the increase in obesity today. They are both linked to the abundance of cheap corn in America. So much corn is being grown but it is all being used thanks to the invention of super-sizing which is a clever marketing scheme to get Americans to eat more food without feeling gluttonous.
Some gems found in this section of the text-
"Much as today, the astounding productivity of American farmers proved to be their own worst enemy, as well as a threat to public health...Sooner or later, clever marketers will figure out a way to induce the human omnivore to consume the surfeit of cheap calories" (Pollan pg. 101).
"Considering that the human did animal did not taste this particular food until 1980, for HFCS to have become the leading source of sweetness in our diet stands as notable achievement on the part of the corn-refining industry...."(Pollan pg. 103).
"You might think that this growth would have been offset by a decline of sugar consumption, since HFCS often replaces sugar, but that didn't happen: During the same time period our consumption of refined sugar actually went up by five pounds."(Pollan pg. 104).
My thoughts-
Super-sizing has increased the portions that Americans eat regularly and has made us conditioned and used to larger meals although we shouldn't be consuming so many calories so often. A question I have to ask is is it even possible to reverse the effect of super-sizing at this point? Would Americans who have been conditioned all of their lives to eat large portions of processed food ever want to try lowering their meal portions? Is it even healthy to make such a drastic change so radically?
Chapter 7-
The experience from eating fast food brings nostalgia and also a sense of ease. Most of the McDonald's menu is considered comfort food because of the amount of fat in the meal which relieves our stress. The fast food chain offers many different options on the menu including chicken McNuggets, Cheeseburgers and Salads. Even if the meals are eaten together as a family, there is isolation because each individual is indulging in their own meal.
Gems-
"19 percent of American meals are eaten in the car."(Pollan pg. 110).
"The marketers have a term for what a salad or veggie burger does for a fast food chain: 'denying the denier. These menu items hand the child who wants to eat fast food a sharp tool with which to chip away at his parents' objections" (Pollan pg. 110)
My thoughts-
Is the fact that fast food is comforting apart of its appeal? How long does this satisfying and relaxed feeling last after eating fast food? Does the feeling change over time?
Chapter 8-
Many farmers have claimed that their food has been grown and raised organically yet the term has been used very loosely. Joe Salatin on the other hand takes the extra step other famers don't to have a truly organic farm. Grass is the foundation of his farms ecosystem and because cows are not being raised on corn, their excrements are not toxic and are able to be used as manure. Salatin also doesn't condone the use of industrial machinery to grow and raise his food.
Gems-
"Our species' coevolutionary alliance with the grasses has deep roots and has probably done more to ensure our success as species than any other, with the possible exception of our alliance with the trillion or so bacteria that inhabit the human gut" (Pollan pg.128).
"...the Western mind can't bear an opt-out option. We're going to have to refight the Battle of the Little Bighorn to preserve the right to opt out, or your grandchildren and mine will have no choice but to eat amalgamated, irradiated, genetically prostituted, barcoded, adulterated fecal spam from the centralized processing conglomerate" (Pollan pg.132).
My thoughts-
Will the need to further process food ever be diminished? I am somewhat afraid of what the future holds in store in terms of food and I want to understand what it will take for the entire country to choose a better path for themselves. It seems that the extremely high rate of obesity in this country has not struck a cord because Fast food still produces the most profitable and rich franchises. The problem is that the food quality has gone down, and will continue to if a change isn't made.
Chapter 9-
The market for organic food has increased due to the people's want to better their diet.The fact that food has a short summary of its background makes buyers feel better because there is a story behind what they are purchasing. This makes label's such as "natural" and "humanly raised" much more successful because consumers are associating what they buy with a happy farm that people could sing about, which makes them feel better about spending the few extra dollars on food. The problem is that some of these labels aren't true and these farms, which they also use industrial machinery, are only portraying an image to increase the value of their food.
Gems-
"We were part of the food industry now," he told me. "But I wanted to leverage that position to redefine the way we grow food--not what people want to eat or how we distribute it." (Pollan pg.133).
"The organic movement, as it was once called, has come a remarkably long way in the last thirty years, to the point where it now looks considerably less like a movement than a big business" (Pollan pg.138).
My thoughts-
It upsets me that money continues to be the center of motivation for cutting corners. If they aren't concerned with decreasing quality or effecting the ecosystem for profit it makes me wonder what they heads of these corporations put in their stomachs? Do they eat their own food?
The other day I saw an example of these labels and how they actually work. My mom brought home four packs of "organically grown beef" and before reading this book I would have been equally content with her choice in meat but after reading this book I had to look for more information. Right underneath the big "organically grown label" was a slightly smaller "corn feed cows" label. From this book I know that cows aren't meant to digest corn and it causes them to produce toxic diarrhea. For most consumers who don't know this fact that label would have flown right over their heads. It also made me question what kind of corn they used to feed the cows, naturally grown or type two corn?
Chapter 10-
Although it is much cheaper to run a farm on corn, Joel Salatin refuses to in hopes of creating his "beyond organic" farm. His farm is strictly based on grass. As Bianca Chu from section one had put it, "Through Salatin's farm, we can see simplicity is possible and natural methods of farming can be carried out efficiently and can increase the diversity of species in pastures." Though this is true the success of industrial farms far surpasses the success of Salatin's which causes the government give all their financial support to the higher producing farms.
Gems-
"The animals come and go, but the grasses, which directly or indirectly feed all the animals, abide, and the well - being of the farm depends more than anything else on the well - being of its grass." (Pollan pg.187).
"If the sixteen million acres now being used to grow corn to feed cows in the United States became well managed pasture, that would remove fourteen billion pounds of carbon from the atmosphere each year, the equivalent of taking four million cars off the road." (Pollan pg. 198)
My thoughts-
I really admire Salatin's organic farm work but I don't get why there isn't more support from the government! Supporting completely organic food would be a very different shift in American society but maybe a dramatic change will be the only thing to make a significant difference.
There is a definite correlation between the high amounts of alcoholism during the 19th century and the increase in obesity today. They are both linked to the abundance of cheap corn in America. So much corn is being grown but it is all being used thanks to the invention of super-sizing which is a clever marketing scheme to get Americans to eat more food without feeling gluttonous.
Some gems found in this section of the text-
"Much as today, the astounding productivity of American farmers proved to be their own worst enemy, as well as a threat to public health...Sooner or later, clever marketers will figure out a way to induce the human omnivore to consume the surfeit of cheap calories" (Pollan pg. 101).
"Considering that the human did animal did not taste this particular food until 1980, for HFCS to have become the leading source of sweetness in our diet stands as notable achievement on the part of the corn-refining industry...."(Pollan pg. 103).
"You might think that this growth would have been offset by a decline of sugar consumption, since HFCS often replaces sugar, but that didn't happen: During the same time period our consumption of refined sugar actually went up by five pounds."(Pollan pg. 104).
My thoughts-
Super-sizing has increased the portions that Americans eat regularly and has made us conditioned and used to larger meals although we shouldn't be consuming so many calories so often. A question I have to ask is is it even possible to reverse the effect of super-sizing at this point? Would Americans who have been conditioned all of their lives to eat large portions of processed food ever want to try lowering their meal portions? Is it even healthy to make such a drastic change so radically?
Chapter 7-
The experience from eating fast food brings nostalgia and also a sense of ease. Most of the McDonald's menu is considered comfort food because of the amount of fat in the meal which relieves our stress. The fast food chain offers many different options on the menu including chicken McNuggets, Cheeseburgers and Salads. Even if the meals are eaten together as a family, there is isolation because each individual is indulging in their own meal.
Gems-
"19 percent of American meals are eaten in the car."(Pollan pg. 110).
"The marketers have a term for what a salad or veggie burger does for a fast food chain: 'denying the denier. These menu items hand the child who wants to eat fast food a sharp tool with which to chip away at his parents' objections" (Pollan pg. 110)
My thoughts-
Is the fact that fast food is comforting apart of its appeal? How long does this satisfying and relaxed feeling last after eating fast food? Does the feeling change over time?
Chapter 8-
Many farmers have claimed that their food has been grown and raised organically yet the term has been used very loosely. Joe Salatin on the other hand takes the extra step other famers don't to have a truly organic farm. Grass is the foundation of his farms ecosystem and because cows are not being raised on corn, their excrements are not toxic and are able to be used as manure. Salatin also doesn't condone the use of industrial machinery to grow and raise his food.
Gems-
"Our species' coevolutionary alliance with the grasses has deep roots and has probably done more to ensure our success as species than any other, with the possible exception of our alliance with the trillion or so bacteria that inhabit the human gut" (Pollan pg.128).
"...the Western mind can't bear an opt-out option. We're going to have to refight the Battle of the Little Bighorn to preserve the right to opt out, or your grandchildren and mine will have no choice but to eat amalgamated, irradiated, genetically prostituted, barcoded, adulterated fecal spam from the centralized processing conglomerate" (Pollan pg.132).
My thoughts-
Will the need to further process food ever be diminished? I am somewhat afraid of what the future holds in store in terms of food and I want to understand what it will take for the entire country to choose a better path for themselves. It seems that the extremely high rate of obesity in this country has not struck a cord because Fast food still produces the most profitable and rich franchises. The problem is that the food quality has gone down, and will continue to if a change isn't made.
Chapter 9-
The market for organic food has increased due to the people's want to better their diet.The fact that food has a short summary of its background makes buyers feel better because there is a story behind what they are purchasing. This makes label's such as "natural" and "humanly raised" much more successful because consumers are associating what they buy with a happy farm that people could sing about, which makes them feel better about spending the few extra dollars on food. The problem is that some of these labels aren't true and these farms, which they also use industrial machinery, are only portraying an image to increase the value of their food.
Gems-
"We were part of the food industry now," he told me. "But I wanted to leverage that position to redefine the way we grow food--not what people want to eat or how we distribute it." (Pollan pg.133).
"The organic movement, as it was once called, has come a remarkably long way in the last thirty years, to the point where it now looks considerably less like a movement than a big business" (Pollan pg.138).
My thoughts-
It upsets me that money continues to be the center of motivation for cutting corners. If they aren't concerned with decreasing quality or effecting the ecosystem for profit it makes me wonder what they heads of these corporations put in their stomachs? Do they eat their own food?
The other day I saw an example of these labels and how they actually work. My mom brought home four packs of "organically grown beef" and before reading this book I would have been equally content with her choice in meat but after reading this book I had to look for more information. Right underneath the big "organically grown label" was a slightly smaller "corn feed cows" label. From this book I know that cows aren't meant to digest corn and it causes them to produce toxic diarrhea. For most consumers who don't know this fact that label would have flown right over their heads. It also made me question what kind of corn they used to feed the cows, naturally grown or type two corn?
Chapter 10-
Although it is much cheaper to run a farm on corn, Joel Salatin refuses to in hopes of creating his "beyond organic" farm. His farm is strictly based on grass. As Bianca Chu from section one had put it, "Through Salatin's farm, we can see simplicity is possible and natural methods of farming can be carried out efficiently and can increase the diversity of species in pastures." Though this is true the success of industrial farms far surpasses the success of Salatin's which causes the government give all their financial support to the higher producing farms.
Gems-
"The animals come and go, but the grasses, which directly or indirectly feed all the animals, abide, and the well - being of the farm depends more than anything else on the well - being of its grass." (Pollan pg.187).
"If the sixteen million acres now being used to grow corn to feed cows in the United States became well managed pasture, that would remove fourteen billion pounds of carbon from the atmosphere each year, the equivalent of taking four million cars off the road." (Pollan pg. 198)
My thoughts-
I really admire Salatin's organic farm work but I don't get why there isn't more support from the government! Supporting completely organic food would be a very different shift in American society but maybe a dramatic change will be the only thing to make a significant difference.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
HW 8 - Growing Our Own Food
Although my seeds have not grown in the past weeks, I still wanted to write a passage about why I believe that happened. I only watered the seeds during class periods so they weren't watered as frequently as they should have been. Even though that is the case, other people had the same sprout watering regimen as I had, their grew very well. This led me to believe that the lack of sprout growth had to do with the size of my jar. It was significantly bigger than other people's humble jam jars and maybe there was too much room for the sprouts to grow or too much recycled air and CO2 in the jar. If my sprouts had grown and I had ate them, I believe I would be more satisfied with them than I would be if I bought them in the store because I put effort and time into growing them.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Hw 7- Reading Response
Introduction-
Although the goals of agriculture were to become more efficient and simplify the process of finding food to eat, it has had the opposite effect and has made us more aware of dangerous threatening foods. America is a country built off of immigration and there is no specific cultural food of this country other than the food ways brought here by other cultures. This causes Americans to eat foods based on the fads created by the media to answer our ever-longing question of "what shall we eat?"
Some gems found in this section of the text-
"We've discovered that an abundance of food does not render the omnivore's dilemma obsolete. To the contrary, abundance seems only to deepen it, giving us all sorts of new problems and things to worry about." (Pollan pg. 7).
"It would not be susceptible to the pendulum swings of food scares or fads, to the apotheosis every few years of one newly discovered nutrient and the demonization of another."(Pollan pg. 2).
My thoughts-
With the amount of variety in food in the United States, it is inevitable to wonder what we should be eating. We are so susceptible to food scares and fads because we have so much food yet we don't know what to eat and having "experts" telling us what we should and shouldn't eat makes us more comfortable in our food choices. A question I have is if every individual in the country had found out the healthy or poisonous properties of different foods on their own through trial and error, would the nation have had thrived as much as it has? Would America be as unified?
Chapter One-
Most of the processed foods we eat such as chicken nuggets or twinkies are directly linked to processed corn. Maize is a C-4 crop which means it contains more carbon than plants usually do which makes it able to store more energy (calories). Corn is an efficient crop because it has the ability to grow in bulk, adapt to the micro-environments of America, and it is able to be used in so many ways.
Some gems found in this section of the text-
"[Corn] had to adapt itself not only to humans but to their machines, which it did by learning to grow as upright, stiff stalked, and uniform as soldiers."(Pollan pg. 30).
My thoughts-
Corn has been so over developed and used so frequently over the years that it had adapted into a super crop. After reading this first chapter, corn sounds amazing and extremely important (even to American history). I wonder what the industrialization does to the corn. Does it decrease/increase the quality? Why wasn't corn considered one of the other food fads that were demonized in the past? Is corn ALL good?
Chapter Two-
Farmers hold a lot of responsibility because they are the ones accountable for growing such an important crop. Farmers developed "hybrid corn" to make industrial farming easier because the corn is stronger than average corn stocks which allows more of it to be harvested. This was farmers’ solution to the laws made which limited production and issued the amount of crops that could be grown. The Hybrid corn resulted in a larger surplus.
Some gems found in this section of the text-
“Government farm programs once designed to limit production and support prices (and therefore farms) were quietly refigured to increase production and drive down prices” (Pollan pg. 48).
My thoughts-
Although the Hybrid corn is stronger, is the overall quality better than the original crop? How does the growing of Hybrid corn effect the growing of regular corn? Does regular corn adapt to Hybrid corn? Does regular corn eventually die off due to Hybrid corn?
Chapter Three-
Over the years, farmers have replaced their concern of the quality of maize for the quantity which created a surplus of cheap corn. Farmers change of heart stemmed from their need to stay employed because growing such an important crop on high demand so that it can be processed is significant to their jobs. Without the production of low quality maize, they could very well lose their farm land due to a lack of profit. Corn does not hold the same amount of value it had before, the crop is more important for its ability to be used in many ways.
Some gems found in this section of the text-
"Now any number 2 corn was guaranteed to be as good as any other number 2 corn. So there is no longer any reason for anyone to care where the corn came from or who grew it, as long as it met the board's standard."(Pollan pg. 60).
My thoughts-
Since the majority of farm grown corn is number 2 corn, farmers had lost their chance to be recognized for their quality product. If one farm can't produce enough farm, companies will have no problem going on to the next farm who can give them more of the same product faster. What caused consumers to stop caring about the quality of the food they purchased?
Chapter Four-
A cow’s natural diet consists of grass which they are able to turn into protein due to their advance digestive organ named the rumen. Farmers have been forced to feed their cattle corn and because it offers cheap calories which allow cows to gain a slaughter worthy weight quicker. Although this seems to be a perfect solution to speed up the meat industrialization process, corn is very unhealthy for cows and even causes their manure to become toxic. On top of an unfit diet, cows started to be raised in crowded pens where they are knee deep in their own toxic manure, and these uncomfortable and unnatural living conditions have even resulted in mad cow disease.
Some gems found in this section of the text-
"So then why is it that steer number 534 hasn't tasted a blade of prairie grass since October? Speed, in a word, or, in the industry's preferred term, 'efficiency'....Fast food, indeed" (Pollan pg. 71)
"Here animals exquisitely adapted by natural selection to live on grass must be adapted by us- at considerable cost to their health, to the health of the land, and ultimately the health of their eaters-to live on corn, for no other reason other than it offers the cheapest calories around and because a great pile must be consumed." (Pollan pg. 68)
My thoughts-
It seems as though farmers are cutting so many corners just to have their product be delivered faster although the "compromises" they make are only going to effect the consumers in the long run. I'd like to relate the second quote I found to an interview I had with one of the Farmers from the Farmers Market. They said that organically grown food has become so popular because it promotes good health and better for our environment and our community. This quote reminds me of what he said because the unnaturally grown corn has done nothing but tarnish our health, the health of the animals that they feed it to and the health of our environment.
Chapter 5-
Corn is a key element to the industrial food chain because of the versatility it offers. Every part of the kernel is used and processed into ingredients for different food products. The processing of corn is time and energy consuming yet scientists and Crops Utilization researchers continue to do it for the profit they receive.
Some gems found in this section of the text-
"The problem is, a value-added product made from a cheap commodity can itself become a commodity, so cheap and abundant are the raw materials" (Pollan pg.96).
My thoughts-
Agriculture was invented to simplify and add convenience to finding food. Convenience remained an important matter but America's agriculture is now based on the large companies search for profit. Through this, food became cheaper and lower quality but if those companies largest concern was with the health of the people and the environment than the need to lower food quality and wasting energy on processing food wouldn't be necessary.
Friday, October 1, 2010
HW 6 - Food Diary
Over 48 hours, the first thing I ate was a granny smith apple, 5 carrots, 5 pecans, Ramen Noodles, and 8 grapes. This was my dinner.
The apple was crisp, sour, sweet and juicy. I decided to eat this on top of the carrots and pecans for fiber because my diet was lacking it. The Ramen Noodles were very wet, salty, and chewy. I choose to eat these because there was nothing else in my house as filling and they also take only three minutes to make.
I started off the next day with a bowl of cereal which is apart of my morning routine. I wake up, take a shower, get dressed, then eat my Honey Bunches of Oats. I had no particular reason for eating it other then the fact that I eat it everyday and that I like it. My cereal was crunchy, sweet and honey flavored, and refreshing due to the milk. For lunch, I split a subway tuna sandwich with Amber. We added different condiments on the separate sides of the sandwich but we decided to split it because it would cost more than two dollars less to do so rather than buying a 6 inch sandwich. Saving money is important to me when it comes to food and I would not pay full price for something when I could pay half price for the same food!
The sandwich was sweet from the sweet onion sauce, spicy from the pickled jalapenos, sour from the dijon mustard and pickles and made delicious by the many other ingredients incorporated. I love this sandwich because it cost me very little for such complex flavor. Later that night, my dinner was a green apple, l heated up spaghetti left overs, and half a roll of bread with a mixture of salted butter and olive oil. The role was filling, warm, flakey, fluffy, and tasted very good. The spaghetti was made by my mother with a recipe that I've loved as a child. I really enjoy this meal but my mom makes it about once a month. She made a lot of spaghetti this time to last us for the week because we are moving this friday and did not want to stress over food while she was handling the move and everything else.
Today, I followed my morning ritual again and ate my cereal. For lunch Amber shared her spinach and feta filo pastry with me. I had no money for lunch and because I was planing on going straight home after school, but once I left school, I realized I was really hungry so I needed something to hold me over until I went home. Amber offered to share and she generously did. Once I got home, the first thing I ate a green apple (again) and then I later moved on to eating Ramen noodles, a bowl of grapes and, a quarter of a roll. "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" is a saying I take seriously, but it was more important to eat an apple this particular week because there weren't any other foods that contained a lot of fiber in my house. Since my only two options for dinner are Ramen noodles and spaghetti, I choose to eat Ramen noodles because I did not want to eat the same exact thing I ate the night before. If I had a choice, I would choose to experience different foods and flavors each day.
The apple was crisp, sour, sweet and juicy. I decided to eat this on top of the carrots and pecans for fiber because my diet was lacking it. The Ramen Noodles were very wet, salty, and chewy. I choose to eat these because there was nothing else in my house as filling and they also take only three minutes to make.
The sandwich was sweet from the sweet onion sauce, spicy from the pickled jalapenos, sour from the dijon mustard and pickles and made delicious by the many other ingredients incorporated. I love this sandwich because it cost me very little for such complex flavor. Later that night, my dinner was a green apple, l heated up spaghetti left overs, and half a roll of bread with a mixture of salted butter and olive oil. The role was filling, warm, flakey, fluffy, and tasted very good. The spaghetti was made by my mother with a recipe that I've loved as a child. I really enjoy this meal but my mom makes it about once a month. She made a lot of spaghetti this time to last us for the week because we are moving this friday and did not want to stress over food while she was handling the move and everything else.
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