All About Food

The Omnivore’s Dilemma Organic Reflection

clarsen — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:04:16 +0000

This week’s reading was very personal to me because organic foods are a very important part of my life. Growing up my parents rarely bought anything that wasn’t “organic” for dinner, and reading this section and seeing where these foods come from and the farming and process behind them was interesting. I was surprised to read that most organic foods and farming methods have grown in popularity so much that farmers have adopted methods of industrial agriculture. The more I read though the more I saw that this would make sense, and it made me wonder how farming could be genuinely organic. Perhaps one of the only ways we could access truly organic foods would be to have our own gardens. I also loved the section on Joel Salatin. Joel Salatin is the man. I am very supportive of everything that he is doing with Polyface Farm, a rotational ecological farm, and might even visit at some point soon. It was also interesting to see Pollan and Salatin’s different views on morality and makes you think of their different motivations behind the morality of organic farming.

The Omnivore’s Dilemma Reflection

clarsen — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 12:58:24 +0000

In the other part of Michael Pollan’s book, “The Omnivore’s Dilemma”, Pollan examines at length the widespread use of corn in the United States. Pollan basically describes that almost everything we eat or use is made out of corn. Well, maybe not everything, but with everything he describes it seems like an American can’t go a day without using something that has corn in it. From the high-fructose corn syrup in soda to livestock feed to the fuel we use in cars, we cannot get away from the use of corn. Pollan went as far as to even say that corn is in our meats, since the animals that we eat feed on corn, I had never made that connection before. The reason corn is used so much is because it is so cheap due to its overproduction, leading farmers to grow even more corn, leading to this cycle which we encourage through our consumerism. I think this is crazy and I’m not sure how we could ever stop this unless we cut down on our consumerism of food and drink that contains corn, and cut down on our driving!

Fieldwork: Bottom Dollar Reflection

clarsen — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:50:16 +0000

On Friday, November 18, 2011, at 12:00 pm, our class visited the Bottom Dollar grocery store located along Route 1 in Fredericksburg, VA. The weather was an unusually warm mid-November day, with temperatures in the 60′s, mostly sunny skies, and a light wind. The weather was not much of a factor once we walked into the grocery story because we were indoors and in the heating and cooling system of Bottom Dollar. While walking into the store, I observed some of the methods in which customers arrived at Bottom Dollar. Most consumers arrived by car, however, some walked (since it is so close to residential areas). The employees of the store use the same transportation methods as the customers, but those transporting goods to Bottom Dollar to sell use large trucks, sometimes refrigerated for the frozen goods.

Bottom Dollar is a discount grocery chain, a cheaper option for consumers who cannot afford more expensive goods. It sells both private brands and national brands at low price.

The shoppers at Bottom Dollar were varied in race and gender, but mostly similar in age. I observed that most shoppers were elderly, however some were middle-aged with a few of them having brought their children. There we both men and women, and most of them were white or African American, but there were some Hispanics there. I observed that many of the customers knew what they were going to purchase prior to arriving at Bottom Dollar, and, as opposed to Wegmans, walked directly up to and item and put it in their cart. I assume that since customers at Wegmans have a higher income than customers at Bottom Dollar, they go into Wegmans with a mindset of knowing they can look for a variety of options and purchase more goods than they were planning. Customers at Bottom Dollar, however, know what they need and then purchase it.

The exterior of Bottom Dollar has stickers on the windows with discount prices on it. As you enter, you notice that it is structured like most grocery stores, with aisles sorted with different types of items in each row. The fruits and vegetables are at the front of the store with small plastic bags to bag the items. In the back of the store are meats and cheeses, most of which are prepackaged. In each row are the items, with prices right underneath and deals a customer can use. Bottom Dollar also has discount cards. Employees and sellers were varied in race and gender as well. They were in their 20′s or older, and they were either white, Hispanic, or African American.

Merchandise is very similar to Giant or Bloom, however, it is mostly cheaper in price. I observed that one can purchase a 3 pack of Pop Secret Movie Theatre Butter Popcorn for $2.68, and then purchase a 6 pack of the same item for only 30 cents more at $2.98. Most of the items are cheaper and of less quality, but it puzzles me as to why someone would not shop at Bottom Dollar. Bottom Dollar has some of the same items that would be at Giant or Wegman but at less the price. There are also deals like 4 for $3.00 or 2 for $6.00. I personally probably won’t go to Bottom Dollar since I live right next to Giant. I can just walk right over to Giant and spend 4 more cents on certain items and feel okay. While I was at Bottom Dollar, however, I purchased Cheese Its Hot and Spicy, and 2 Chunky Soups. All of these items have been eaten by now.

Overall I would say that Bottom Dollar is a great option for someone looking for cheaper merchandise. Besides lower prices and less options, Bottom Dollar is very similar to Giant, where most people prefer to go. I would comment that Bottom Dollar has lower quality food, however, and from what we have been discussing in class, I have taken notice and action in purchasing healthier foods. For lower prices, go to Bottom Dollar, for higher quality, search a Wegmans, Whole Foods, or Farmer’s Market.

Banana Cultures Reflection

clarsen — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 13:21:16 +0000

In his book, “Banana Cultures”, historian John Soluri discusses the agricultural banana industry in Honduras and how the United States had an effect on it. One thing Soluri discussed at length was the role of women in the banana industry. Just like in the book “Chicken”, these Honduran women were forced (in order to keep their job) to work long and tiresome hours in dangerous conditions without the proper safety required for the job. While these women worked these long hours and lived in poor conditions, the companies in the United States were advertising their bananas using a cartoon of an attractive young lady named Miss Chiquita. ”Banana Cultures” reminded me a lot of many of the books that we have already read and I am beginning to understand a common theme in the food industry: companies care far more about money than people. Because of this, peoples lives are effected in many ways but mostly nutritionally from the food and physically from the labor. Whether we are talking about pesticides or dangerous factories, something must be done to stop the food industry from treating humans like this.

Chicken Reflection

clarsen — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:31:59 +0000

In Chicken: The Dangerous Transformation of America’s Food, author and anthropologist Steve Striffler discusses the history of how the chicken industry came to be as it is today, and the atrocities behind mass chicken processing. This book is crazy and definitely wasn’t what I expected. I had expected this book to concentrate more on the injustices being done towards chickens (which it definitely does), but Striffler focuses more on the human workers in factories. Striffler, who himself worked in a Tyson chicken processing plant, is an expert about what goes on behind the scenes, and discussed the low wages, working conditions, and physical toils of working at a chicken processing plant. I am very glad he did this, because often times I feel like America focuses far too much on injustices being done towards animals without discussing the human side. Chicken hasn’t really motivated me to be a vegetarian all the way yet, but I would still like to try it out for a week.

Food Journal 11/4/11

clarsen — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:49:13 +0000

Like the last food journal, I drink water periodically throughout the day and during meals. If I did not drink water, I have noted.

Sunday

10:00 - Sausage, Taters, French Toast, Pineapple, Mini Oreos, Turkey, Roast Beef, Gravy, and Orange Juice.

1:00 - Various Chocolates.

4:00 - Chipotle – Burrito Bowl (Rice, Chicken, Black Beans, Cheese, Lettuce, Tomatos).

Between 7-9 - Various Chocolates and Candy. Half a bag of Dorito Spicy Sweet Chili Chips.

Monday

10:45 - Two slices of bread as running out the door.

11:50 - Nina’s Cart – Chicken Fajita Wrap. Cool Ranch Doritos. Gatorade.

1:15 - Various Chocolates, Candy, finished the Dorito Spicy Sweet Chili chips.

4:00 - Cheese Balls.

6:30 - Teriyaki Noodles.

8:00 - Smores, Garden Salsa Chips, Cider.

Tuesday

9:15 - Strawberry Yogurt Parfait w/ Granola. Blueberry Nutri-Grain Bar. Bagel. Diet Peach Tea.

2-5 - Snacked. Chocolate. Popcorn. Chips.

6:30 - Seaco – Noodles and Pasta Sauce. Pizza. Salad. Ice Cream. A Fortune Cookie (didn’t give me a very good fortune).

8:00 - Buffalo Wild Wings – 8 Wings (6 Medium, 2 Asian Zing).

Wednesday

6:45pm - Seaco – Gyro, Tomato Pizza, Potatoes, Salad, French Fries, Ham.

7:30 - Eagles Nest – Fruit Mix Drink. Kentucky Fried Chicken Salad.

10:00 - A Cupcake.

Thursday

9:15 - Large Coffee.

12:30 - Roast Beef Sandwich. Cool Ranch Doritos.

9:30 - Sweet Frog – Ice Cream Mixture: Cookies and Cream, Cake Batter, Peanut Butter. Toppings: Cookie Dough, Reeses, Coconut, Hot Fudge Syrup.

Reflection:

This week it was interesting to look at the differences between my other food journal from a few weeks ago, and this one. One thing I did not improve on at all was eating three squares a day. As you can see by my journal, eating is quite sporadic and at different times of the day. One thing I did improve on, however, was having more sit-down family style meals. There were seven occasions in which I had brunch, dinner, or ice cream with a friend or group of friends. I did not improve much on eating fruit, so this is still something I have to change. Another thing I must improve on is eating breakfast. I believe breakfast is the most important meal of the day and fuels you through the rest of the day. I am also considering going vegetarian for a week.

Silent Spring Reflection

clarsen — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 12:29:08 +0000

This was a very interesting read mostly for two reasons. Number one: I had never known where or how the global environment movement really got started. Number two: it was cool to see the perspectives, thoughts, and situations going on in the 1960s concerning protecting the environment. In “Silent Spring”, Rachel Carson, a marine biologist and conservationist discusses the effects of pesticides and insecticides on the environment, animals, and human beings. It was incredible to see the governments extensive use of these poisonous chemicals on not only their intended target in farmlands but also on suburbia where people were of course living. It makes no sense that the government would not use the money prior to spraying to inspect the potential damages these pesticides and insecticides can bring to plants, animals, and humans. I would like to see what the government’s stance on pesticides and insecticides is and how it was impacted by Rachel Carson.

I Love Vickie Shufer

clarsen — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 05:06:40 +0000

Last Tuesday, our class had the privilege to see the American author and survival expert Vickie Shufer. My first reaction of Vickie Shufer was that she is very energetic and passionate about her work. Shufer informed us of all the different foods (especially berries and nuts) one can forage for around the area. It was so interesting to hear of so many different edible outdoor foods that I probably never would have heard about unless I went to her talk. Shufer gave us a rundown of all of the foods you can eat, and then even had them as examples and free samples. The examples and free samples were probably the best part. I especially enjoyed when Shufer used the heel of her shoe to crack open the acorns so we could try them. Since I do a fair bit of backpacking, the instruction on foraging and of gathering your own foods were useful and will be even more and more useful while I’m on trails. Vickie was a very interesting person, and I would love to visit her farm or parks she works at.

School Lunch Politics Reflection

clarsen — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 12:01:24 +0000

In her book, “School Lunch Politics”, Susan Levine analyzes the relationships of school lunches to American culture, politics, and economic standing. It was really interesting to see how school lunches were impacted so profoundly by the economic standing and current happenings of the United States. Probably the most interesting part was Levine’s examination of school lunches during World War II. Since women were working in factories and other jobs that men would usually work, students needed school lunches more and more. Also, since the American perception was that the men of their country would go off to fight, school lunches were made nutritious so that boys could grow up to be those strong soldiers that the United States needed. Since then, however, school lunches seem to be more fast-food style. I never at school lunches so it was interesting to read about this.

The Omnivore’s Dilemma Reflection

clarsen — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 11:59:14 +0000

In my opinion, The Omnivore’s Dilemma is definitely the most interesting and unique book we have read so far. Published in 2006, the last few chapters of The Omnivore’s Dilemma look at the author’s, Michael Pollan, search to prepare a meal only from what he has grown himself, hunted for, and gathered. During this section Pollan takes us through his journey in learning various things like how to hunt and how to pick out wild mushrooms that are edible. The way that Pollan writes is not so much him making points, but more taking us through his journey and giving us his opinions on the things he learned more about through experience. I liked that this section conveyed not only all that he did but his emotional reactions through it all. Hunting and gathering is not really a technique used in the United States anymore, but seeing Pollan imitate these techniques was really interesting. I can’t imagine what the United States would look like if these techniques were adopted and used by a large amount of people. Seeing what Pollan did kind of inspired me, and I might even try to prepare for myself a meal where the ingredients are only from hunting, gathering, and gardening.