food autobiography
Food is my World
It all started when I was in the womb and had absolutely no control over anything. I was fed through a tube that connected to the outsider that held me for 8 months or so, my mother. As a fetus, we receive nutrients based off the type of lifestyle our mother’s live. Thankfully, my mother was free of drugs and alcohol during her pregnancy, despite her surroundings. At the time, my family was well off but not necessarily in the best standings financially, which ultimately affected the way they were eating. Although fast food was available, culture saved them from the obesity curse that some of their peers could not escape. My grandmother made sure there were close to no days without balanced, home cooked meals, which limited the junk my mother ate while pregnant. After birth, I was mostly breastfed. Breastfeeding was glorified because of the positive effects on newborns. Breastmilk was more affordable, a better form of nutrition, and enhanced the mother- child bond in a way that formula could not.
Growing up, I was raised and reared alongside my cousins. There were approximately five of us that would be together at two main points of the day: breakfast and after school. Having to get five children together early in the morning was hardly an easy task but my grandmother made it seem like a breeze. Foods such as oatmeal, grits, cream of wheat, and farina began to make an astounding presence in my life. These foods were affordable, quick to make and consume, and had the ability to serve more people. They were “add water” type of meals. But, to add a splash of creativity, she would season them to perfection. We went our separate ways for school then reunited afterwards. When we came home, sandwiches were the most common meal sitting on the table. Besides the simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich or bologna and cheese, quick foods such as hot dogs would make a special appearance. Similar to our breakfast meals, hot dogs were an “add water” food, simply boil them for 5-10 minutes and they were ready to serve. Snacks were something we rarely asked for because of our quick, filling meals. But, there was a store on the corner that we were allowed to get snacks from, only after we had eaten “real food”. Some of our snacking habits included 50 cent bags of chip accompanied by a hug juice, oatmeal creme pies, and our favorite treat, moon pies. Although it didn’t seem like much to us, the sugar and fat we were digesting from our snack trips were overwhelming. Luckily, our grandmother knew the food industries gimmicks and had us play outside for at least an hour to work off the quick calories we gained. This was her way of encouraging a balanced lifestyles that didn’t snatch the joy that sweets brought us.
During my childhood, there were two houses that took on all the duties of holiday cooking. My grandmother’s and my aunt’s house, which were two doors down from each other. Every holiday was a feast, complete with every type of American food you could think of: macaroni, greens, yams, turkey, chicken, fish, salad, egg pie, red velvet cake, and the list goes on. As children, most of our plates at the kiddie table looked identical: chicken, two sides, and a dessert. Nothing spectacular, but always filling and delicious. These were the “kids foods”. It wasn’t until I got older that I realized the differences of plates between kids and adults. I remember glancing at my mother’s plate one Christmas and seeing a long spiked leg on her plate, when I asked what it was, all she replied was “its not for kids”. Now I know, it was a crab leg, and after that day, I made sure it would be for “this” kid. I begged her for weeks after that Christmas to make me crab legs. Three weeks after non- stop begging, she caved in and broiled the legs, melted the butter, and served it to her nagging daughter, me. This was my first real encounter with seafood because they had written it off as an “adult food” all the years before. Curiosity caused me to ask about the distinction of adult food versus kid food. Money was the answer. It was more feasible to keep children’s plates separate from adult plates. Children received common meat that was inexpensive, and sold in bulk. Meats such as chicken, turkey, and ham made it to our plates frequently but, seafood and pork chops rarely touched our tempted tongues (unless we banned together and snuck it out of the kitchen, then we met at our secret spot and everyone was allowed one bite until our meaty friend was gone). Traditional holiday dinners were carried on and now that we have potluck style holidays, the dinners not only give everyone a chance to display their talent in the kitchen, it gives the new age children the opportunity to have a taste of the adult life, which was once unimaginable.
Before 2017, every food was fair game for me (except shitterlings, I never got past the smell). When I traveled with my mom, I tried new foods like duck and octopus and even a fried frog leg, it was part of my adventurous spirit. Snacks were also a huge part of my life. Whenever I was bored, I ate. Oatmeal cream pies, cereal, rice krispies, cheetos, twinkies, were my friends. As I grew up, my tastebuds began to mature and those snacks soon became my distant friends, we would have encounters, but not often; I was growing up.
My senior year of high school, I began taking my Christianity more serious and I decided to sacrifice something for “lent”, a period of 40 days and nights where participants sacrifice an activity or habit. My sacrifice was consuming beef, pork, and pop. I cut them out of my diet and began seeing immediate favorable results: losing weight, more energy, and my face was clearing up from acne. Despite these results, I decided to eat a hamburger the day after lent ended, which completely destroyed my stomach and made me hate all beef and pork products (I solemnly swore to myself that cows were friends, not food). This moment in my life helped me realize how sensitive our stomachs are and how eliminating certain food groups can benefit you.
Seven months ago, I transformed to a complete pescaterian. My mother was the main influence for me becoming a pescaterian. She has been a vegetarian for about a year and stopped cooking meat. Without her cooking meat, it made sense for me to remove it from my diet as well, seeing as how it would not be available at home. Seafood and starches currently make up most of my diet, balanced with vegetables and fruits. I love apples and salad and I eat one daily. Being at Michigan State aids in my diet plan because I do my best to ration my limited food swipes. When I reminisce on foods I used to eat, I do not look at them with disgust because I often tell myself, “I was happier when I was fat”. Now that I am aware of the hidden costs of fast food and the snack industry, I know in the long run, the alterations I have made in my eating will positively affect my life.
It all started when I was in the womb and had absolutely no control over anything. I was fed through a tube that connected to the outsider that held me for 8 months or so, my mother. As a fetus, we receive nutrients based off the type of lifestyle our mother’s live. Thankfully, my mother was free of drugs and alcohol during her pregnancy, despite her surroundings. At the time, my family was well off but not necessarily in the best standings financially, which ultimately affected the way they were eating. Although fast food was available, culture saved them from the obesity curse that some of their peers could not escape. My grandmother made sure there were close to no days without balanced, home cooked meals, which limited the junk my mother ate while pregnant. After birth, I was mostly breastfed. Breastfeeding was glorified because of the positive effects on newborns. Breastmilk was more affordable, a better form of nutrition, and enhanced the mother- child bond in a way that formula could not.
Growing up, I was raised and reared alongside my cousins. There were approximately five of us that would be together at two main points of the day: breakfast and after school. Having to get five children together early in the morning was hardly an easy task but my grandmother made it seem like a breeze. Foods such as oatmeal, grits, cream of wheat, and farina began to make an astounding presence in my life. These foods were affordable, quick to make and consume, and had the ability to serve more people. They were “add water” type of meals. But, to add a splash of creativity, she would season them to perfection. We went our separate ways for school then reunited afterwards. When we came home, sandwiches were the most common meal sitting on the table. Besides the simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich or bologna and cheese, quick foods such as hot dogs would make a special appearance. Similar to our breakfast meals, hot dogs were an “add water” food, simply boil them for 5-10 minutes and they were ready to serve. Snacks were something we rarely asked for because of our quick, filling meals. But, there was a store on the corner that we were allowed to get snacks from, only after we had eaten “real food”. Some of our snacking habits included 50 cent bags of chip accompanied by a hug juice, oatmeal creme pies, and our favorite treat, moon pies. Although it didn’t seem like much to us, the sugar and fat we were digesting from our snack trips were overwhelming. Luckily, our grandmother knew the food industries gimmicks and had us play outside for at least an hour to work off the quick calories we gained. This was her way of encouraging a balanced lifestyles that didn’t snatch the joy that sweets brought us.
During my childhood, there were two houses that took on all the duties of holiday cooking. My grandmother’s and my aunt’s house, which were two doors down from each other. Every holiday was a feast, complete with every type of American food you could think of: macaroni, greens, yams, turkey, chicken, fish, salad, egg pie, red velvet cake, and the list goes on. As children, most of our plates at the kiddie table looked identical: chicken, two sides, and a dessert. Nothing spectacular, but always filling and delicious. These were the “kids foods”. It wasn’t until I got older that I realized the differences of plates between kids and adults. I remember glancing at my mother’s plate one Christmas and seeing a long spiked leg on her plate, when I asked what it was, all she replied was “its not for kids”. Now I know, it was a crab leg, and after that day, I made sure it would be for “this” kid. I begged her for weeks after that Christmas to make me crab legs. Three weeks after non- stop begging, she caved in and broiled the legs, melted the butter, and served it to her nagging daughter, me. This was my first real encounter with seafood because they had written it off as an “adult food” all the years before. Curiosity caused me to ask about the distinction of adult food versus kid food. Money was the answer. It was more feasible to keep children’s plates separate from adult plates. Children received common meat that was inexpensive, and sold in bulk. Meats such as chicken, turkey, and ham made it to our plates frequently but, seafood and pork chops rarely touched our tempted tongues (unless we banned together and snuck it out of the kitchen, then we met at our secret spot and everyone was allowed one bite until our meaty friend was gone). Traditional holiday dinners were carried on and now that we have potluck style holidays, the dinners not only give everyone a chance to display their talent in the kitchen, it gives the new age children the opportunity to have a taste of the adult life, which was once unimaginable.
Before 2017, every food was fair game for me (except shitterlings, I never got past the smell). When I traveled with my mom, I tried new foods like duck and octopus and even a fried frog leg, it was part of my adventurous spirit. Snacks were also a huge part of my life. Whenever I was bored, I ate. Oatmeal cream pies, cereal, rice krispies, cheetos, twinkies, were my friends. As I grew up, my tastebuds began to mature and those snacks soon became my distant friends, we would have encounters, but not often; I was growing up.
My senior year of high school, I began taking my Christianity more serious and I decided to sacrifice something for “lent”, a period of 40 days and nights where participants sacrifice an activity or habit. My sacrifice was consuming beef, pork, and pop. I cut them out of my diet and began seeing immediate favorable results: losing weight, more energy, and my face was clearing up from acne. Despite these results, I decided to eat a hamburger the day after lent ended, which completely destroyed my stomach and made me hate all beef and pork products (I solemnly swore to myself that cows were friends, not food). This moment in my life helped me realize how sensitive our stomachs are and how eliminating certain food groups can benefit you.
Seven months ago, I transformed to a complete pescaterian. My mother was the main influence for me becoming a pescaterian. She has been a vegetarian for about a year and stopped cooking meat. Without her cooking meat, it made sense for me to remove it from my diet as well, seeing as how it would not be available at home. Seafood and starches currently make up most of my diet, balanced with vegetables and fruits. I love apples and salad and I eat one daily. Being at Michigan State aids in my diet plan because I do my best to ration my limited food swipes. When I reminisce on foods I used to eat, I do not look at them with disgust because I often tell myself, “I was happier when I was fat”. Now that I am aware of the hidden costs of fast food and the snack industry, I know in the long run, the alterations I have made in my eating will positively affect my life.
pandora's lunchbox email
A Letter to my Roomie
"In my ISS class, much of our focus revolves around food and how it has changed over the years. Currently, we are reviewing the ways in which our ideas of food, cooking, and processed foods have modernized. For an assignment, I am required to send you an email about a book we read, Pandora’s Lunchbox by Melanie Warner. Food is something we both value deeply, but, I’m afraid we are not knowledgeable about what we’re putting into our bodies. While reading Pandora’s Lunchbox, I was convinced she wrote the book to steer us completely from “processed foods”, which she describes as “something that could not be made, with the same ingredients, in a home kitchen” (xviii). But Warner stresses that she is not trying to scare us, instead, she wrote the book “with the core belief that it’s important to understand what we’re eating” (xviii). Without knowledge of where our food comes from, it is complicated to understand what we’re truly eating.
The shift of traditional cooking has had a major impact on our lives whether we realize it or not. Both of our mothers and grandmothers had the creativity and capacity to cook using little to no processed foods. But what happened to us? Originally, cooking was more than a way to sustain life, it was pride and joy for many women, a way to display their talent and creativity, an escape (Shapiro 44). But for us, it seems more of a hassle. We feel pressed to keep up with busy lifestyles that include work, school, and a social life; which leads to us eating an increased amount of processed and fast food foods. Over time, food companies tried introducing and enforcing processed foods and our need for them by emphasizing a fast pace of living (Shapiro 45). By the looks of our fridge, we have succumbed because we have mostly processed, quick foods. More processed foods were created during the postwar era and the food companies presented them as time saving foods and convenient foods. But, before this era, “women themselves rarely complained that cooking took too much time (Shapiro 46).” Before we were born, women had a lot more time on their hands, the rush of life did not necessarily pick up until the post war era. Before this era, women mostly stuck to household and family care tasks such as cleaning, cooking, and child care. While these arduous tasks were often overlooked, women found peace in cooking. Currently, the pace of living has expedited due to things such as the fight for equal rights for women which ultimately introduced women into the workforce.
As full time students with jobs, it is rare that we find time to cook meals and processed foods are extremely convenient in our eyes. We value processed foods because they are easy to prepare and make cooking meals more efficient. Around the 1920s, women would make everything from scratch and they rarely used any processed items. They created fresh dough for bread, their own jams, stews, and sauces (Shapiro 53). In contrast, we buy pre- packed bread, jelly, and sauces because it is affordable and time efficient. While I do not have a problem with the food additives we use, after reading Pandora’s Lunchbox, I believe we need to be more cognizant of what we are consuming.
As we both can decipher from the 4 different brands we have in our refrigerator, we love cheese. But, I’m afraid your favorite type is the most dangerous and scientifically modified. Although it is the most commonly used cheese, especially in fast food chains and impoverished communities, American cheese is the most processed and unnatural cheese. The cheese endures several scientific processes to reach its final and current form. Due to the scientific processes of the cheese, scientists have made the cheese able to survive significantly longer than natural cheese, which attracts many consumers (Warner 47). American cheese is used vastly in fast food chains because it is cheaper and more sustainable than natural cheese. But, its health effects are more detrimental, "processed cheese has more sodium, which Americans are vastly over consuming” (Warner 46). The increase we see in sodium consumption leads to major health risks like high blood pressure which can lead to diabetes, and increased risk of heart attacks and coronary diseases. Also, when scientists focus on extending the shelf life, they kill off the bacteria that “feeds on lactose” (Warner 46) which has the potential to lower negative side effects of cheese (gas and other stomach problems) for lactose intolerant consumers. In simpler terms, when scientists extend shelf life for profit, they put consumers' health at risk. Mass production of processed cheese, similar to other foods, has economic benefits for producers but often comes with negative health effects.
Reading Pandora’s Lunchbox highlighted this theme of economics over health. The book made me question who should be held accountable for the foods we consume. But, that question does not yield solid answer, there are blurred lines between the consumer’s responsibility, and the manufacturer’s. At the end of the day, most consumers buy what is convenient and affordable. If processed foods are what’s available then they will be purchased. But, manufacturers should have a moral obligation to assist consumers who are less fortunate by making healthier processed foods. For the manufacturers to choose morality over money should be an easy choice, but it is not always the case. It can be hard for scientist to choose the general welfare when their live's would be put at risk, "they [scientists/ manufacturers] may succumb to financially motivated wishful thinking about what constitutes healthy food, but that’s because they're doing what they’re good at and what they’re rewarded for: industrially processing foods to make them profitable…” (Warner 202). As consumers, we can not expect manufacturers to risk their entire careers to save us, we must work with them to demand a healthier change for what they are producing and distributing. But, only in a way that benefits both consumers and producers, otherwise, the scale will never be even and one group of people will always be the underdog."
topic explorer
Government Aid: Food
Topic Potential
Government food aid and potentially the lack of it, is a topic that personally evokes a lot of emotion. I strongly believe that everyone should have equal opportunities to succeed. But, our society is set up in such a way that it is virtually impossible to do. The government food aid programs is only one example of a system that is portrayed to help people in America with low opportunities to succeed. But, it is also so construed by the people in power, that the program is harming its participants. I believe this topic is important because food is one common thing that everyone needs to survive. No matter the background, the upbringing, or the current situation, no one can live without food. Therefore, there should be equal access to quality food.
The term quality food often gets swept under the rug when the topic of food is brought to the table. Politicians and other people in power like to avoid situations that will make them uncomfortable and I believe the question “Why don’t poor people in America have the same access of food to the rich people in America?” is a question that will make anyone squirm. It is clearly not fair that food isn’t accessible anywhere, but my problem is the fact that it can be changed.
I commend the SNAPP program for the work it does but I also believe it can do more. There is no reason for families in America to be hungry when we have money that is funding military programs. I believe it is more important to eat than to wage war. Priorities in America are completely out of line with Trump in office and I pray that they realign before he gains enough power to truly get rid of people that can not afford the lifestyle needed to survive in today’s society.
News Articles
Each of my news articles relate to the United States government and how they provide “aid” in forms of food, for those who qualify. Although they relate to the same topic, the three articles take different approaches: the CNBC article addresses Trump’s proposal to eradicate the current bridge card system and replace it with premade packages, the US News article highlights US government aid to other countries, and lastly, the Eligibility article just outlines details of the current SNAPP program.
Trump’s plan to eradicate the bridge card program would allow him to also cut the budget. He plans to remove the choice from families and instead, provide them with a prepackaged cart. In my opinion, this proposal infringes on several rights of US citizens and also gives the government too much power over households. Removing the bridge card will eliminate parents' ability to choose what their family needs and will be able to eat. Trump’s baskets also do not include fresh fruit and vegetables, instead most of the food will be processed foods that can last for an extended period of time on shelves. Trump is potentially sacrificing the health of many families across America for economic profit.
During the Obama administration, “world hunger” was a major theme in his campaign. Consequently, tax payers dollars went toward the effort. Money was spent to transport food from America to other countries, on American ships. While this is a great effort, some problems arose. The major problem was the fact that instead of buying food from producers in the countries we were shipping to, we were forced to buy food from American producers, which raised the cost and resulted in less food per family. Personally, I found the article shocking because we are helping to end world hunger, but clearly have not ended American hunger.
The last article I chose, was an article that explained qualifications for food assistance, guidelines for the food that can be bought, and instructions on how to apply. I found this article helpful because one, I am looking to apply for a bridge card and secondly because I find it crazy how people can be limited to what they can spend their money on and how different it must be for them to budget with the money allotted to them. Overall, the articles contributed to my understanding of the SNAPP program as a whole, and some of the problems it faces.
Podcast
The title of the podcast I listened to does a great job introducing the theme, “The Food Stamp Program”. The podcast is an interview between two women, Michelle Bazie and Stacy Dean, the Vice President for Food Assistance Policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Although it was short, the podcast pointed out a few pieces of materials that I wasn't aware of.
For instance, in 2009 (when the podcast was recorded), a participant must have been under 130% of the poverty line in the US. Dean goes further into explanation and reveals that, for a family of 3, the income would have to be $2,000 or less per month, or $24,000 per year. 130% under the poverty line, never seemed like a real concept to me and I am still confused because it does not register to me how it is possible for a family to literally be more than 100% poorer than legally poor. Cautions in different areas rise for me hearing that this is possible because this means it is not rare for families to have this income. If 130% under the poverty line was required to receive aid, the government is aware that millions of families are beyond poverty stricken. In instances such as these, I often question how a government could be comfortable keeping living expenses so high, when many of its residents fall to a point where they are 130% below poverty. I wish the podcast went into a little more depth to help the listeners understand what 130% under the poverty line is like because for me, it was unimaginable.
The other thing the article brought to my attention was the fact that many families' food aid can fluctuate based off of life’s twists and turns, both expected and unexpected. For instance, the prevalence of elders or people with disability has potential to boost aid. But, as soon as you are qualified as making enough income, they can eliminate your benefits immediately. I would expect for such a program to be more considerate of people and try weaning them off of the aid before completely removing it. Both of these demonstrate how unfair such a program makes distributing funds.
Book
The book I chose is “Feeding the Poor: Assessing Federal Food Aid”, written by Peter H. Rossi. The book gives input on the efforts America is putting forward to assist people living in poverty. The other materials I chose, focused solely on the food stamp program and without including this book, the reader could mistake the SNAPP program as the only food aid program benefiting poor families. Along with the food stamp program, the book also gives an overlook of programs such as Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), the School Breakfast Program (SBP), and the Child Care Food Program (CCFP).
Personally, children have always had a special place in my heart. I am passionate about the protection and development of children. For this reason, I am starting a nonprofit that aims to develop well rounded children, mentally and physically. This project has highlighted the importance of children hunger around the country. I never thought about the fact that some children only are fed in schools and outside programs, such as my nonprofit.
The book introduces the NSLP and SBP which both contributes to children eating during school hours. The qualifications for National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program align with the families that are allotted food stamp benefits; children with families that fall 130% below the poverty line are offered free lunches, and children with families whose income falls within 131-185 percent of the poverty level are offered reduced price lunches. While these lunches are beneficial for school age children, they do not provide for unborn children and toddlers, which is where WIC and CCFP fill the gaps.
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC, is a program that benefits children before birth, in order to prevent them from needing additional help once born. For example, mothers are given resources during pregnancies that aid in the prevention of infant mortality, anemia in babies, and nutrient deficient illness. WIC benefits are eliminated once the child turns 5 and hopefully by then, the child is either in school and eligible for SBP and NSLP. If the child isn’t in school and instead is enrolled in childcare, there is a possibility the family can receive reduced or no- cost meals for their child, in daycare.
All of these programs are aimed to prevent children being hungry while in legal care: schools, daycares, etc.
Sources
Podcast - https://www.cbpp.org/research/podcast-the-food-stamp-program
Articles- https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/13/white-house-proposes-delivering-food-boxes-instead-of-food-stamps.html (Published by CNBC LLC)
https://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/world-report/2015/04/25/food-aid-reform-would-allow-us-to-feed-more-for-less (Published by U.S. News & World Report L.P.)
https://eligibility.com/food-stamps (Published by Eligibilyty.com LLC)
Book- Rossi, Peter H. Feeding the Poor: Assessing Federal Food Aid. AEI Press, 1998.
Topic Potential
Government food aid and potentially the lack of it, is a topic that personally evokes a lot of emotion. I strongly believe that everyone should have equal opportunities to succeed. But, our society is set up in such a way that it is virtually impossible to do. The government food aid programs is only one example of a system that is portrayed to help people in America with low opportunities to succeed. But, it is also so construed by the people in power, that the program is harming its participants. I believe this topic is important because food is one common thing that everyone needs to survive. No matter the background, the upbringing, or the current situation, no one can live without food. Therefore, there should be equal access to quality food.
The term quality food often gets swept under the rug when the topic of food is brought to the table. Politicians and other people in power like to avoid situations that will make them uncomfortable and I believe the question “Why don’t poor people in America have the same access of food to the rich people in America?” is a question that will make anyone squirm. It is clearly not fair that food isn’t accessible anywhere, but my problem is the fact that it can be changed.
I commend the SNAPP program for the work it does but I also believe it can do more. There is no reason for families in America to be hungry when we have money that is funding military programs. I believe it is more important to eat than to wage war. Priorities in America are completely out of line with Trump in office and I pray that they realign before he gains enough power to truly get rid of people that can not afford the lifestyle needed to survive in today’s society.
News Articles
Each of my news articles relate to the United States government and how they provide “aid” in forms of food, for those who qualify. Although they relate to the same topic, the three articles take different approaches: the CNBC article addresses Trump’s proposal to eradicate the current bridge card system and replace it with premade packages, the US News article highlights US government aid to other countries, and lastly, the Eligibility article just outlines details of the current SNAPP program.
Trump’s plan to eradicate the bridge card program would allow him to also cut the budget. He plans to remove the choice from families and instead, provide them with a prepackaged cart. In my opinion, this proposal infringes on several rights of US citizens and also gives the government too much power over households. Removing the bridge card will eliminate parents' ability to choose what their family needs and will be able to eat. Trump’s baskets also do not include fresh fruit and vegetables, instead most of the food will be processed foods that can last for an extended period of time on shelves. Trump is potentially sacrificing the health of many families across America for economic profit.
During the Obama administration, “world hunger” was a major theme in his campaign. Consequently, tax payers dollars went toward the effort. Money was spent to transport food from America to other countries, on American ships. While this is a great effort, some problems arose. The major problem was the fact that instead of buying food from producers in the countries we were shipping to, we were forced to buy food from American producers, which raised the cost and resulted in less food per family. Personally, I found the article shocking because we are helping to end world hunger, but clearly have not ended American hunger.
The last article I chose, was an article that explained qualifications for food assistance, guidelines for the food that can be bought, and instructions on how to apply. I found this article helpful because one, I am looking to apply for a bridge card and secondly because I find it crazy how people can be limited to what they can spend their money on and how different it must be for them to budget with the money allotted to them. Overall, the articles contributed to my understanding of the SNAPP program as a whole, and some of the problems it faces.
Podcast
The title of the podcast I listened to does a great job introducing the theme, “The Food Stamp Program”. The podcast is an interview between two women, Michelle Bazie and Stacy Dean, the Vice President for Food Assistance Policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Although it was short, the podcast pointed out a few pieces of materials that I wasn't aware of.
For instance, in 2009 (when the podcast was recorded), a participant must have been under 130% of the poverty line in the US. Dean goes further into explanation and reveals that, for a family of 3, the income would have to be $2,000 or less per month, or $24,000 per year. 130% under the poverty line, never seemed like a real concept to me and I am still confused because it does not register to me how it is possible for a family to literally be more than 100% poorer than legally poor. Cautions in different areas rise for me hearing that this is possible because this means it is not rare for families to have this income. If 130% under the poverty line was required to receive aid, the government is aware that millions of families are beyond poverty stricken. In instances such as these, I often question how a government could be comfortable keeping living expenses so high, when many of its residents fall to a point where they are 130% below poverty. I wish the podcast went into a little more depth to help the listeners understand what 130% under the poverty line is like because for me, it was unimaginable.
The other thing the article brought to my attention was the fact that many families' food aid can fluctuate based off of life’s twists and turns, both expected and unexpected. For instance, the prevalence of elders or people with disability has potential to boost aid. But, as soon as you are qualified as making enough income, they can eliminate your benefits immediately. I would expect for such a program to be more considerate of people and try weaning them off of the aid before completely removing it. Both of these demonstrate how unfair such a program makes distributing funds.
Book
The book I chose is “Feeding the Poor: Assessing Federal Food Aid”, written by Peter H. Rossi. The book gives input on the efforts America is putting forward to assist people living in poverty. The other materials I chose, focused solely on the food stamp program and without including this book, the reader could mistake the SNAPP program as the only food aid program benefiting poor families. Along with the food stamp program, the book also gives an overlook of programs such as Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), the School Breakfast Program (SBP), and the Child Care Food Program (CCFP).
Personally, children have always had a special place in my heart. I am passionate about the protection and development of children. For this reason, I am starting a nonprofit that aims to develop well rounded children, mentally and physically. This project has highlighted the importance of children hunger around the country. I never thought about the fact that some children only are fed in schools and outside programs, such as my nonprofit.
The book introduces the NSLP and SBP which both contributes to children eating during school hours. The qualifications for National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program align with the families that are allotted food stamp benefits; children with families that fall 130% below the poverty line are offered free lunches, and children with families whose income falls within 131-185 percent of the poverty level are offered reduced price lunches. While these lunches are beneficial for school age children, they do not provide for unborn children and toddlers, which is where WIC and CCFP fill the gaps.
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC, is a program that benefits children before birth, in order to prevent them from needing additional help once born. For example, mothers are given resources during pregnancies that aid in the prevention of infant mortality, anemia in babies, and nutrient deficient illness. WIC benefits are eliminated once the child turns 5 and hopefully by then, the child is either in school and eligible for SBP and NSLP. If the child isn’t in school and instead is enrolled in childcare, there is a possibility the family can receive reduced or no- cost meals for their child, in daycare.
All of these programs are aimed to prevent children being hungry while in legal care: schools, daycares, etc.
Sources
Podcast - https://www.cbpp.org/research/podcast-the-food-stamp-program
Articles- https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/13/white-house-proposes-delivering-food-boxes-instead-of-food-stamps.html (Published by CNBC LLC)
https://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/world-report/2015/04/25/food-aid-reform-would-allow-us-to-feed-more-for-less (Published by U.S. News & World Report L.P.)
https://eligibility.com/food-stamps (Published by Eligibilyty.com LLC)
Book- Rossi, Peter H. Feeding the Poor: Assessing Federal Food Aid. AEI Press, 1998.
Grocery ethnography
Grocery Stalking
For this project, I spent approximately seven minutes at three different locations that supposedly target different shopping consumers: a big supermarket, Kroger, a farmer’s market, East Lansing farmer’s market, and a grocer, Fresh Thyme. While I observed the locations, I focused my attention on three major areas. The infrastructure and interior design, interaction within the location, and the contents sold at the stores.
My first destination was Fresh Thyme. Of the grocers, I chose Fresh Thyme because I had never been there and had no prior knowledge of the store, therefore, I wasn’t biased during my visit. Approaching the building, there were several items for sale, outside of the store: pumpkins, squash, and stalks of corn. I immediately noted that Fresh Thyme must be extremely trustworthy of the area they’re in and their consumers, because they clearly weren’t concerned about theft. It was a convenient marketing ploy to display pumpkins and cornstalks during the Halloween season in order to catch the eye and interest of children. Marketing to children allows parents to be easily persuaded and forces them to buy extra produce.
While I was outside, another thing that struck my attention were the price tags; a pumpkin was $6.00. Immediately, I envisioned walking into the store and seeing little to no children, mid-age white women shopping, and over excited staff. While my first two assumptions were correct, I was not greeted throughout my entire visit, which made me question the interaction of staff with their consumers. Fresh Thyme was structured like a fantasy grocery store. When I entered the extremely organized store, there were tables set up for people to come in and eat, an open salad bar, an antipasto bar, and a section of fruit that was free for children under 12. The smell of the store made my nostrils twitch but, when I continued exploring, I realized the store just smelled “fresh”. I was smelling a mix of all the uncovered fruits and vegetables that were labeled “organic”. I considered the labels and posters of local farmers as a marketing ploy to lure in customers of higher and healthier classes, that can afford to be “picky” eaters, like some vegans or vegetarians. "The Limits of Locavorism", elaborates on the benefits of eating locally grown foods, that are available to those of higher classes. On the other hand, the general American food system, where most of the food is grown in distant factory farms, is the system that most low class or impoverished citizens are bound. This is when I realized, different stores market to different consumers and generally, different social classes.
Entering Kroger was a completely different experience, a familiar experience. But, I had to disconnect my previous knowledge and views of Kroger in order to truly observe the atmosphere. The only thing that was displayed outside of Kroger’s doors was litter. Then, upon entering, the smell differed from that of Fresh Thyme, along with the noise level and overall cleanliness of the store. Kroger smelled like cigarettes and old pop and beer (from deposited cans). Constant chatter was present amongst consumers, and employees, and I was greeted within my first minute in the store, which signaled a sense of community and togetherness that I did not necessarily feel during my visit in Fresh Thyme. Prices in Kroger were much more affordable than Fresh Thyme and there were several “sale” signs. Kroger’s marketing team really encourages the purchase of a Kroger card, which is displayed by the fine print on most of the discounted price signs, that state the deal at hand and end with “... with a Kroger card” (ex: 10/$10 with a Kroger card). Kroger’s fruit was openly displayed as well. But, the major difference that I spotted was there were only certain fruits and vegetables that were labeled as fresh or organic, which startled me because what about the unlabeled fruits? Could they be unfresh? One aspect of Kroger that I held advantageous to Fresh Thyme was the wide array of products sold. Kroger sells diapers, processed foods, toiletries, and alcohol, which I didn’t see a lot of in Fresh Thyme. Due to this expansion of product, Kroger reaches a broader group of consumers such as families, middle class consumers, and “normal” college students that appreciate deals. But, with more consumers comes more responsibilities. Kroger places security cameras in almost every aisle to prevent theft and crime in their store, unlike Fresh Thyme, where I could not spot out any cameras, if they were present.
Since the East Lansing Farmer’s Market is outside, it is virtually impossible for cameras to be present, which brought me to the conclusion that they were the most trustworthy of the three locations. The openness of the location also allowed and encouraged consistent interaction between customers and vendors. The farmer’s market was much more diverse than I expected and included stations like a pickle company, a pizza stand, a burrito stand, and several fruit, vegetable, and meat tents as well. I was expecting for the Farmer’s Market to be somewhat “snooty”, in a way that lacked communication and caused a separation of shoppers from different backgrounds. I knew because of the set- up, the farmer’s market would have to be inclusive of different background shoppers but I felt like black people and other minorities wouldn’t be present, thankfully, my assumption was wrong. Of the three, the farmer’s market is the only location that incentivizes the bridge card program, similar to the study done in “Forbidding Use of Food Stamps”, an article that aimed to study the effect of a 30 cent reimbursement for purchases of fruits and vegetables. For every dollar spent on fruits and vegetables, the market rewards the consumer with $1 to spend on fruits and vegetables.
Overall, the ethnography project forced me to observe portions of grocery shopping that I may not have considered if the project wasn’t assigned. When I grocery shop, I don’t plan on talking with people around me so I’ve never realized the lack of communication that is often present. Also, I rarely pay attention to posters, ads, or the way a building is organized or produce placing. Opening my eyes to some of these factors allowed me to become completely aware of social class and how it can affect how and what you eat; a similar realization to Mr. Brook’s observation, “Americans’ culinary preferences vary by social class” (“In America, you are what you eat…”).
For this project, I spent approximately seven minutes at three different locations that supposedly target different shopping consumers: a big supermarket, Kroger, a farmer’s market, East Lansing farmer’s market, and a grocer, Fresh Thyme. While I observed the locations, I focused my attention on three major areas. The infrastructure and interior design, interaction within the location, and the contents sold at the stores.
My first destination was Fresh Thyme. Of the grocers, I chose Fresh Thyme because I had never been there and had no prior knowledge of the store, therefore, I wasn’t biased during my visit. Approaching the building, there were several items for sale, outside of the store: pumpkins, squash, and stalks of corn. I immediately noted that Fresh Thyme must be extremely trustworthy of the area they’re in and their consumers, because they clearly weren’t concerned about theft. It was a convenient marketing ploy to display pumpkins and cornstalks during the Halloween season in order to catch the eye and interest of children. Marketing to children allows parents to be easily persuaded and forces them to buy extra produce.
While I was outside, another thing that struck my attention were the price tags; a pumpkin was $6.00. Immediately, I envisioned walking into the store and seeing little to no children, mid-age white women shopping, and over excited staff. While my first two assumptions were correct, I was not greeted throughout my entire visit, which made me question the interaction of staff with their consumers. Fresh Thyme was structured like a fantasy grocery store. When I entered the extremely organized store, there were tables set up for people to come in and eat, an open salad bar, an antipasto bar, and a section of fruit that was free for children under 12. The smell of the store made my nostrils twitch but, when I continued exploring, I realized the store just smelled “fresh”. I was smelling a mix of all the uncovered fruits and vegetables that were labeled “organic”. I considered the labels and posters of local farmers as a marketing ploy to lure in customers of higher and healthier classes, that can afford to be “picky” eaters, like some vegans or vegetarians. "The Limits of Locavorism", elaborates on the benefits of eating locally grown foods, that are available to those of higher classes. On the other hand, the general American food system, where most of the food is grown in distant factory farms, is the system that most low class or impoverished citizens are bound. This is when I realized, different stores market to different consumers and generally, different social classes.
Entering Kroger was a completely different experience, a familiar experience. But, I had to disconnect my previous knowledge and views of Kroger in order to truly observe the atmosphere. The only thing that was displayed outside of Kroger’s doors was litter. Then, upon entering, the smell differed from that of Fresh Thyme, along with the noise level and overall cleanliness of the store. Kroger smelled like cigarettes and old pop and beer (from deposited cans). Constant chatter was present amongst consumers, and employees, and I was greeted within my first minute in the store, which signaled a sense of community and togetherness that I did not necessarily feel during my visit in Fresh Thyme. Prices in Kroger were much more affordable than Fresh Thyme and there were several “sale” signs. Kroger’s marketing team really encourages the purchase of a Kroger card, which is displayed by the fine print on most of the discounted price signs, that state the deal at hand and end with “... with a Kroger card” (ex: 10/$10 with a Kroger card). Kroger’s fruit was openly displayed as well. But, the major difference that I spotted was there were only certain fruits and vegetables that were labeled as fresh or organic, which startled me because what about the unlabeled fruits? Could they be unfresh? One aspect of Kroger that I held advantageous to Fresh Thyme was the wide array of products sold. Kroger sells diapers, processed foods, toiletries, and alcohol, which I didn’t see a lot of in Fresh Thyme. Due to this expansion of product, Kroger reaches a broader group of consumers such as families, middle class consumers, and “normal” college students that appreciate deals. But, with more consumers comes more responsibilities. Kroger places security cameras in almost every aisle to prevent theft and crime in their store, unlike Fresh Thyme, where I could not spot out any cameras, if they were present.
Since the East Lansing Farmer’s Market is outside, it is virtually impossible for cameras to be present, which brought me to the conclusion that they were the most trustworthy of the three locations. The openness of the location also allowed and encouraged consistent interaction between customers and vendors. The farmer’s market was much more diverse than I expected and included stations like a pickle company, a pizza stand, a burrito stand, and several fruit, vegetable, and meat tents as well. I was expecting for the Farmer’s Market to be somewhat “snooty”, in a way that lacked communication and caused a separation of shoppers from different backgrounds. I knew because of the set- up, the farmer’s market would have to be inclusive of different background shoppers but I felt like black people and other minorities wouldn’t be present, thankfully, my assumption was wrong. Of the three, the farmer’s market is the only location that incentivizes the bridge card program, similar to the study done in “Forbidding Use of Food Stamps”, an article that aimed to study the effect of a 30 cent reimbursement for purchases of fruits and vegetables. For every dollar spent on fruits and vegetables, the market rewards the consumer with $1 to spend on fruits and vegetables.
Overall, the ethnography project forced me to observe portions of grocery shopping that I may not have considered if the project wasn’t assigned. When I grocery shop, I don’t plan on talking with people around me so I’ve never realized the lack of communication that is often present. Also, I rarely pay attention to posters, ads, or the way a building is organized or produce placing. Opening my eyes to some of these factors allowed me to become completely aware of social class and how it can affect how and what you eat; a similar realization to Mr. Brook’s observation, “Americans’ culinary preferences vary by social class” (“In America, you are what you eat…”).
food autobiography 2
Food is my World… continued
It all started when I was in the womb and had absolutely no control over anything. I was fed through a tube that connected to the outsider that held me for 8 months, my mother. As a fetus, we receive nutrients based off the type of lifestyle our mother’s live. Thankfully, my mother was free of drugs and alcohol during her pregnancy, despite her surroundings. At the time, my family was well off but not necessarily in the best standings financially, which ultimately affected the way they were eating.
Although fast food was available, culture saved them from the obesity curse that some of their peers could not escape. As our family matriarch, my grandmother made sure there were close to no days without balanced, home cooked meals. She used strategies similar to those in the reading “How to be your own Italian Grandmother”; preparing meals that would last longer than one sitting, limiting the junk my mother ate while pregnant. Being born prematurely, my mother felt it was safer to breastfeed. Breastfeeding was glorified because of the positive effects on newborns. Breast milk was more affordable, a better form of nutrition, and enhanced the mother- child bond in a way that formula could not. While researching government food aid for the group project, I found that WIC participants that breastfeed receive aid longer than non breastfeeding participants, which was another benefit of my mother’s choice to breastfeed. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children or “WIC”, contributed greatly to my development by providing baby food, breast pumps, and other essentials while I was younger.
Growing up, I was raised and reared alongside my cousins. There were approximately five of us that would be together at two main points of the day: breakfast and after school. Having to get five children together early in the morning was hardly an easy task but my grandmother made it seem like a breeze. Foods such as oatmeal, grits, cream of wheat, and farina began to make an astounding presence in my life. These foods were affordable, quick to make and consume, and had the ability to serve more people. They were “add water” type of meals. Recently, I learned that oatmeal, grits, and cream of wheat were so easy to prepare because they are considered “processed foods”. While Melanie Warner defines a processed food as “anything that can’t be made in her kitchen”, my definition strays a bit. I believe most foods that we consider processed are mislabeled, they can be made in the kitchen but they would take far more time to prepare than we are willing to put forward. Instead, most processed foods should be called “convenient foods.” Almost every food can be made in the kitchen but time is the determining factor in whether the food is considered processed or convenient. To add a splash of creativity, my grandmother would season the convenient foods to perfection.
My cousins and I went our separate ways for school then reunited afterwards. When we returned, sandwiches were the most common meal sitting on the table. Besides the simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich or bologna and cheese, quick foods such as hot dogs would make a special appearance. Similar to our breakfast meals, hot dogs were an “add water” food, simply boil them for 5-10 minutes and they were ready to serve. Snacks were something we rarely asked for because of our quick, filling meals. But, there was a store on the corner that we were allowed to get snacks from, only after we had eaten “real food”. These liquor stores were abundant throughout the neighborhood, more than any other store. It wasn’t until now that I realized we lived in a “food desert.” Food deserts are areas that lack adequate grocery stores and therefore lack quality food for its residence, especially fresh fruits and vegetables. Although food deserts are common, especially in impoverished areas, it is hard to know when you are living in one, because it seems normal. It seems normal to only have one supermarket or grocery store within 15- 20 miles until you are exposed to a high class neighborhood that has 3-5 large grocers within 10 miles of each other. Our lack of grocery stores and abundant of liquor stores contributed greatly to our snacking habits.
Some of our snacking habits included 50-cent bags of chip accompanied by a Hug juice, oatmeal creme pies, and our favorite treat, moon pies. Although it didn’t seem like much to us, the sugar and fat we were ingesting from our snack trips were overwhelming, especially for children. Luckily, our grandmother knew the food industry's gimmicks and had us play outside for at least an hour to work off the quick calories we gained. This was her way of encouraging a balanced lifestyles that didn’t snatch the joy that sweets brought us.
During my childhood, there were two houses that took on all the duties of holiday cooking. My grandmother’s and my aunt’s house, which were two doors down from each other. At the time, neighborhoods were tightly knit and it was normal to have family members live so close. This set up eventually helped when my grandmother reached old age because it was easy to care for her. While my grandmother was alive, every holiday was a feast. Each meal was composed of every type of American food you could think of: macaroni, greens, yams, turkey, chicken, fish, salad, egg pie, red velvet cake, and the list goes on. As children, most of our plates at the kiddie table looked identical: chicken, two sides, and a dessert. Nothing spectacular, but always filling and delicious. These were the “kids foods”. It wasn’t until I got older that I realized the differences of plates between kids and adults.
I remember glancing at my mother’s plate one Christmas and seeing a long spiked leg on her plate, when I asked what it was, all she replied was “it’s not for kids”. Now, I know it was a crab leg, and after that day, I made sure it would be for “this” kid. I begged her for weeks after that Christmas to make me crab legs. Three weeks after non- stop begging, she caved in and broiled the legs, melted the butter, and served it to her nagging daughter, me. This was my first real encounter with seafood because they had written it off as an “adult food” all the years before. Curiosity caused me to ask about the distinction of adult food versus kid food. Money was the answer. It was more feasible to keep children’s plates separate from adult plates. Children received common meat that was inexpensive, and sold in bulk. Meats such as chicken, turkey, and ham made it to our plates frequently but, seafood and pork chops rarely touched our tempted tongues (unless we banded together and snuck it out of the kitchen, then we met at our secret spot and everyone was allowed one bite until our meaty friend was gone). Traditional holiday dinners were carried on and now that we have potluck style holidays, the dinners not only give everyone a chance to display their talent in the kitchen, it gives the generation of children under me the opportunity to have a taste of the adult life, which was once unimaginable.
Before 2017, every food was fair game for me. I would try everything, except chitterlings, which I call “shitterlings". I never got past the smell. When I traveled with my mom, I tried new foods like duck and octopus and even a fried frog leg; it was part of my adventurous spirit. Whenever I was exposed to a new culture, I was exposed to a new food and I lived by the mottos, “try new things” or “don’t knock it until you try it.” Aside from eating while traveling, snacks were a consistent part of my life. Whenever I was bored, I ate. Oatmeal cream pies, cereal, rice krispies, cheetos, twinkies, were my friends. As I grew up, my tastebuds began to mature and those snacks soon became my distant friends: we would have encounters, but not often; I was growing up. When you age, you begin to let other people’s opinions shape what you do and who you are. As I entered high school, I saw that fewer people my age consumed the snacks that I was still feasting on, so I left them for the kids and moved up to sophisticated snacks like trail mix and granola bars.
My senior year of high school, I began taking my Christianity more serious and I decided to sacrifice something for “Lent”, a period of 40 days and nights where participants sacrifice an activity or habit. My sacrifice was beef, pork, and pop. Eliminating these foods from my diet was easy because neither of my parents have consumed beef or pork since I’ve been born. My beef and pork consumption was always outside of my home: school, fast food, or other outside sources. When I cut them out of my diet, I began seeing immediate favorable results: money saving, weight loss, more energy, and my face was clearing up from acne. Despite these results, I decided to eat a hamburger the day after Lent ended, which completely destroyed my stomach and made me hate all beef and pork products (I solemnly swore to myself that cows were friends, not food). This moment in my life helped me realize how sensitive our stomachs are and how eliminating certain food groups can benefit you.
Seven months ago, I transformed to a complete pescaterian. The only meat I eat is seafood. My mother was the main influence for my transition. My mother and I have a strong bond: she is my role model. For this reason, I try to mimic everything she does: the way she helps people, how she acts, how she communicates, everything. Therefore, when she switched her eating habits, I took it as another chance to ascend to her level. My mom has been a vegetarian for about a year and once she transitioned from eating meat, she also stopped cooking meat. Without her cooking meat, it made sense for me to remove it from my diet as well, seeing as how it would not be available at home. Seafood and starches currently make up most of my diet, balanced with vegetables and fruits. I love apples and salad and I eat one daily. Being at Michigan State aids in my diet plan because I do my best to ration my limited food swipes. When I reminisce about foods I used to eat, I do not look at them with disgust because I often tell myself, “I was happier when I was fat”. Now that I am aware of the hidden costs of fast food and the snack industry, I know in the long run, the alterations I have made in my eating will positively affect my life.
During my first draft, I wrote “in the long run, the alterations I have made in my eating will positively affect my life.” I was referring to my transition to a pescaterian, and while I have substantial evidence that my choice to exclude meat from my diet positively affects my personal health as well as reducing my carbon footprint, I’ve been having second thoughts. My current train of thought constantly asks me, “Everyone is going to die, does it really matter if you eat chicken?” No matter how hard I try to make sense of my commitment to not eating meat, I still want to reintroduce chicken into my diet. Weighing the benefits to the disadvantages has not really sparked a difference that would push me one way or the other, which leaves the question in the air. Will not eating meat truly improve my quality or life or have I been programmed to believe the hype?
It all started when I was in the womb and had absolutely no control over anything. I was fed through a tube that connected to the outsider that held me for 8 months, my mother. As a fetus, we receive nutrients based off the type of lifestyle our mother’s live. Thankfully, my mother was free of drugs and alcohol during her pregnancy, despite her surroundings. At the time, my family was well off but not necessarily in the best standings financially, which ultimately affected the way they were eating.
Although fast food was available, culture saved them from the obesity curse that some of their peers could not escape. As our family matriarch, my grandmother made sure there were close to no days without balanced, home cooked meals. She used strategies similar to those in the reading “How to be your own Italian Grandmother”; preparing meals that would last longer than one sitting, limiting the junk my mother ate while pregnant. Being born prematurely, my mother felt it was safer to breastfeed. Breastfeeding was glorified because of the positive effects on newborns. Breast milk was more affordable, a better form of nutrition, and enhanced the mother- child bond in a way that formula could not. While researching government food aid for the group project, I found that WIC participants that breastfeed receive aid longer than non breastfeeding participants, which was another benefit of my mother’s choice to breastfeed. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children or “WIC”, contributed greatly to my development by providing baby food, breast pumps, and other essentials while I was younger.
Growing up, I was raised and reared alongside my cousins. There were approximately five of us that would be together at two main points of the day: breakfast and after school. Having to get five children together early in the morning was hardly an easy task but my grandmother made it seem like a breeze. Foods such as oatmeal, grits, cream of wheat, and farina began to make an astounding presence in my life. These foods were affordable, quick to make and consume, and had the ability to serve more people. They were “add water” type of meals. Recently, I learned that oatmeal, grits, and cream of wheat were so easy to prepare because they are considered “processed foods”. While Melanie Warner defines a processed food as “anything that can’t be made in her kitchen”, my definition strays a bit. I believe most foods that we consider processed are mislabeled, they can be made in the kitchen but they would take far more time to prepare than we are willing to put forward. Instead, most processed foods should be called “convenient foods.” Almost every food can be made in the kitchen but time is the determining factor in whether the food is considered processed or convenient. To add a splash of creativity, my grandmother would season the convenient foods to perfection.
My cousins and I went our separate ways for school then reunited afterwards. When we returned, sandwiches were the most common meal sitting on the table. Besides the simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich or bologna and cheese, quick foods such as hot dogs would make a special appearance. Similar to our breakfast meals, hot dogs were an “add water” food, simply boil them for 5-10 minutes and they were ready to serve. Snacks were something we rarely asked for because of our quick, filling meals. But, there was a store on the corner that we were allowed to get snacks from, only after we had eaten “real food”. These liquor stores were abundant throughout the neighborhood, more than any other store. It wasn’t until now that I realized we lived in a “food desert.” Food deserts are areas that lack adequate grocery stores and therefore lack quality food for its residence, especially fresh fruits and vegetables. Although food deserts are common, especially in impoverished areas, it is hard to know when you are living in one, because it seems normal. It seems normal to only have one supermarket or grocery store within 15- 20 miles until you are exposed to a high class neighborhood that has 3-5 large grocers within 10 miles of each other. Our lack of grocery stores and abundant of liquor stores contributed greatly to our snacking habits.
Some of our snacking habits included 50-cent bags of chip accompanied by a Hug juice, oatmeal creme pies, and our favorite treat, moon pies. Although it didn’t seem like much to us, the sugar and fat we were ingesting from our snack trips were overwhelming, especially for children. Luckily, our grandmother knew the food industry's gimmicks and had us play outside for at least an hour to work off the quick calories we gained. This was her way of encouraging a balanced lifestyles that didn’t snatch the joy that sweets brought us.
During my childhood, there were two houses that took on all the duties of holiday cooking. My grandmother’s and my aunt’s house, which were two doors down from each other. At the time, neighborhoods were tightly knit and it was normal to have family members live so close. This set up eventually helped when my grandmother reached old age because it was easy to care for her. While my grandmother was alive, every holiday was a feast. Each meal was composed of every type of American food you could think of: macaroni, greens, yams, turkey, chicken, fish, salad, egg pie, red velvet cake, and the list goes on. As children, most of our plates at the kiddie table looked identical: chicken, two sides, and a dessert. Nothing spectacular, but always filling and delicious. These were the “kids foods”. It wasn’t until I got older that I realized the differences of plates between kids and adults.
I remember glancing at my mother’s plate one Christmas and seeing a long spiked leg on her plate, when I asked what it was, all she replied was “it’s not for kids”. Now, I know it was a crab leg, and after that day, I made sure it would be for “this” kid. I begged her for weeks after that Christmas to make me crab legs. Three weeks after non- stop begging, she caved in and broiled the legs, melted the butter, and served it to her nagging daughter, me. This was my first real encounter with seafood because they had written it off as an “adult food” all the years before. Curiosity caused me to ask about the distinction of adult food versus kid food. Money was the answer. It was more feasible to keep children’s plates separate from adult plates. Children received common meat that was inexpensive, and sold in bulk. Meats such as chicken, turkey, and ham made it to our plates frequently but, seafood and pork chops rarely touched our tempted tongues (unless we banded together and snuck it out of the kitchen, then we met at our secret spot and everyone was allowed one bite until our meaty friend was gone). Traditional holiday dinners were carried on and now that we have potluck style holidays, the dinners not only give everyone a chance to display their talent in the kitchen, it gives the generation of children under me the opportunity to have a taste of the adult life, which was once unimaginable.
Before 2017, every food was fair game for me. I would try everything, except chitterlings, which I call “shitterlings". I never got past the smell. When I traveled with my mom, I tried new foods like duck and octopus and even a fried frog leg; it was part of my adventurous spirit. Whenever I was exposed to a new culture, I was exposed to a new food and I lived by the mottos, “try new things” or “don’t knock it until you try it.” Aside from eating while traveling, snacks were a consistent part of my life. Whenever I was bored, I ate. Oatmeal cream pies, cereal, rice krispies, cheetos, twinkies, were my friends. As I grew up, my tastebuds began to mature and those snacks soon became my distant friends: we would have encounters, but not often; I was growing up. When you age, you begin to let other people’s opinions shape what you do and who you are. As I entered high school, I saw that fewer people my age consumed the snacks that I was still feasting on, so I left them for the kids and moved up to sophisticated snacks like trail mix and granola bars.
My senior year of high school, I began taking my Christianity more serious and I decided to sacrifice something for “Lent”, a period of 40 days and nights where participants sacrifice an activity or habit. My sacrifice was beef, pork, and pop. Eliminating these foods from my diet was easy because neither of my parents have consumed beef or pork since I’ve been born. My beef and pork consumption was always outside of my home: school, fast food, or other outside sources. When I cut them out of my diet, I began seeing immediate favorable results: money saving, weight loss, more energy, and my face was clearing up from acne. Despite these results, I decided to eat a hamburger the day after Lent ended, which completely destroyed my stomach and made me hate all beef and pork products (I solemnly swore to myself that cows were friends, not food). This moment in my life helped me realize how sensitive our stomachs are and how eliminating certain food groups can benefit you.
Seven months ago, I transformed to a complete pescaterian. The only meat I eat is seafood. My mother was the main influence for my transition. My mother and I have a strong bond: she is my role model. For this reason, I try to mimic everything she does: the way she helps people, how she acts, how she communicates, everything. Therefore, when she switched her eating habits, I took it as another chance to ascend to her level. My mom has been a vegetarian for about a year and once she transitioned from eating meat, she also stopped cooking meat. Without her cooking meat, it made sense for me to remove it from my diet as well, seeing as how it would not be available at home. Seafood and starches currently make up most of my diet, balanced with vegetables and fruits. I love apples and salad and I eat one daily. Being at Michigan State aids in my diet plan because I do my best to ration my limited food swipes. When I reminisce about foods I used to eat, I do not look at them with disgust because I often tell myself, “I was happier when I was fat”. Now that I am aware of the hidden costs of fast food and the snack industry, I know in the long run, the alterations I have made in my eating will positively affect my life.
During my first draft, I wrote “in the long run, the alterations I have made in my eating will positively affect my life.” I was referring to my transition to a pescaterian, and while I have substantial evidence that my choice to exclude meat from my diet positively affects my personal health as well as reducing my carbon footprint, I’ve been having second thoughts. My current train of thought constantly asks me, “Everyone is going to die, does it really matter if you eat chicken?” No matter how hard I try to make sense of my commitment to not eating meat, I still want to reintroduce chicken into my diet. Weighing the benefits to the disadvantages has not really sparked a difference that would push me one way or the other, which leaves the question in the air. Will not eating meat truly improve my quality or life or have I been programmed to believe the hype?