When we asked an MSU student, Hannah Harper, “What is the most common question people ask about the food you eat?” she laughed and replied simply, “They ask: 'Well…what do you eat?’” She explains that this question is a popular one because the list of things she doesn’t consume is much longer than the list of things she does. This sparked our curiosity and we decided to look into it further.
Hannah’s mother claims that before she developed a mind of her own, Hannah ate anything that was placed in front of her. Whatever Hannah’s parents were cooking that night ended up in a blender and made its way to her plate. However, after Hannah discovered the word “no”, everything changed for the Harper family. Vegetables were no longer an option. Neither were starches like corn or potatoes, condiments like mayonnaise, mustard, or relish. She was also not a fan of red meat, lunch meat, or hot dogs. Her mother says that she never allowed her children to consume soda while they were growing up. To this day, Hannah still avoids all carbonated beverages, “They just don’t taste good. I don’t crave them because I was never exposed to them, and I like it that way.” She mentioned an article she read recently about the addictive properties, insane amounts of sugar, and strange chemicals added to carbonated beverages in order to make them taste more “appealing” to the consumer. She expressed relief that she has never been and will never be a supporter of soda.
To begin to understand Hannah’s eating habits, we thought it would be beneficial to conduct an interview with her parents about their childhood food consumption. First we sat down with her mother. Kimberly Harper’s mom was also stay-at-home mom, like herself. She comes from an Italian/Irish family; however, she says that she didn’t see her heritage as having a large impact on her meals. She says this about the subject, “Sure, I had foods that were typical dishes for both nationalities, spaghetti and lasagna throughout the year, and pork and sauerkraut on St. Patricks' Day. I would more say that I grew up on a traditional "American" diet of meat and potatoes, hamburgers, corn on the cob, salad, Swanson T.V. dinners, pot pies, donuts, cereal, etc.” She spoke fondly about her family’s food-related holiday traditions, “Every holiday offered a different traditional food to be served, and even traditions on how it was served and eaten.” She reminisced about the fresh vegetables grown in her mother’s garden and sheepishly admitted that during the off season most of the vegetables that she ate came from a can. She also admitted to being an avid consumer of Hostess Apple Pies, Ho Hos, Fruit Loops, and Vanilla Poptarts. Hannah’s mother claims that her memories related to food were good ones, but they also served as a guide for what not to feed her future family.
Next we sat down with her dad, his situation was a little bit different considering that both of his parents worked full-time. He started the interview off by saying this, “I ate basically the same thing each week. My mom and dad both worked outside the home and we lived quite a drive from a grocery store, so mom and dad needed to make a menu and stick to it in order to save time and take advantage of a single trip to the grocery store per month.” Hannah’s father also seemed to have some strange, debatably less-healthy, food habits, “A number of my memories are of junk food. Mainly binge eating of weird stuff like drink mix (i.e. Tang, Kool-Aid, Nestle's Quik, etc.), the inner frosting of Oreo cookies, mushing together all of the marshmallows from Lucky Charms into a big ball and eating that, etc.” His grandparents are full Polish, but he claims to have turned his nose up at cultural food, like sauerkraut, as a child because of the smell. He has since learned to love traditional Polish food as well as most other ethnic foods. He has visited India many times and Japan more recently, while there he always immerses himself in the culture, particularly in the food department. Hannah’s father rarely does any grocery shopping so he doesn’t feel that he has much influence on what the family eats. He does, however, claim that Hannah gets most of her strange eating habits and pickiness from him.
With this additional information, we now turn our attention back to Hannah. Although she is currently a devout vegetarian and observes a mostly-vegan diet due to health problems, it has not always been that way. “Chicken was my favorite meat. I didn’t like any other kinds. One day, out of the blue, I decided to become a vegetarian. Giving up chicken was easy and I never felt like I was missing out,” Hannah replied after being asked why she made the change in her diet. Her family soon followed and became vegetarians as well. Her mom, who suffered from gestational diabetes during both pregnancies, made the switch for that reason. Mrs. Harper still enjoys a vegetarian lifestyle and her risk for developing diabetes is almost nonexistent today. Mr. Harper became a vegetarian for convenience purposes and her younger sister eventually made the switch as well. The family shops primarily in health food stores and the organic sections at grocery chains. “My mom taught me to read labels, what to look out for, and that the products with the fewest number of ingredients are usually the best. It was also instilled in me that if I couldn’t pronounce the ingredient, I probably wouldn’t want to eat it.”
The next fact about this nineteen year old's diet shocked us: Hannah does not consume any vegetables. We eagerly asked her to explain, “I just don’t like them, their texture, or their flavor. I can’t even force myself to eat them. On several occasions a sneaky piece of onion or lettuce has tried to make its way into my food, but as soon as I feel the crunch, an involuntary gag reflex follows, my eyes start to water, and I have to spit it out.” She says that the same phenomenon occurs with all other forms of vegetables. Over the years, she has been able to work spinach into her diet through smoothies, and she seems to be able to tolerate mushy vegetables, like the ones you might find in soup. Another quote from Hannah states, “I really wish I could eat salad. It looks so delicious and so healthy, but there is just something about the way it crunches that I can’t get past.”
Her diet is also influenced by the fact that she has recently become lactose intolerant, “It was a huge blow because I loved cheese and yogurt. I’ve found some great alternatives and despite what I thought at the beginning, it’s not actually the end of the world.” Hannah enjoys many types of fruit. She also loves tofu and Quorn products. Beans and lentils are staples of her diet as well as carbs, usually in whole wheat form. She defends her odd diet with this statement, “I don’t feel differently because I don’t eat vegetables or meat; I’m healthy and happy. I take my vitamins and I get my protein. I love the way I eat, I don’t feel like anything is missing.”
To get a better sense of why she became a vegetarian, we asked if there were any memorable experiences that influenced the way she eats now. She said her original decision was one that was not well-thought out and didn’t come from a bad experience; it was just something that thirteen year old Hannah decided to try. “It just stuck, I never went back to eating meat because I didn’t miss it,” she commented on the subject. She did mention a few experiences that have reaffirmed the decision she made six years ago. “Every time I watch Food Inc. it is just as traumatizing. It really shouldn’t be because I don’t eat meat and don’t support those companies with my business, but it is,” she admitted. She also mentioned another film titled Supersize Me, “After watching it I really felt the need to stop eating fast food. I didn’t eat much to start with, but now I don’t eat it at all.” Hannah noted that these videos make her grateful that she was afforded the luxury of choice.
She summed up the interview by saying this, “I really don’t feel like I eat the normal ‘American culture’ foods. I was raised to be suspicious of fast food, soda, processed foods, and added ingredients. I eat much differently than the other members of my family so I’m not sure my ‘family culture’ is entirely responsible for my eating habits. I place most of the responsibility on my education and research about foods, my own personal preferences, and some of my family’s personal culture.”
We decided to do a follow up interview with Hannah after the completion of her Eating Industrial course. After hearing about all of the scary, disturbing, and enlightening information that she learned, we asked her the big question: ‘What has changed in your life because of this class?’ She replied with this, “Although I have made many small adjustments, the biggest thing I have taken away from this class is a renewed sense of purpose for being a vegetarian. After reading Eating Animals, Pandora’s Lunchbox, and some other smaller readings I have finally given myself a reason. As I said earlier in this interview, my reason for being a vegetarian was ‘just because I felt like it’ and because ‘I didn’t like meat anymore’. I have since discovered that being a vegetarian deserves a better reason than that. I can finally say that I am a vegetarian because I believe we have not only an ethical obligation to stop consuming meat, but a logical one as well. Since humans do not require meat to sustain life, I believe that the environmental consequences and inhumane treatment of animals should outweigh our desire for the taste of flesh.”
Food Autobiography
September 8, 2014
When we asked an MSU student, Hannah Harper, “What is the most common question people ask about the food you eat?” she laughed and replied simply, “They ask: 'Well…what do you eat?’” She explains that this question is a popular one because the list of things she doesn’t consume is much longer than the list of things she does. This sparked our curiosity and we decided to look into it further.
Hannah’s mother claims that before she developed a mind of her own, Hannah ate anything that was placed in front of her. Whatever Hannah’s parents were cooking that night ended up in a blender and made its way to her plate. However, after Hannah discovered the word “no”, everything changed for the Harper family. Vegetables were no longer an option. Neither were starches like corn or potatoes, condiments like mayonnaise, mustard, or relish. She was also not a fan of red meat, lunch meat, or hot dogs. Her mother says that she never allowed her children to consume soda while they were growing up. To this day, Hannah still avoids all carbonated beverages, “They just don’t taste good. I don’t crave them because I was never exposed to them, and I like it that way.” She mentioned an article she read recently about the addictive properties, insane amounts of sugar, and strange chemicals added to carbonated beverages in order to make them taste more “appealing” to the consumer. She expressed relief that she has never been and will never be a supporter of soda.
Although she is now a vegetarian and observes a mostly-vegan diet due to health problems, it has not always been that way. “Chicken was my favorite meat. I didn’t like any other kinds. One day, out of the blue, I decided to become a vegetarian. Giving up chicken was easy and I never felt like I was missing out,” Hannah replied after being asked why she made the change in her diet. Her family soon followed and became vegetarians as well. Her mom, who suffered from gestational diabetes during both pregnancies, made the switch for that reason. Mrs. Harper still enjoys a vegetarian lifestyle and her risk for developing diabetes is almost nonexistent today. Mr. Harper became a vegetarian for convenience purposes and her younger sister eventually made the switch as well. The family shops primarily in health food stores and the organic sections at grocery chains. “My mom taught me to read labels, what to look out for, and that the products with the fewest number of ingredients are usually the best. It was also instilled in me that if I couldn’t pronounce the ingredient, I probably wouldn’t want to eat it.”
The next fact about this nineteen year old's diet shocked us: Hannah does not consume any vegetables. We eagerly asked her to explain, “I just don’t like them, their texture, or their flavor. I can’t even force myself to eat them. On several occasions a sneaky piece of onion or lettuce has tried to make its way into my food, but as soon as I feel the crunch, an involuntary gag reflex follows, my eyes start to water, and I have to spit it out.” She says that the same phenomenon occurs with all other forms of vegetables. Over the years, she has been able to work spinach into her diet through smoothies, and she seems to be able to tolerate mushy vegetables, like the ones you might find in soup. Another quote from Hannah states, “I really wish I could eat salad. It looks so delicious and so healthy, but there is just something about the way it crunches that I can’t get past.”
Her diet is also influenced by the fact that she has recently become lactose intolerant, “It was a huge blow because I loved cheese and yogurt. I’ve found some great alternatives and despite what I thought at the beginning, it’s not actually the end of the world.” Hannah enjoys many types of fruit. She also loves tofu and Quorn products. Beans and lentils are staples of her diet as well as carbs, usually in whole wheat form. She defends her odd diet with this statement, “I don’t feel differently because I don’t eat vegetables or meat; I’m healthy and happy. I take my vitamins and I get my protein. I love the way I eat, I don’t feel like anything is missing.”
To get a better sense of why she became a vegetarian, we asked if there were any memorable experiences that influenced the way she eats now. She said her original decision was one that was not well-thought out and didn’t come from a bad experience; it was just something that thirteen year old Hannah decided to try. “It just stuck, I never went back to eating meat because I didn’t miss it,” she commented on the subject. She did mention a few experiences that have reaffirmed the decision she made six years ago. “Every time I watch Food Inc. it is just as traumatizing. It really shouldn’t be because I don’t eat meat and don’t support those companies with my business, but it is,” she admitted. She also mentioned another film titled Supersize Me, “After watching it I really felt the need to stop eating fast food. I didn’t eat much to start with, but now I don’t eat it at all.” Hannah noted that these videos make her grateful that she was afforded the luxury of choice.
She summed up the interview by saying this, “I really don’t feel like I eat the normal ‘American culture’ foods. I was raised to be suspicious of fast food, soda, processed foods, and added ingredients. I eat much differently than the other members of my family so I’m not sure my ‘family culture’ is entirely responsible for my eating habits. I place most of the responsibility on my education and research about foods, my own personal preferences, and some of my family’s personal culture.”
Altu's Ethiopian Cuisine: Food Ethnography
September 21, 2014 Altu’s is tucked away in a small parking lot in Lansing, just barely outside the limits of East Lansing. The restaurant is small and cozy with friendly staff. Unlike some other Ethiopian places that I have been to, the dining area was brightly lit. Upon entry of the dining area, the décor seemed appropriate; there were what seemed to be thatched roofs over some of the tables, as well as beautiful art made up of earth tones. There were also quite a few plants around the restaurant, along with straw hats and place mats hanging from the ceiling. I did see at least two of the familiar ethnic woven baskets, about 3 feet tall surrounded by chairs, that food is typically served on. There was also a large selection of normal tables and chairs, perhaps included for families with small children or those who are new to ethnic food experiences.
Since my family is vegetarian, we ordered the Vegetarian Dinner Feast off the menu. It was clear from the ample vegetarian options that this must be a well-accepted eating behavior in Ethiopian culture. Our food was beautifully prepared, brought out in a large circular dish. Our four bean dishes were in the center of the circle, surrounded by rolled up flat bread and some vegetables. According to tradition, no silverware is placed on the table and guests are served the soft, flat pieces of bread I previously mentioned; these pieces of bread are then used to scoop up the soft food. Our meal consisted of four hearty options: the first was lima beans served in a thick, green gravy, the second consisted of lentils served in spicy brownish-red sauce, the third contained split green peas in a yellow paste, and the last was made up of mashed chick peas and was quite spicy and a brownish-red color. I kept going back to the lima bean dish, since it had the perfect amount of flavor and paired well with the flat bread that had a subtle lemony-zest to it. The rich blend of spices in Ethiopian food might hint at affluence, however, most dishes consisted of some sort of bean or a type of meat, served with the flat, almost tasteless bread. These limited options for ingredients indicates to me that aside from beans and meat the country might not have many other staple foods. The meals are hearty and packed full of protein, so it would seem logical to assume that most Ethiopians live a relatively healthy and nourished lifestyle.
Our bill for a group of 4 reached almost $80 and I can imagine that that excludes many people from eating here. The only other patrons of the restaurant were families or couples in their mid-twenties, dressed in jeans and Michigan State attire, since it was game day after all. It was difficult to tell if the casual feel was because we visited on a Saturday, or if that is just the way the atmosphere always is. The children of the other families were mostly college-aged, which may indicate that this is not a place to bring small children. Young kids may be confused by the whole experience and probably quite messy without the use of utensils. The foods are also quite spicy and American children usually aren’t exposed to spice until an older age. This got me thinking about the children growing up in Ethiopia. Because of their culture, they would clearly be exposed to spice at a very early age and also learn to eat with their hands. In American culture, we strictly forbid children from eating with their hands. This must appear to be a strange concept to Ethiopian children living in or visiting the United States. As Americans we seem to have an obsession with avoiding germs and not getting our hands dirty. I think this is why we discourage our children from eating in this manner. I could not ascertain whether or not the exclusion of eating utensils is an economic concern or a cultural preference, I think it might be a mix of both.
Most of the socializing that I saw taking place were families discussing game day happenings or family matters. The parents talked with their college students about classes and the huge win for the Spartans against Eastern. The younger couples with no children just talked quietly amongst themselves. They may have been on a date or just friends interested in a unique meal after the game. Everyone in the restaurant was Caucasian except for one Middle Eastern man. This indicates to me that this is a place where non-Ethiopians go to experience ethnic food, not a place where Ethiopians go to eat food from their own culture.
The customers were all friendly to the waitress. She was the only one working, and she did a great job keeping up with the five or six tables she was waiting on. We talked freely with her, laughing and making conversation. I overheard almost everyone in the restaurant thanking her when she brought them their meals or drinks. What I observed was a very equal relationship between customers and the person serving them.
Overall, I had a great experience at Altu’s. I think that the food served was some of the best I have ever had, and I thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere. Even though the restaurant was decorated in what I can only assume to be reminiscent of Ethiopia, they were playing 80’s music in the background and the waitress was American. I think that they could have done a better job of making it even more of a cultural experience, but either way, the food was an awesome example of the culture in Ethiopia. It is truly an odd experience going to a restaurant where it is perfectly acceptable to eat with one’s hands, but I understand this is an American taboo and not unusual at all to those who come from Ethiopia. The meals were hearty, full of spice, and vegetarian friendly, which made the experience even better and spoke to the kind of lives that Ethiopians live.
East Lansing Farmer's Market: Food Ethnography
October 7, 2014
“The East Lansing Farmer's Market, a growers-only market, is located in an inviting, open-air atmosphere, just steps away from the Michigan State University campus.” This quote comes directly from the farmer’s market website and accurately describes the location perfectly. I really enjoyed the atmosphere of this particular market, the venders were friendly, the other customers were pleasant, and it was a beautiful fall day.
Most of the other shoppers were middle-aged or older with small children. The only college-aged students that I saw were other people from our class. I’m not sure how many other students know about this place, despite its closeness to campus. I, personally, had never heard of it before this assignment. The customers were dressed casually, most of them sported jeans and sweatshirts. This type of dress could indicate socioeconomic status or could simply be a comfortable way to shop on a chilly day. The venders were dressed in a similar fashion. Some were quite old and others were very young, most likely children of the venders. This indicated to me that this is a family business for these people. Most displays had more than one person working behind it, which also indicated to me that these stands are run by families. Parents are teaching their children how to run the stands so that they can take over one day, if they choose to. Parents in the United States typically do not pass the skills of their trade down to their children; it is usually left up to the kids to make their own decisions regarding a future career. However, with farming, it seems to be different. The kids grow up helping their parents with farm-related-tasks and through this practice, the skills are passed down generation after generation.
I was very impressed by the variety of products the venders were selling. I saw plenty of seasonal products such as apples, apple cider, pumpkins, maple syrup, and honey. There were multiple venders selling vegetables, mostly peppers, leafy greens, and peas. Other products for sale included: granola, pesto, flowers, and different types of meat. I purchased some pesto and apple cider while I was there, both were delicious. The apple cider was organic and reasonably priced, I only paid $4.50 for a half gallon. The pesto was a bit pricier, but not unreasonably so; I paid $8.00 for a small round container of it. Based on the types of food I am used to buying, these items were relatively inexpensive, but to those who come from other socioeconomic classes, buying these things may not even be an option. Through our readings in class, we have learned how and why soda has become so inexpensive for consumers. It is doubtful that members of low socioeconomic status would buy apple cider for almost $5.00 when soda is available for less than 1 dollar at most grocery stores. I am sure they would also pass up the $8.00 pesto, if they really wanted it they could find a cheaper, more processed version. Although the prices of the items seemed low to me, I believe that they would definitely exclude some from purchasing them.
As I looked around the market, there were so many signs proudly displaying words like “organic”, “all-natural”, and “non-GMO”. It is clear from this language and display that the venders take pride in their products. It is safe to assume that most people who go to farmer’s markets are looking for these types of products. Consumers know that farmer’s markets are good locations to find and buy locally grown foods that are more natural and healthy than those found in a supermarket. From our readings in class, we learned that in food deserts it is difficult for residents to find healthy alternatives to junk food. However, when programs were implemented and these residents had access to fresh fruits and vegetables they were not necessarily receptive towards them. The general lack of education in these areas about what to do with healthy foods, and the fact that they don’t understand how to prepare them or what their benefits are, contribute to the suspicion about these products. I’m not sure if this is normal for this particular market, but I only observed Caucasian shoppers while I was there. This struck me as odd because of its proximity to downtown Lansing which is mostly comprised of members of ethnic minorities. This observation fits with our class discussions and readings, but it was strange to experience in person.
I really enjoyed my experience at the East Lansing Farmer’s Market. Observing and interacting with fellow customers and the venders was a very unique experience that helped me to understand topics discussed in class on a deeper level. It was especially interesting to observe the types of people that shop at these of markets and also the pride that venders take in providing healthy alternatives. The atmosphere was exactly like what I have experienced at other farmer’s markets, but it was enlightening to visit this one with more knowledge that I have gained from our class. I took note of seemingly benign social situations that I have never noticed before and I had the knowledge to understand why these things were occurring. My trip to this farmer’s market was definitely a positive one and a learning experience that helped take ideas presented in class and turn them into reality.
De-McDonaldization Project
22 October 2014
After reading George Ritzer’s book, The McDonaldization of Society, I was shocked that I started to see the things he addresses going on all around me. Most of these things were ones that I had never bothered to take notice of or ones that I previously failed to attach any meaning to. One thing in particular that caught my attention while reading this book is the way that customers are ushered through fast food restaurants at lightning speeds. I decided to see if I could try to change that. My strategy was to do something that is considered completely normal outside of fast food restaurants, but a definite no-no while ordering quick food; I wanted to shake my cashier’s hand and introduce myself.
Taco Bell is one of the only fast food restaurants that I can eat at, so the decision about where to try this out was basically made for me. My Wednesday classes let out at 11:40, perfect time for lunch. Despite the fact that this is prime lunch-hour, there are rarely more than a couple of other customers enjoying Taco Bell’s delightfully fast food at this time. The few patrons dining here look like they are more than 50 years of age and appear to be here for the low prices, not the food itself. At Taco Bell and other fast food chains, large quantities of food are available for a minimal amount of money. According to Ritzer, the reason that they can sell their products for so little has to do with the poor quality of ingredients and the efficiency that fast food chains pride themselves on. The faster these places of business can take a customer’s order and move onto the next, determines how much money they make during the day. The workers have no time for chit-chat and are focused only on completing their tasks and moving on. I noticed this and decided to disrupt the system.
My cashier was a short, African American woman who appeared to be in her early twenties. I was the first and only person in line, she asked me for my order and I extended my hand to her over the cash register. “Hi, I’m Hannah,” I said and her face went blank. She looked briefly at my hand and then, it seemed to me, like she tried to pretend that she didn’t see it in the first place. Her eyes remained focused on the buttons of the cash register and asked me again for my order. I put my hand down and ordered my usual. Her body language indicated that she was clearly uncomfortable with the situation; she refused to make eye contact with me and she kept her arms close to her body. While I was waiting for my food, she continued to avoid looking at me and busied herself with other things behind the counter. I got my food and left feeling quite foolish. It was truly an uncomfortable thing for me to do.
My feelings of discomfort encouraged me to think about other situations in which shaking someone’s hand is completely normal and in no way uncomfortable. I meet strangers on a weekly basis and it is customary, especially with people older than me, to shake their hand and introduce myself. Even with fellow students, mostly males, it seems normal to shake hands when meeting for the first time. It’s just something that we, as Americans, do when we make acquaintances with fellow Americans. It is a custom. So why was it so strange for me to try and shake my cashier’s hand? And why did I feel stupid after my failed attempt? I think that both of these questions can be answered by the “McDonaldization” of society that Ritzer describes so thoroughly in his book.
To quote Ritzer himself, “Because fast food restaurants greatly restrict or even eliminate genuine fraternization, what workers and customers have left is either no human relationship or “false fraternization”.” I think that the issue in my particular experience was caused by false fraternization. Even though fast food workers introduce themselves to you, it is not expected that you introduce yourself in return. In fact, it apparently makes workers uncomfortable if you try to introduce yourself and if you add a handshake it makes the whole situation even more awkward. In all other social situations, when someone introduces themselves to you and extends their hand, you shake the hand and introduce yourself in return. However, since the fast food workers practice “false fraternization”, they do not actually want to know your name and they certainly do not want to touch you.
Socially speaking, this makes no sense, but when taking efficiency into account, this is the only way things can happen. Workers do not have time to shake your hand and listen to you introduce yourself. After all, why should you bother introducing yourself to someone who could care less about what your name is and that you may never see again? The cashiers are only there to take your order and fake interest in your daily affairs with a ritualistic “Have a nice day!” as you are leaving the restaurant. These boundaries between worker and customer exist to make sure that things run quickly and smoothly. Introductions usually precede conversation and that is something that fast food restaurants do not have time for. Even though this experience was awkward and out of my comfort zone, it provided me with important insight that helped me to understand the concept of McDonaldization on a deeper level.
Foods For Living: Food Ethnography
October 29, 2014
Foods for Living is a quaint, little health food store located in Okemos, Michigan. Although it is nothing compared to bigger chain stores, like Whole Foods or Better Health, it is my favorite place to shop. The atmosphere is unique and personable, the employees and fellow customers peruse the aisles with smiles on their faces, and despite its small size, the store has a very large selection of natural, organic, dietary-specific, and non-GMO products. Normally, when I make trips to this store, I spend hours shopping, reading labels, and buying new things that look particularly appetizing. My usual trips include spending a lot of time and too much money, but this time I went with the sole purpose of observing and taking note of their “local” products.
I spent a little bit over an hour roaming the aisles, reading labels and signs, trying to locate any local food that they might offer. After awhile, I caught on to a system that they seem to be using; they label their locally grown food with green labels and the outline of Michigan. The first local product that I came to was a plastic tub of kale chips, the label read “Made in Michigan. Shop local, shop Michigan.” I could not find a location anywhere on the tub, so I decided to continue my search elsewhere. The next large sign that I came to was on the refrigerated area for the hummus and other dips, the name listed was Jerusalem Bakery, touted as a “Lansing favorite.” I used Google Maps to discover that this bakery is only 5.3 miles away. I was encouraged and thought that I would find many more “Lansing favorites” that are made within a few miles. That assumption turned out to be very wrong.
The next area that I looked at was the bread. A small, stand-alone, set of shelves in the back of the store has stacks of “artisan rolls” and freshly baked breads from Traverse City. As it turns out, Traverse City is a whopping 181 miles away. Yes, it is in Michigan. No, it is not, by any means, local.
I gradually made my way over to the refrigerated dairy section next. I took note of some milk that said “fresh, local, organic” from the Thomas Organic Bakery. I once again used Google Maps to discover that Thomas Organic Bakery is 43.5 miles and 58 minutes away. When I hear the word “local”, an hour’s drive certainly does not come to mind. One name that popped up over and over again throughout the store was Cinzori Family Farms, especially in the produce section. A sign on some Yukon Gold, Red, and Fingerling potatoes used the word “local” and named Cinzori Family Farms as their provider. These particular “local potatoes” came from 55.3 miles away. There were not many of them, maybe 12 of each kind; this indicates to me that the energy and resources expended to get those potatoes to their current location were greater than if thousands of them had been shipped half way across the world. If the mode of transportation being used by the farmers is particularly inefficient and the hour long trips are made frequently, it could end up being far worse for the environment than shipping them on a barge somewhere much farther away, but less often.
I was even more alarmed when I got to the produce section. I thought that with all of the local farms, surely, most of the produce would be from Michigan. While looking around, I noticed something that I’ve never noticed before; the produce was all labeled with where it came from. I’m not sure if that is something all grocery stores do, but I noticed it here for the very first time. Most of the fruits and vegetables did say that they were from the USA, though none specified exactly where. However, there were some exceptions, mushrooms from Canada, 1,336 miles away, and ginger root from Peru, 3,753 miles away. While I think that Foods for Living has more local food than a Kroger or a Meijer, I was disappointed by their idea of local when I took the time to look into the actual locations the food comes from. Only one of their items advertised as “local” was less than an hour’s drive away, most were more.
Eating local for me is more about supporting local farmers than it is about saving the environment. I appreciate local foods because I like to support the area that I live in and the people who live there. For myself, buying local food is also about the experience, it feels better to eat an apple grown in an orchard near my house than one bought from the grocery store. While both of my reasons for eating local are good ones, it is also important to consider environmental impacts. According to our reading from Just Food by James McWilliams, “although food is transported long distances in general…the GHC (greenhouse gas) emissions with food are dominated by the production phase.” McWilliams and other supporters of a balance between local and shipped foods, explain that we would do more for the environment by using appliances, cooking strategies, and transportation methods that have been made efficient than by eating local. Proponents of balance also claim that we cannot sustain our ever-growing population with the sole use of local foods. So while it is nice to eat local when I can, I also enjoy eating tropical fruits during Michigan winters when it would be hard to grow anything. I also believe in balance and appreciate the efforts by Foods for Living to provide some relatively local foods for those who are interested in purchasing them.
"Am I Missing Something Here? " Industrial Food Op-Ed
November 5, 2014
According to the EPA, “Over 30 million tons of soybean meal is consumed as livestock feed in a year.” While that number is huge, I’m sure that it is just as high or higher when it comes to corn. But since when did it become acceptable to feed human food, in a world full of starving people, to animals? Couldn’t that 30 million tons of soybeans be put to better use feeding people that are hungry instead of quickly fattening up livestock so that CAFOs – Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations – can slaughter them faster? Is it even okay that these animals are eating corn and soybeans instead of grass?
To answer that last question first, no. It is not okay that livestock, cows in particular, are eating a diet packed full of grains and no vegetation at all. If you have ever seen a picture of a CAFO, you know they are not what you picture when you hear the word “farm.” Everyone would like to think that their meat comes from a “farm”, with rolling green pastures and happy animals wandering wherever they please. Unfortunately, that is not even remotely close to what goes on. CAFOs and AFOs are defined by the EPA as places where, “You confine animals for at least 45 days in a 12-month period, and there's no grass or other vegetation in the confinement area during the normal growing season.” No grass means you can’t have rolling hills or happy grazing cows. Instead, you have thousands of cows, standing in their own waste, and eating corn or soy meal from a large, gutter-like, trough. So what’s wrong with feeding cows corn and soy all the time? Well, for one thing, cows weren’t meant to be eating diets that only consist of grains. It causes problems within their digestive systems to eat such a high grain diet. The scariest of these problems is that research has shown that high grain diets in cows causes an increase in the presence of E. coli O157:H7. Research has also shown that if the cows’ diets are reverted back to hay-diets, the amount of E. coli bacteria drops significantly within a few days.
So why don’t we let cows eat the things that human beings can’t eat, like hay and grass? I’ve done some research and the only answer I have seen is that hay is expensive to buy and that if you have thousands of cows in a small area, there wouldn’t be enough grass to feed them all in the first place. Okay, so this is an efficiency issue. Why let the cows have more space to walk and grass to eat when we can just shove them in CAFOs that take up much less space and get them fat quick? Coming back to the idea of hay being expensive; smaller, organic, non-grain fed beef companies can do it, so why can’t the huge CAFOs do it? I think it again comes back to the question: Why would they want to? Plenty of people are perfectly willing to buy their products, so why change?
The problem is that we shouldn’t be perfectly willing to buy their products just the way they are. If we exported all of that corn and soy to countries struggling with starvation and allowed our cows to consume what they were meant to consume, two huge problems would be solved. Realistically, would 30 million tons of just soy and corn solve the problem of world hunger? Probably not, but it would help in ways that we never imagined possible. Realistically, would feeding cows hay and grass eradicate E. coli completely or fix everything else that’s wrong with the meat industry? Probably not, but it would help. These problems have been left untreated and unaddressed for so long, that the only thing we can do to initiate change is take baby steps. This is not something that could ever take place over night, it might take years or decades, but we need to show that we’re trying. I can’t even fathom what 30 million tons of soy meal looks like, but I’m sure even a fraction of that could make a huge difference in nations where children may have never even laid eyes on a full meal. We are a country of excess, a country that can afford to feed cows hay (whether we want to admit it or not), and we are the country where change has to start because we have so much to give.
Bakery Waste: Final Project Videos and Paper
November 23, 2014
“Feeding America is a nationwide network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs that provides food and services to people each year,” (Food Bank Network). This fact is encouraging for the movement, but it actually proved to be somewhat problematic in the development of our project. Our team had originally set out to contact local bakeries and encourage them to donate their leftover goods to local food banks or soup kitchens. We quickly found out that most bakeries already have programs like this in place so we decided to shift our focus. Our new goal was to raise awareness and encourage others who see our video to step up and do something about food waste. Through our research, we delved into the history of food donations and gathered information regarding Feeding America, Food Movers, and companies like Panera that have instituted programs like this. We also came together to create two outreach videos filled with information and interviews relevant to our project. These videos are meant to inspire and inform the public about the obscene amounts of food that are wasted every single year. With our project, we hope to inspire change and encourage bakeries to continue their donations to food banks around the country.
To get a better understanding of our project, it is crucial to know a little bit about the background and history of food banks. The world’s first food bank was established in 1967 by John van Hengel. He cites this as the source of his inspiration for the project, “When a mother stated that soup kitchens and grocery store dumpsters were the only way she could feed her children, the concept of a food bank was born, wherein individuals and companies with excess money and food could “deposit” it, and those in need could “withdraw” it,” (Our History). Hengel’s food bank, St. Mary’s, was located in Phoenix, Arizona and “is one of the largest food banks in the United States,” (Our History). At first, food banks quickly popped up all over the place, but then they eventually began to slow down in the 1980s. These banks were known collectively as America’s Second Harvest and had goals such as “improving existing programs” and “ending hunger in America” (History of Food Banking). This organization continued to grow and make huge strides toward their goals, “In 2008, America's Second Harvest changed its name to Feeding America. As the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief charity, Feeding America's network members supply food to more than 25 million Americans each year…” (History of Food Banking). While our group knew that organizations like this existed, we had no idea just how far-reaching they were.
We were pleasantly surprised to learn that companies like Panera Bread are actually a part of Feeding America, and that many others have programs of their own. Panera, being a large, national company was the easiest to conduct research on. Panera’s website was full of information on their participation with food donations at the national and local levels. Their most well-known program follows this protocol, “At the end of each day, Panera Bread donates all unsold bread and baked goods to local area hunger relief agencies and charities as part of its local Day-End Dough-Nation program,” (In The Community). They also have many smaller, less-well-known programs that seem to be implemented at the local level instead of national ones like Day-End Dough-Nation. They boast this impressive statistic on their website, “Collectively, Panera bakery-cafes donated a retail value of approximately $100 million worth of unsold bread and baked goods in 2012 to help fight food insecurity in our communities,” (In The Community). In essence, what Panera is doing is what we, as a group, wanted to do on a smaller scale.
We felt sure that local bakeries wouldn’t do the same thing that big-business-Panera does. However, after making phone calls to a list of local East Lansing bakeries, it turns out that we were wrong. All but one of the places we contacted already had donation programs in place. After two different phone calls to the one that doesn’t, it was clear that they didn’t want to be involved. During interviews and phone calls, the name Food Movers kept popping up. Other group members seemed to be familiar with this, but I needed to do some research of my own to clarify just what this was. What I found explained my confusion, Food Movers started in 1992 as “a prepared and perishable food rescue program sponsored by the Greater Lansing Food Bank,” (Food Movers). It seems to be run as a cohesive network of volunteers, refrigerated trucks, and cooperating restaurants, all working in tandem to gather prepared goods from restaurants and bakeries then distribute them to food banks to redistribute for consumption. I had never heard of a program like this and was impressed that it was still going strong after two decades.
While all of these programs are excellent for the East Lansing area, they cast a dim shadow on our once-hopeful project. Unfortunately, it seemed that we had set out to do something that was already being done; cue focus shift. We have since committed to the goal of raising awareness about food waste and encouraging others to check with their local bakeries to see what kinds of programs they have in place. We hope that our project conveys food waste as the serious issue that it is and motivates more people to step up and do something about it. I picked this group specifically because the amount of food I waste myself is atrocious. I was also struck by the Ted Talk we viewed in class, Tristram Stewart’s: The Global Food Waste Scandal. It showed me that just one person can make a difference and that food waste is one problem that we cannot allow to continue. As a group, we hope these videos and this project will inspire others to do something about food waste because, like we say in our video, food waste is everyone’s problem.