HW#6

            Over the course of a day, I decided to look at the mental aspect of the food that I was eating. Not only did I begin to find a true connection with my food, but I realized the reason why I ate this food and found comfort in it. At about 6:30 in the morning on Wednesday, I sat down to eat a bowl of cereal. According to the calorie counting machine from http://www.acaloriecounter.com/, the bowl of cereal I ate had 128 calories per serving. When I thought about why I had chosen that cereal at the supermarket, I came to the conclusion that it was all related to my childhood.

           At a very young age I had begun to eat that certain brand of cereal, not only do I like the crunchy yet simple taste of the cereal, but it took me back to a time where things were a lot simpler, school wasn’t really a big part of life and being with my family was a priority. This mental connection was not limited to just taste and physical appearance but also to how it made me feel when I was eating it.

           

Later in the day I had a Hamburger which was 512 calories and after savoring the hamburger I realized that it was more of a superficial relationship. Sure, it tasted good and looked delicious, but that was as deep as it went. In total, Breakfast, Lunch and dinner added up to 1500   calories which was about 100 calories less than the daily limit I should have each day. Doctor’s recommendations can only go so far, it’s the patient’s thoughts that will affect the decision that they make in the future.

           Looking at what I ate from a medical standpoint, what I ate that day was not healthy although it did not go past the recommended amount. Being that I feel this was about my own decisions, why do I continue to make these mistakes daily? At some moment in my life, I most likely had a breaking point where I felt the need to deal with my emotions through food or I needed to get back to the basics and I found that in food.

HW#5

HW 5 - Dominant Discourses Regarding Contemporary Foodways in the U.S.

       I feel as if the dominant discourse can most simply be defined as the common or talked about thoughts in the U.S. as well as the rest of the world. The dominant discourse focuses on the primary ideologies of the people that are in high positions of power and have influence. The dominant discourses in the U.S. relating to food can be argued as either the necessity of people beginning to eat healthier which can more recently be heard from either the President and his wife, the national food association as well anybody's doctor. Other people of the general public such as myself may argue that the dominant discourse is the focus on fast food corporations and the common necessity for food that tastes good and ca be acquired easily. 

      One of the mostly commonly talked about ideas on food in the united states is the idea that some foods are bad for you and others can make you healthier . Fast food is most commonly thought as dangerous or unhealthy but for some reason people do not listen despite it coming from the mouths of people we consider important. Healthy food is always thought of as medicinal or having powers to make you live longer and be smarter but much like fast food no one seems to fix their diet. If the dominant discourse comes from the people with power why do the majority of people not listen     

HW #4

After having discussed with my parents the changes that they have gone through after having immigrated to this country over 20 years ago, I can notice the changes in how they eat and treat food. My parents helped me understand that in Colombia, the idea of healthy means eating three meals a day with snacks in between each meal and simply using fresh fruit and vegetables as well as good meat. An example of the differences can be seen in the products that were used for cooking.

           On my father’s side of the family, oil made from pig fat was used to fry almost every food, while on my mother’s side, only corn oil was used. This difference in cooking methods is somewhat related to economic class because one family had more money than the other to buy healthier alternatives. Food is treated almost religiously because it is considered a very vital part of Colombian culture to many people. The food is always prepared with delicacy; time is put into the meals and may take up to a day or a week just to prepare one meal.

           When my parents were children, rice, bread, potatoes, and meat were essential parts of the meals throughout the day. Vegetables and salads were also a part of the meals but they were more of an addition to the main course. My Grandmother always looked for the “healthier” alternative to frying her food and thought that she was giving her children the best food available but upon arriving into this country, she began to learn about saturated fat and carbohydrates and what sorts of food you should limit yourself from eating.

           This slowly began to affect the culture that she and her family brought to the United States. The culture did remain intact but it started accepting new ideas and began to change into something better. Because my mother was still young, she adopted these ideas and raised me on them. I agree with eating healthy and preparing food in ways to minimize the amount of fats in the food, but my own feelings on food have begun to challenge the ideals of the Colombian culture and why food is so important and must be eaten at a certain time each day. In the past couple of years I have developed the idea that food is just food, it can be eaten at whatever time you please and it should be eaten because it tastes good, not because it’s good for your eyes or strengthens you bones. One example is fish, if I want to eat it, I will because I think it will satisfy my hunger. But I won’t eat it because it has Omega 3 fatty acids that are good for you and your brain. This disconnect may be caused by the influences of modern day society to be your own person and think, act and speak liberally.

HW#3

             Visiting the Union Square Market as well as a fast food restaurant deepened my existing knowledge about the dishonesty of the food industry Aside from the enormous differences in quality and quantity, I felt as if there was a connection with the vendors of the market that you can never have with a cashier or a manager in a fast food restaurant. In the Market, I met Michelle Bulich of Bulich Mushroom Farms and I was able to gain insight on how the food industry works and how some products dominate the market no matter how they affect your health. Before, I mentioned the difference between quality and quantity in these two ever growing markets; talking with Michelle made me realize the differences in quality are outstanding.

             To grow these mushrooms the workers on the farm never use sprays or additives to make the mushroom taste better or last longer, and they are grown in a mixture of horse manure and compost. On the other hand, the fast food restaurant only uses sprays and additives in their vegetables to keep them fresh. The meat is processed and comes from the leftover meat that no one wants to eat and is frozen for weeks until a customer decides to order it. Unlike the quality, the fast food restaurant easily surpasses the market in quantity because of the frozen food that is rarely thrown out despite how long it has been sitting in the freezer. The market only sells organic products which do not stay fresh for very long and are difficult to get a hold of.

             The different approaches that these two businesses have are very interesting to me, on one hand; the fast food restaurant doesn’t care about our health because it is too busy bringing in millions of dollars in revenue daily. The Mushroom farmers see food as something to be enjoyed and savored for its natural flavors and they put the people of New York as their first priority. Price is another big factor in people’s decisions to be healthier and consciously choose what is better for them. Fast food restaurants are always ready to make new promotions that attract people to buy their cheap products and the organic companies tend to be a bit over priced because their aforementioned quality.

             Usually I tend to partake in the sad daily routine of eating the garbage that is marketed to us but now I feel as if I should go that extra step to eat healthier and always look for the natural things. These differences in accessibility and quantity only stimulate our laziness and practically promote getting your food fast, no matter what its condition may be. I now realize how spoiled the food industry is and how we let that influence or lives daily.

HW 2: Food

         Food have always been significant to me. Aside from having to eat to survive, i eat to enjoy and relax. Food provides a sort of comfort to me that is always there but has never really been a very healthy relationship. A good hamburger and soda or well made sandwich always hits the spot and relaxes whenever i decide to eat. Food is also a very interesting and beautiful thing to explore because of all the different cultures in our world that do things so differently whether they are good or bad. 

        My priorities with food are very simple but serious. I try to never miss a meal and when i am hungry i eat. These rules are not always beneficial to me because eating whenever i am hungry is not that healthy. Usually what i eat always satisfies me but at tines i feel as if something is missing and this may affect my mood. I feel as if i should change this gradually to start getting my body used to the changes. 

       Food is not really sacred to me because it is not something that my religion dictates(even if it did i do not practice it.) But i am very interested in why food is so important or even spiritual to a lot of religions. I've seen that some cultures believe that the food they eat can be blessed or that by eating it they can be blessed but to me that seems ridiculous because food is for survival although i spend a lot of unnecessary money on it but because i have it.

      Perhaps if i was in a different financial situation i would look at food differently but at the moment i think that only the best quality food should be eaten and four course meals are always a must although i know that for many people that is not possible.