Do You Have Our National Eating Disorder?

After reading Pollan’s piece I realize I am guilty of abiding by “Our National Eating Disorder” at some times.  Pollan write that we as a society are obsessed with eating healthy and therefore have an unhealthy outlook on what, where and how much to eat.  Americans have for years been attempting to find the correct diet which will result in longevity in life and a thinner appearance.  These fad diets have come and gone based mainly of nothing.  One person’s crazy idea can quickly result in a Nationwide diet. He depicts our national eating disorder as “American paradox: that is, a notably unhealthy people obsessed by the idea of eating healthily.” (2)

The most interesting thing is how true his diagnosis is. Our culture no longer thinks on tastes, smells or appearance to guide it’s food choices rather food is chosen by the power of numbers. Harvey Levenstein backs this theory up saying '' . . . that taste is not a true guide to what should be eaten; that one should not simply eat what one enjoys; that the important components of food cannot be seen or tasted, but are discernible only in scientific laboratories; and that experimental science has produced rules of nutrition that will prevent illness and encourage longevity.'' (Pollan 3) Interestingly enough biology states just the opposite, that tastes and smells will lead us to the right foods.  In our society though our food has been processed and manipulated to the point where our tastes and smells will not work correctly in choosing foods. It has gone so far that it is no longer even our tastes and smells but our recognition with certain foods.  Negatively thinking, bing eating, diet fads, propaganda of nutritional facts have all led to our society having an unhealthy thought process when it comes to food values.  Paul Rozin and Claude Fischler perfomed a study in which they found that “Americans associated food with health the most and pleasure the least. Asked what comes to mind upon hearing the phrase ''chocolate cake,'' Americans were more apt to say ''guilt,'' while the French said ''celebration'';” (Pollan 4)  Our unhealthy thought process towards food choices lead to the foods becoming more and more processed in order to get certain nutritional numbers attached to them.  

I am an athlete and in choosing my food I must search for protein, carbohydrates, green vegetables and ensure that I am eating enough calories to sustain my energy throughout my training and my day.  When I am at home with my parents cooking I do not find this difficult.  Fresh vegetables, bread, and meat are always available which is perfect to sustain me.  Eating at the dorms in Denver I have a much more difficult time.  The food has been processed, is served in strange portion sizes and is not readily available.  Mondays for instance are ‘meatless’.  Trying to eat healthily for my lifestyle results in me having to eat unappetizing foods in strange portions.  It has become normal here for me to eat by the numbers without using taste and smell as my food choice indicators.  I think I have caught our national eating disorder.

In Class Eating Habits

My eating habits are a result of my lifestyle.  I work out on a daily basis, participate in ski training with a full course load on top.  I work to sustain energy for the entire day so that none of my activities are hindered due to a lack of energy.  Because of this I eat large quantities in the morning that include proteins and carbohydrates.  After morning workout or training we are required to drink a Muscle Mild in order to keep our muscles growing after breaking them down.  Lunch and dinner follow the same idea as breakfast and water and healthy snacks such as fruit sustain me throughout the day.  The goal is to never feel hungry or tired.  

On top of the health and fitness factors, I am a college student meaning that price plays a part as well.  I eat many of my meals in the dorms or cafeterias so I must try to fulfill my previously stated requirements within the college food system.  This can become difficult but it is definitely doable.  I would aspire to change my eating habits by not always taking the easiest route to eat healthy and cheap.  I think there are ways I could eat healthier within the cheap dorm food or ways I could find cheap food outside the dorm food that would benefit me more.

Rough Draft of Extended Essay

Here is my rough draft of my extended essay.  It doesnt have cited work or anything.

I like to eat maple syrup on my pancakes.  Many people enjoy this custom.  When eating pancakes at a restaurant or friends house pancakes are offered with syrup.  Syrup but not maple syrup.  I grew up on a maple syrup farm in southern Ontario Canada.  The process of boiling down Maple tree sap to create a sweet liquid is common to me and I grew up with those tastes and smells every day.  Upon the first bite of regular syrup I often go through a quick emotional cycle; first shocked and then disappointed and then leveling out to neutral. I am not saying I am crazy or cry about it, but it is not what is expected.  The syrup I have been served is not real maple syrup.  This is not a snobby opinion rather it is my own judgement based upon the biases I have grown up with throughout my life.  My mother had never tasted ‘real maple syrup’ until she moved to our farm.  For her, my ‘real’ maple syrup tastes woody and strange.  A big treat for my mum is Aunt Jemima’s Syrup.  The exact thing that I deem a knock off of the real deal.

Authenticity in food is not quantifiable yet is often demanded in our society. Whether it is health food, fast food or ethnic food, authenticity has becomes what our society deems it to be rather than about the actual food.  Who can say whose idea of the ideal or authentic pancake syrup is correct, rather it is the view of the individual, whose memories, biases and culture make up their tastes. These tastes are often adverse to the actual origin or basis of the food.  That does not mean though that they are incorrect, rather that food values and cultures change through time and place. Marketers play on stereotypes and what is demanded rather than what really matters.  Our food culture has become to desire something that is both unrealistic and predetermined by ourselves.  Authenticity or realness of food is determined by societies, cultures and individuals and then these factors, stereotypes and biases are played upon by media and marketers to create our food cultures and values.

52% of the American food demand is for ethnic foods.  But do these cultural restaurants stand up to their origins? Would the native people appreciate it or take it as an American knock off of their favourite dish.  After never visiting many foreign countries, consumers demand ‘real’ ethnic foods.  Restaurants and other food marketers attempt to create an ‘authentic’ experience for all diners yet will fail to give consumers what they expect by creating or reinforcing stereotypes which may or may not be true.  Food is an extremely personal experience as each persons tastes vary even within a culture or family.  At the same time food and culture are interrelated.  What is authentic can vary but the marketing is focused towards the common aspects mixed with the current culture. 

After dining at Jason’s Thai restaurant near the University of Denver Campus, I was interested in the fusion of Asian food served at a seemingly authentic Thai restaurant. While the Thai food was delicious they also offered sushi, common salads and other cuisine not found in Thailand.  Instead of only offering the native foods, restaurants have an opportunity to offer new and exciting foods. This novelty seeking human characteristic leads to the menu offerings being adapted to what the consumers preferences are. (Ryu & Zhong, pg 852-871) In addition, a friend offered the insight that reading the English version and the Chinese version of the menu, different meal or meal options were offered.

The goal of many ethnic restaurants is to create a distinctively exotic yet recognizable culture (MacMillan, Palgrave. pg 242-255). Native servers music and chefs play a large role in convincing the consumer that they are dining in a place that gives them a real taste of the culture they are exploring.  Going too far into the ethnic realm may create a divide in America between the native eater and the American eater.  There becomes a ‘risk’ factor. (Lee et al. pg 531-538)

The ‘authentic’ ethnic food is often prepared at home in ways Americans are not accustomed to, making it seem unhealthy.  A Chinese classmate for instance asked me why we do not eat chicken feet.  My answer was because it is gross.  He looked a little confused before replying; how are chicken feet any different than chicken wings.  It is our socialization that changes our perspective on life and in that our perspective on food.

Stereotypes are prevalent within our own culture and peers. It becomes looked down upon to eat cheap, quick, unhealthy food, whereas dining on expensive foods from the ‘right’ brand is a part of social standing; a food elitism. Looking at food advertisements, the marketers of a McDonalds ad will place more emphasis on a large pictures, bright colours and big words that pop out.  Our culture is so engrained that the advertisers assume the consumers know that the food there is fast, cheap and quick.  They do not acknowledge health concerns rather play off of emotional factors and a quick thinking customer to take in their ad. Other brands such as Whole Foods or Starbucks are considered to be a better place to eat.  They appeal to the active, health and environmentally conscious consumer because of previous biases.  The actual comparison in many categories is that McDonalds is a better choice health wise. According to the National Research Council on average one is intended to have no more than 1500 mg of sodium per day.  While a McDonalds Cheeseburger has 300 calories, 12 g of fat and 790 mg of sodium, a Starbucks turkey and swiss sandwich has 390 calories, 13 g of fat and 1180 mg of sodium. (1) Our culture has previously determined which restaurant is to be deemed better, healthier, more elite and which is deemed gross, fattening.  Stereotypes are based on the people that eat there rather than the food that is actually being served.

Currently the health food trend has been sweeping our continent.  But instead of putting the pressure on oneself to become healthy, they rely on the companies to do so themselves. When the consumer is buying a super-sized glass of pop the fact is, it is going to be unhealthy regardless.  Starbucks has recently added a new size called the ‘Trenta’ which holds 31 ounces or 916 mL. (3) The average stomach is only 900 mL. Many consumers think of one food item as one serving, regardless of the portion size of that food.  As Andrea Miller states, ‘the term "serving" has essentially lost it's meaning over the past 30 years. We have watched bagels grow to .500 kcal or the equivalent of 6 slices of bread, and soft drinks to 1000 mL (32 oz) from a modest 250 mL (8 oz.)’  (2)What we as society deems to be ‘authentically’ healthy, is far from what is actually healthy.  It has become what will make one look the healthiest from a distance.  Will I look healthier walking into a Starbucks in running clothes and coming out with a Turkey and Swiss sandwich and a Trenta Mocha Frappachino or will I look healthier eating a McDonalds Cheese burger and a super-sized pop?  

We have added new terms to our health food vocabulary in order to convince ourselves and the rest of society that what we are eating is healthy.  Packages that say ‘low fat’, ‘only 100 calories’, ‘pro-biotics’, ‘fat-free’, ‘light’, ‘no trans fats’, ‘organic’ are consistently bought without the consumer knowing the real meanings of the words or nutritional facts behind the product. A 100 calorie snackpack appears to some to be a healthy choice.  A large apple is 110 calories yet few would say it is less healthy than a packaged low calorie snack. Though certain things are advertised the whole idea behind nutrition is getting all the facts. In many cases words like low fat are only relative to the producers other products; in essence making certain low fat products only lower in fat than their high fat products. In many cases words such as ‘organic’ can be bought.  Companies paying money to governments to be able to advertise it. Other companies trademark phrases.  These phrases don’t have to be factual as it is considered to just be the name of the product. These ways marketers have of talking their way around the consumer leads to the consumer feeling they have the ‘authentic’ health food yet are being misled by incomplete facts or fancy wording.  It then becomes a biased market as certain brands are considered to be the real health food based off of consumer trends which are based off marketers tricks.

What is eaten is a reflection of our values.  Food Values mimic Cultural or societal values.  Often the authenticity of the ethnic food, the healthiest food, the most elite brand is not determined by qualities that are quantifiable or tasty, rather by predetermined biases or stereotypes. It really becomes the authenticity of the experience.  An ethnic food restaurant uses music, ambiance, native staff and eaters to provide that to the american consumer.  Health foods use advertising and over the top wording to convince the consumer that they are in fact becoming healthier.  Elite brands use the stereotypes they have been given to create a desired effect.  

There is a direct correlation between what ones values are and their food choices. Our values are our own, yet are often shaped by cultural and societal upbringings.  Authenticity can only be determined by an individual, yet again, this is shaped by our lives and those around us.  Maybe someone out there thinks chocolate syrup is best on pancakes.  Or cinnamon and sugar.  Perhaps jam or something crazier like smoked salmon and dill sauce.  What is the authentic pancake topping? Only you can decide... Although if you haven’t tried my maple syrup then you really can’t know for sure can you?!

Food Values Mimic Societal Values

Our culture is rushed.  Many of us spend our days without taking the time to take a breath let alone an entire meal. Eating on the run has become not only acceptable but necessary.  Horwitz’s article on ‘eating on the edge’ uses different examples to bring together many issues that are prevalent in our culture such as obesity, rushed lifestyle, pressure to do everything, missed social contact.  The idea that ‘grazing not eating at fixed meal times’ has led to many of these things really helps to show how food culture relates directly to our society and cultural identity.  Our values in food result or directly impact our values in life and lifestyles.  One can see that through the astronauts that this is innate in American culture and not a world wide phenomenon.  The pressure of the american dream and our desire to get one step ahead of our peers leads to missed meals, missed social contact and missed experiences.  

The european astronauts were found to have a pattern of getting together and sitting down at a set time for meals whereas the americans often snacked throughout the day and began eating alone or while attending to other business.  This can be seen in the college lifestyle that eating on the run, between classes and alone because of different timetables than friends becomes often necessary.  At the same time though, when eating alone or quickly becomes a habit, the concept of a family meal, a well cooked home meal with friends and family becomes a much more special occasion.  Something people spend time working for and something that is looked forward to.  Spending time with friends and family should be made a priority more often. As Horwitz says ‘occasions when food is an additive to a situation’ when he says is ‘eating on the edge’ but really I don’t believe food is the issue rather we should take time to sit down with friends or family, talk face to face about the day and relax.  Whether or not food is involved should be secondary rather food is just a good indicator that our social contact is being diminished throughout our lifestyles.

Authenticity in American Food

I am a stereotypical Canadian living in America.  I grew up on a maple syrup farm in eastern Canada, playing hockey on our backyard rink.  My favourite treat is bacon. Other than these stereotypical traits, my main food influences come from around the world.  Like Americans our food is adopted or brought here from around the world.  Italian food, Chinese food, Mexican food are all seemingly common in our lives.  

52% of the American food demand is for ethnic foods.  But do these cultural restaurants stand up to their origins? Would the native people appreciate it or take it as an American knock off of their favourite dish.  After never visiting many foreign countries, consumers demand ‘real’ ethnic foods.  Restaurants and other food marketers attempt to create an ‘authentic’ experience for all diners yet will fall to give consumers what they expect by creating or reinforcing stereotypes which may or may not be true.  Food is an extremely personal experience as each persons tastes vary even within a culture or family.  At the same time food and culture are interrelated.  What is authentic can vary but the marketing is focused towards the common aspects mixed with the current culture.  

After dining at Jason’s Thai restaurant near the University of Denver Campus, I was interested in the fusion of Asian food served at a seemingly authentic Thai restaurant. While the Thai food was delicious they also offered sushi, common salads and other cuisine not found in Thailand.  Instead of only offering the native foods, restaurants have an opportunity to offer new and exciting foods. This novelty seeking human characteristic leads to the menu offerings being adapted to what the consumers preferences are. (Ryu & Zhong, pg 852-871) In addition, a friend offered the insight that reading the English version and the Chinese version of the menu, different meal or meal options were offered. Similarly what is referred to as ‘Canadian bacon’ in America is called back bacon in Canada.  What people decide is stereotypical from the outside is different than what is considered normal from the insider.  

Perhaps non natives are not knowingly eating non authentic food.  An Americanized version is all that is available to them.  The idea is that ethnic restaurants are ‘culinary tourism’. (Macmillan, Palgrave. pg 242-255) When visiting a foreign land one visits ‘important’ landmarks or touristy places. One does not often do the boring daily life things that citizens of the country would.  When eating at an ethnic restaurant one eats what the natives have deemed ‘important’, something one should try in order to assume a positive reaction. They though might look for something simpler that is a daily meal, not the special meals one would show someone from out of town. 

The ‘authenticity’ of the food comes from the eaters opinion, and more than the food plays into that. It really becomes the authenticity of the experience. If native eaters are eating there is a sign that the food is ‘authentic’. Like when traveling one looks for where the ‘locals’ dine.  Such an idea seems intuitive until one reaches the concept that the ‘local’ is being served a different menu.  The same is common for Americans. Take the renowned fast food joint In n Out Burger for instance.  Many of the favourites are not on the actual menu such as ‘Animal Style Fries’, yet frequent customers know to order them.  

The goal of many ethnic restaurants is to create a distinctively exotic yet recognizable culture (MacMillan, Palgrave. pg 242-255). Native servers music and chefs play a large role in convincing the consumer that they are dining in a place that gives them a real taste of the culture they are exploring.  Going too far into the ethnic realm may create a divide in America between the native eater and the American eater.  There becomes a ‘risk’ factor. (Lee et al. pg 531-538) Many ethnic restaurants are deemed to be ‘dirty’ or unsanitary in appearance or food preparation.  People often falsely associate contracting food poisoning or other illnesses at a Mexican or Asian food restaurant as more likely.  These ideas are often backed up by inspections which do not take into account the cultural differences in food preparation and knowledge of such foods.  The ‘authentic’ ethnic food is often prepared at home in ways Americans are not accustomed to, making it seem unhealthy.  A Chinese classmate for instance asked me why we do not eat chicken feet.  My answer was because it is gross.  He looked a little confused before replying; how are chicken feet any different than chicken wings.  It is our socialization that changes our perspective on life and in that our perspective on food.   The fact that preparers and servers at ethnic restaurants often do not use English as their primary language can lead to confusion and inefficiency between native and non-native eaters.  Again this might draw a more ethnic crowd but alienate the American customer.  

Taste, appearance, risk and service are all perceived by the individual therefore ethnic restaurants looking to appeal to both native and non-native eaters must incorporate aspects that are familiar to both so as not to leave one crowd ostracized. Wherever one goes one will find different adaptations of food, different attempts at a similar recipe.  It is not where the restaurant is located but how the customer feels about it.  The perception of each customer will be different. The authentic food experience is available only with an open mind, regardless of ones cultural background. 

Works Cited

Lee, Louise et al. “Consumer Perceptions on Food Safety in Asian and Mexican Restaurants” Food Control. Vol 26, Issue 2. 2012. Accessed April 15 2013. <http://0-www.sciencedirect.com.bianca.penlib.du.edu/science/article/pii/S0956713512000849>

Macmillan, Palgrave. “The Role of Themed Restaurants as Cultural Ambassadors” Tourism and Hospitality Research. Specail Issue. Sept 2007. Accessed April 15 2013. <http://0-search.proquest.com.bianca.penlib.du.edu/docview/237207864>

Ryu, Kisang & Zhong, Yan. “Antecedents and Consequences of Customer Menu Choice in an Authentic Chinese Restaurant” Journal of Hospitality Marketing and Management. Vol 21, Issue 8. 2012. Accessed April 15 2013. <http://jc3th3db7e.search.serialssolutions.com/?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&ctx_enc=info%3Aofi%2Fenc%3AUTF-8&rfr_id=info:sid/summon.serialssolutions.com&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Antecedents+and+Consequences+of+Customers%27+Menu+Choice+in+an+Authentic+Chinese+Restaurant+Context&rft.jtitle=Journal+of+Hospitality+Marketing+%26+Management&rft.au=Kisang+Ryu&rft.au=Yan+%28Grace%29+Zhong&rft.date=2012&rft.pub=Haworth+Press%2C+Inc&rft.issn=1936-8623&rft.eissn=1936-8631&rft.volume=21&rft.issue=8&rft.spage=852&rft.externalDocID=2787498971>

Researching Ethnic Restaurants Marketing

The following are sources for my upcoming essay.  After visiting and observing Jason's Thai restaurant my essay will be talking about how ethnic Restaurants market or cater to people of all ethnicities and backgrounds.  The first source talks about the societal and cultural role of ethnic restaurants in our melting pot society.  The second source talks about the appeal of ethnic restaurants and the different perceptions of different ethnicities.  The third source is a part of also talks about the perceptions on food safety and how our perceptions impact our menu and restaurants choices.  

These will be an interesting read and helpful insight into how and what my essay will be about.

http://0-search.proquest.com.bianca.penlib.du.edu/docview/237207864

http://0-www.sciencedirect.com.bianca.penlib.du.edu/science/article/pii/S0956713512000849

http://jc3th3db7e.search.serialssolutions.com/?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&ctx_enc=info%3Aofi%2Fenc%3AUTF-8&rfr_id=info:sid/summon.serialssolutions.com&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Antecedents+and+Consequences+of+Customers%27+Menu+Choice+in+an+Authentic+Chinese+Restaurant+Context&rft.jtitle=Journal+of+Hospitality+Marketing+%26+Management&rft.au=Kisang+Ryu&rft.au=Yan+%28Grace%29+Zhong&rft.date=2012&rft.pub=Haworth+Press%2C+Inc&rft.issn=1936-8623&rft.eissn=1936-8631&rft.volume=21&rft.issue=8&rft.spage=852&rft.externalDocID=2787498971

Food in the Community

Food is important in each respective community that Cate and O’Donnell discuss.  In both cases what is eaten can say a lot about your status and character.  The judgement O’Donnell makes regarding how eating beef means one is slower witted than a fish eater, but also less sneaky and more trustworthy is an interesting observation that makes sense biologically thinking.  In jail, Cate considers how being able to afford spread can mean a variety of things from having or not having a girlfriend on the outside to being involved in drug dealing. Food in jail is used as a way to indicate autonomy from the institution.  Having the freedom to eat what is desired is taken away and instead inmates are served uniform meals out of bags.  

In both cases food is used to group people together.  In jail the spreads become a community affair; many people working together to get the ingredients and finally sharing something special once it is made.  In Shenzhen people are brought together over food by the success of the government. Food is a celebratory event of nothing more that the workings of community.  At the same time food is bringing people together it also adds an element of segregation.  In Shenzhen, old and new Shenzheners have different tastes from different hometowns and therefore will not bond in the same way over a meal.  In jail there were often racially segregated spread events.  As with everything, while it brings people together, all those that are not brought together end up excluded.

Food is a memory stimulator.  Cates’s article speaks of spread as an attempt at ‘real food’ from the outside.  Though the spreads would not live up to standards for most, trying to put special occasions and meals together is an exciting event in an otherwise dull existence.  Nostalgia for socialist meals in O’Donnell’s article depicts the opposite.  Chefs in Tianjin now have much more to work with and make meals with the same basis only better.  “The hometown food at Gathering enabled the classmates to imagine themselves as having grown up in a new and improved Tianjin”.  Food brings people to a better past or future than what is their reality.

Fast Food Feast vs Sustainable Sustenance

         An advertisers job is to excite the consumer of the positives and downplay the negatives of the product.  Through looking at advertisers and their advertisements one can see a point of view of what a certain demographic finds appealing.  What is missing is also a vital insight into what our society has tabooed. With food there is no difference.  After acknowledging the intended audience of the ad, the rhetoric falls into place and conclusions about how society regards and treats food can be made.

McDonalds is one of the most well known names in food in America.  This nationwide knowledge of them has given them an ethos that is so credible that the McDonalds name is not even placed on the ad.  Instead bright colours and simple big words take over most of the space.  The food is also shown in large bright pictures to portray the value in comparison to price.  The prices are not even mentioned as their ethos is known as being inexpensive, and there is no comparison on value based on quality only quantity.  The intended audience is the less wealthy and rushed consumer; someone who is looking for cheap and fast food.  The ad uses desire and pathos, looking for the consumer to think quickly.  The emotional words such as ‘bliss’, as well as desirable pictures of burgers attempts to make the consumer crave the food rather than think rationally about their options.  Instead of providing a situation where a meal is enjoyable they use the ad to depict the fact that happiness and enjoyment will come out of their food.  There is no use of logos, no facts or figures to  convince the audience, rather they hope that the kairos of hunger and quickness of their service will be enough.

Whole Foods is known for exactly the opposite of quick and cheap food.  They hope to appeal to an active, healthy, environmental, and socially conscious audience. Even in their ad for an unhealthy butter cookie they make sure to address the logos of where their ingredients come from and how they are made.  Instead of using flashy pictures and big simple words they write more about their product and do not even show a picture.  The look of the ad is wholesome, classic and earthy, helping to establish their ethos of a credible source of good healthy food.  Whole Foods uses phrases such as ‘made in the French countryside’, ‘traditional recipe’, ‘skillful baking’ to extend their ethos.  This use of language also brings up their audience to a more educated customer.  The use of foreign or exoticness makes their product appear to be one of a kind,  Making their product seem special attracts competitive customers who are looking to outdo their peers only makes their product more and more irresistible.

Ruby Tuesdays falls somewhere in the middle.  The audience intended by the advertisement is a middle class, looking for a good meal without paying too much. While Ruby Tuesdays doesn’t expand on the health benefits or where their ingredients come from they counteract that by using words such as ‘Fresh’ or ’32 New Choices’ to excite the audience and give them a feel that the food is well prepared. This can also be seen through the simple, colourful pictures.  Simple slogans like the McDonalds advertisement helps appeal to both ends of the spectrum; health versus ease.  

Food culture in America is strange.  There is no talk about the food itself; nothing regarding tastes, textures or smells or any factor that actually makes food good versus bad.  The cultivation and preparation is important in our society.  McDonalds clearly avoids the health and environmental side of their product.  Ruby Tuesdays skirts around the issue using words like ‘Fresh’ , while Whole Foods embraces it. Even McDonalds ensured that all the food in the pictures showed colourful, healthy looking food, not an actual picture. 

What is eaten is really a reflection of ones basic values.  If money and time are an issue, food gets put on the back burner.  In these situations ease trumps health and sustainability.  As money and time become less of an issue more exotic foods become available. McDonalds speak nothing of where their food comes from yet the ease of obtaining the product is clear, Ruby Tuesdays talks about ‘new and exciting’ dishes while Whole Foods takes the opposite side leaning on how their product is imported.  They are clearly speaking to different audiences.

In American culture, the American Dream phenomenon is seen in the food eaten as well.  It becomes looked down upon to eat cheap, quick, unhealthy food, whereas dining on expensive foods from the ‘right’ brand is a part of social standing; a food elitism.  As health awareness becomes a more major part of our culture our food elitisms change as well.  Previously eating yogurt and granola was food for the starving hippie.  Now organic granola from Whole Foods is expensive, people are starting to grow their own food, or eat from local farms and even McDonalds is offering granola, salads and other healthier options in order to bring the health conscious trend to the lower socio economic class.

In each of the ads there is no notice of price or deals.  Is it clear through the ads which one serves cheap versus expensive food or is that only clear to american consumers through the socialization of brands?  Is it clear which is the tastiest? These factors are not mention rather assumed that the most expensive brand has the healthiest, tastiest food.  The Food Culture and Value in America is not based on quality, rather on biases already in place.

WORKS CITED

"OUR WORK." STERN. Stern Advertising, n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2013. <http://www.sternadvertising.com/our-work/mcdonalds/>.

Sood, Shivani. "Ruby Tuesday." Coroflot. IDREAMSOFWEB Graphic Design, n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2013. <http://www.coroflot.com/shivaniele/ruby-tuesday>.

"Whole Foods Butter Cookies Advertisement - Painting By David Terry Art." David Terry Art. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2013. <http://www.davidterryart.com/2005/01/whole-foods-butter-cookies-advertisement/>.

A Past and Present Meal

My Grandmother is a particular woman.  She likes things the way they have always been and does everything her own way.  She insists we call her Mary, her first name, because she believes being called granny makes her seem old.  (She is nearly 81 years old). She cooks the food her grandmother made her, which is the same food her grandmother’s grandmother also cooked.

My brother, Geordie, is similar to my grandmother in that he is also a particular boy.  He also takes pride in customs and traditions.  He likes things in his world to stay the same. For this reason he loves the consistent tasks of measuring, weighing and timing that are involved in baking and cooking.  

Each Monday night anybody in my family who happens to be in Toronto will head over to my grandmothers house for a hearty meal.  She cooks one of a few staple dishes that always include a meat, a potato dish and some sort of cooked vegetable.  The dessert is also one of a few sweet and delicious choices from the past; eclairs, short bread cookies, meringues, brown-stein pudding or gingerbread with homemade applesauce.  Everything is always mouthwatering though my grandmother makes a big deal of pointing out flaws in each meal.  She never believes they are up to the standards her own grandmother made.

Three of my cousins live in Toronto to attend University.  This meal is a welcome change in their diet of cheap and fast food.  For my dad and his brothers this meal is a path back to their childhood. For my mother this is a chance to be included into a big extended family when she does not have one at her disposal. Living away from home this is one of the major parts of my life I miss dearly.  

My grandmother raised four busy children alongside my Grandfather Jim.  Mealtimes were an important part of each day.  Sitting down together was a tradition that my family  continues to uphold.  We all spend at least an hour cooking, eating and cleaning together.  With everyone gathering together in my grandmother’s apartment, she takes the time to reminisce stories of her childhood, my father’s childhood and my Grandfather’s life.  Though I was not present for much of this my grandfather has become a much more present person in my life than he would have otherwise, and stories of my grandmother’s childhood have become my stories as well.

Through these meals I have learned most of what I know about my past and present.  We sit and talk about everyday things, relationships, frustrating events, exciting endeavors and plans.  We look to both the past through food and stories, to the future by being the next generation to eat and share over our traditional food.  

My brother is in that next generation of our traditional food makers.  These meals to him are a culinary lesson.  He makes a point to watch my grandmother carefully, particularly with her desserts, taking meticulous notes as my grandmother uses no recipes.  Each time he tries at home he ends up with a slight variation of my grandmother’s specialty.  No matter how many times he phones her for advice, which come in subtleties such as beat the eggs counter clockwise or heat the oven to 358 degrees not 375.

His meals, like my grandmother’s are delectable.  He like my grandmother always insists that there is something wrong with them. A flaw that no one can notice, or a slight  difference in consistency.  Through these variations I wonder how the dishes have changed throughout the decades they have been served to my family members.  Is my brother more or less on track than my grandmother, or how was my grandmother’s grandmother’s meal?  

These suppers together are a comfort to me, a well needed break from stress.  My mother always asks why I don’t learn to make them like my brother does.  My mother’s parents died when she was younger and I never got the chance to meet them.  She didn’t have a chance to bring as many traditions and stories from her family, nor does she have family to reminisce and remember the past with.  Because of this I know only what my mother can remember which is not nearly as extensive as a whole table full of people with a common past.  

I enjoy cooking as much as my brother and grandmother does but I think these meals are only a comfort with the company.  The variance or flaws go unnoticed but the stories told stay with each of us forever.  These stories grow in variance in the same way the food does, slightly adapted each time they are told by a different person.   

Having my brother learn to cook these common meals without me has actually become a comfort.  I know that years from now these suppers won’t be just a story told at my dinner table.  The family will change and grow but instead of making these meals alone they will continue to bring us together.  The stories will change and the food might as well, but having a place to meet, enjoy and share a meal is a special tradition started long ago in my family and my brother’s knowledge in these meals will ensure this tradition continues into the next generation.

My Classmates Experiences in Food

After reading fellow classmates blogs on their latest meal I realized how lucky I was to have been one of the few to talk about a home cooked meal.  Most often the latest meal eaten was Sodexo Dorm Food. While I have recently been eating meals at home, I am no stranger to their experiences with cafeteria food.  While my meal was lovingly made and enjoyed with friends and family, the meals in the dorm were rushed, often eaten alone and definitely not enjoyed thoroughly.  Having the opportunity to decide what one wants to eat, then getting to prepare it is a task people often take for granted.  It seems a burden to have to make ones own food.  After spending nearly 6 months eating dorm food one realized how nice it is to decide to make dinner rather than choosing from the option of three fairly unhealthy dishes.  Eating out of convenient stores and prepackaged food on the run from class to class is another unhealthy habit many of us have acquired. Food is culturally something that brings people together, through the happiness of eating and sharing something, yet through the dorm food it clearly is a rushed and uneventful part of the day.  

Language and Culture of Food

Food is a major component of culture across the world.  Different areas are well known for their unique tastes and dishes.  These distinctions can also be seen through one type of food in one area.  Freedman and Jurafsky took two mediums; food and language, that can both vary through different class, location, race and culture throughout the world and attempted to relate the two. They used quantitative research methods that were less biased than what I had expected.  Using methods to discover how common and easy to read each chip bag was, their research found that language in advertising of more expensive chips was more extensive and informative than those of less expensive chips.  

While advertisers always seek to target a particular audience, this is especially interesting because it seeks to do so by changing the language used to speak to the audience rather than making the actual product more appealing.   It was found that all the chips were of similar size and flavour.  The more expensive brands were found to negate and compare themselves negatively to other brands, attempting to make their brand more elite.  Health, another indicator of class, was also brought up more in the expensive brands whereas historicity was mention more often in the less expensive brands.  These areas are often highly regarded in each economic state.  

These techniques in advertising could be used throughout the food advertising world.  Restaurants have already used this method in advertising.  Fast food joints frequently speak simply and bluntly about their deals and food. They want people to eat here because it is fast and cheap.  A sit down restaurant is more likely to spend time to speak more eloquently of where their food was attained and how healthy it is, though they might also talk simply about their deals to attract both ends of the spectrum.  More expensive restaurants often describe their menu in other languages, fancier and longer words that would leave a less educated person feeling exempt.  The goal here is to attract an elite crowd.  

Language is a clear indicator of culture and moving that resource over to food and food advertising could be a large benefit to those companies in reaching appropriate audiences and hopefully clients.

Pics from: Authenticity in America: Class Distinctions in Potato Chip Advertising Author(s): Joshua Freedman and Dan Jurafsky