Thanks for the link. Recently in Illinois or Michigan - a bunch of students went on strike against their lunch program. I saw it on the national news. They said that they were protesting the horrible lack of nutritional value in their school lunches. They wanted healthier choices than fried chicken nuggets, pizza, french fries, mashed potatoes, etc.
One of the shocks of moving to the US, was the surprising lack of quality of food. Not just processed either, but fresh meat and vegetables, fruits. The first time I cooked Tyson chicken I thought it was bad because the amount of draining of liquid from the meat. I tossed it, and began again, and only then realized that was the way the meat was.
Not to mention all the packaged foods and mixes we have on the shelves. I remember in England and Australia - you couldn't find these processed items. A cake mix? No way. And in London when I was studying theater over there with a bunch of fellow students over a summer - people were craving I Can't Believe it's Not Butter - ie fake butter, because London did not have it, along with Crystal Light Lemonade.
NY isn't that bad - you can find fresh chicken and organic/local. It's all the rage right now. BUT - it is twice as expensive as Tyson chicken. Organic or fresh poultry costs $8.99 in comparison to Tyson's $4.99. (I just saw the difference in the grocery store.) And steak? Same deal. $12.99 for non-processed, organic, naturally feed angus beef vs. $2.99 for regular supermarket beef. Same deal with vegetables and lettuce - the good stuff, the fresh stuff costs twice as much as the bagged, processed, not so good - frozen variety.
Which are you going to buy if you are counting pennies?
When I look at people on the street - I can tell right off the bat who has money and who doesn't. The one's with money are thin, riding bikes, and in great physical shape, those who don't aren't.
And most people don't like to spend money on food - or health care, they'd rather spend it on something fun or entertaining.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2010-03-28 07:45 pm (UTC)One of the shocks of moving to the US, was the surprising lack of quality of food. Not just processed either, but fresh meat and vegetables, fruits. The first time I cooked Tyson chicken I thought it was bad because the amount of draining of liquid from the meat. I tossed it, and began again, and only then realized that was the way the meat was.
Not to mention all the packaged foods and mixes we have on the shelves. I remember in England and Australia - you couldn't find these processed items. A cake mix? No way. And in London when I was studying theater over there with a bunch of fellow students over a summer - people were craving I Can't Believe it's Not Butter - ie fake butter, because London did not have it, along with Crystal Light Lemonade.
NY isn't that bad - you can find fresh chicken and organic/local. It's all the rage right now. BUT - it is twice as expensive as Tyson chicken.
Organic or fresh poultry costs $8.99 in comparison to Tyson's $4.99.
(I just saw the difference in the grocery store.) And steak? Same deal.
$12.99 for non-processed, organic, naturally feed angus beef vs. $2.99 for regular supermarket beef. Same deal with vegetables and lettuce - the good stuff, the fresh stuff costs twice as much as the bagged, processed, not so good - frozen variety.
Which are you going to buy if you are counting pennies?
When I look at people on the street - I can tell right off the bat who has money and who doesn't. The one's with money are thin, riding bikes, and in great physical shape, those who don't aren't.
And most people don't like to spend money on food - or health care, they'd rather spend it on something fun or entertaining.