Eating with Convenience vs. Conscious
Industrial Food Diary
Monday, 9/17/18 (Eating as Normal) |
Tuesday, 9/18/2018 (No Processed Foods) |
Food eaten throughout the day:
- Water - 1 dill pickle spear - Strawberries - Spinach and spring blend mix salad - Ken's Olive Oil and Vinegar Vinaigrette - Half an avocado - 1 tomato - 2 hamburger buns - Yellow mustard - Sour Cream and Cheddar Ripple Potato Chips (Meijer brand) - Plantain chips - Fruit snacks - Chocolate chip cookies |
Food eaten throughout the day:
- Water - Strawberries - 2 pickle spears - 1 apple - Whole wheat pasta (spaghetti) - Olive oil - 1 tomato - Spinach and spring blend mix salad (spinach from my salad blend was added to my pasta) - Olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder (added to my salad) - Carrots |
Reflection on this Experience:
Starting this experience, I did not think it was going to be so difficult to avoid processed foods. I've always thought I ate pretty healthy, save for a few exceptions. This can easily be seen in my food diary from Monday. On a general day, I eat about two thirds good, whole foods, and about one third junk food and other treats. I thought for Tuesday that it would be easy to replace these unhealthy snacks with unprocessed foods, but it turned out to be more difficult than that. By the time late night rolled around - also known as the time I begin to snack my way until bed - I found myself craving some chips or the chocolate chip cookies my mom had bought for me over the weekend. I tried to replace these treats with foods like carrots, but, even though these filled me up, they did not satisfy. Experiencing these cravings on Tuesday made me think of the article "The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food" that we read in class; mainly, the fact that junk food is designed to be craved. The producers of the potato chips I tend to reach for know that I will be drawn to their product because it contains salt, fat, and sugar, even if I am not consciously aware of this. All I wanted to do was reach for that salty chip or sweet fruit snack to satisfy myself on Tuesday evening, and it was harder than I would like to admit to say no. I didn't realize, before this experiment, how much of a grip junk food has on me, especially when I am in a stressful environment like college.
In addition to realizing that I'm more of a junk food addict than I thought, this experience also showed me that more foods are processed than I anticipated. I thought for my second day of "clean eating", I could eat the same avocado sandwiches I did on Monday. This was until I remembered what Warner had said in Pandora's Lunchbox about the store-bought bread we consume: they're full of preservatives. Since the bread I bought had been the cheap Meijer brand, I started to think that it may contain a startling array of additives. One look at the ingredient label confirmed my fears that the bread I wanted to eat was actually a processed food. A lot of the foods in my kitchen that I wanted to eat were like the bread: full of preservatives and things I definitely did not have in my own kitchen. This included jarred pasta sauces, salad dressings, and more food items that were a part of my daily routine. This experiment really opened my eyes, more so than the class readings on their own did, to how many processed foods are really in my diet. Coming out of this experiment, I hope to be a little more mindful of what I am eating, especially in light of all the information I have gained from Pandora’s Lunchbox and our other class readings.
In addition to realizing that I'm more of a junk food addict than I thought, this experience also showed me that more foods are processed than I anticipated. I thought for my second day of "clean eating", I could eat the same avocado sandwiches I did on Monday. This was until I remembered what Warner had said in Pandora's Lunchbox about the store-bought bread we consume: they're full of preservatives. Since the bread I bought had been the cheap Meijer brand, I started to think that it may contain a startling array of additives. One look at the ingredient label confirmed my fears that the bread I wanted to eat was actually a processed food. A lot of the foods in my kitchen that I wanted to eat were like the bread: full of preservatives and things I definitely did not have in my own kitchen. This included jarred pasta sauces, salad dressings, and more food items that were a part of my daily routine. This experiment really opened my eyes, more so than the class readings on their own did, to how many processed foods are really in my diet. Coming out of this experiment, I hope to be a little more mindful of what I am eating, especially in light of all the information I have gained from Pandora’s Lunchbox and our other class readings.
The Refrigerator as a Tool of Analysis
Refrigerator Photograph
It is remarkable how much can be determined about someone form a quick snapshot of their fridge. My mother, who asked her Facebook friend group if they could take a picture of their refrigerator for me, provided me this photo. The only thing I know about this person is that they are most likely a parent, though I do not know of how many children. Even if I did not already suspect this fridge belongs to a parent, I would most likely be able to figure this out. I notice that Lunchables are present in the fridge, as well as fun convenience items, like the smiley fries in the freezer. These products, especially Lunchables, are made primarily for kids. The article "The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food" by Gabrielle Petrick notes that the design of Lunchables is made to appeal to children by suggesting they can be in control of their own meal full of ridiculous amounts of fat and sugar. It is unlikely that the Lunchables would be present if children were not also accessing this fridge. Though it is important to note that a Lunchable, while marketed to children, still has elements that would appeal to an adult. like dopamine-inducing fats and salt. Thus, it is possible that only an adult is accessing this fridge, even though that's not likley.
Additionally, I can tell just from the refrigerator that the person who owns this fridge is not poor. This comes from two pieces of evidence: one, the fridge is full and contains a variety of food, and, two, the fridge has leftovers present. The variety of food indicates that the person who shops for groceries has the freedom to pick good foods for them and their children, such as the vegetables, eggs, and meat that are present. Without proper money and access, fresh produce would not be present. This is something that is a privilege of the middle and upper classes, a concept which is discussed in the article "From 'Junk Food' to 'Treats'" by Wei-ting Chen. Chen mentions that those who live with the threat of poverty in low income areas often are not able to provide as much or as good of quality of food for their children. I would argue that the person who owns this fridge would consider herself a "good mother" and find pride in that distinction because of the food provided. Additionally, there are leftovers in the fridge, suggesting that there is enough time for someone in this family to cook using wholesome, seemingly fresh ingredients. Often, cooking is a luxury, or at least a perceived luxury, of having enough time that is not dedicated to working. It is also clear that the owners of this fridge rely on condiments heavily and have their own seasoning preferences for various foods. The condiment types suggest that this is an American family. Few of these condiments are popular outside the US, like, for example, the copious amount of Ranch in the side door. Finally, it is also evident from this photograph that eating out is not a rare event, but most likely seen as a treat. Leftover Taco Bell is present in the fridge, but so are many other foods, suggesting fast food is not a daily occurrence, but still does occur. If I had to guess, I would say that the members of this family are fairly healthy, probably as a result of financial and time privilege. They probably live in an affluent area of the United States, and young children are most likely present in this family.
Additionally, I can tell just from the refrigerator that the person who owns this fridge is not poor. This comes from two pieces of evidence: one, the fridge is full and contains a variety of food, and, two, the fridge has leftovers present. The variety of food indicates that the person who shops for groceries has the freedom to pick good foods for them and their children, such as the vegetables, eggs, and meat that are present. Without proper money and access, fresh produce would not be present. This is something that is a privilege of the middle and upper classes, a concept which is discussed in the article "From 'Junk Food' to 'Treats'" by Wei-ting Chen. Chen mentions that those who live with the threat of poverty in low income areas often are not able to provide as much or as good of quality of food for their children. I would argue that the person who owns this fridge would consider herself a "good mother" and find pride in that distinction because of the food provided. Additionally, there are leftovers in the fridge, suggesting that there is enough time for someone in this family to cook using wholesome, seemingly fresh ingredients. Often, cooking is a luxury, or at least a perceived luxury, of having enough time that is not dedicated to working. It is also clear that the owners of this fridge rely on condiments heavily and have their own seasoning preferences for various foods. The condiment types suggest that this is an American family. Few of these condiments are popular outside the US, like, for example, the copious amount of Ranch in the side door. Finally, it is also evident from this photograph that eating out is not a rare event, but most likely seen as a treat. Leftover Taco Bell is present in the fridge, but so are many other foods, suggesting fast food is not a daily occurrence, but still does occur. If I had to guess, I would say that the members of this family are fairly healthy, probably as a result of financial and time privilege. They probably live in an affluent area of the United States, and young children are most likely present in this family.
Taco Bell and McDonald's are More Similar than One Would Think
McDonaldization Exercise
The term McDonaldization brings up, as it should, the picture of a McDonald's: a perfect, corporate entity designed to deliver food efficiently and predictably. Many institutions have borrowed ideas from McDonald’s, especially other fast food restaurants. I decided to head to one my favorite fast food establishments to observe the role of McDonaldization there. Thus, on a lazy Sunday afternoon, I went to Taco Bell to order lunch. When I first arrived at the restaurant, the McDonaldization of Taco Bell was glaringly evident. According to John Ritzer’s The McDonaldization of Society, the four main tenants of McDonaldization are efficiency, predictability, calculability, and control. All of these concepts were present in the Taco Bell I visited, from the physical setup forcing me into a line at the front counter, to the familiar menu that is the same almost everywhere across the United States. Making a note of everything that should have already been predetermined, I decided to interrupt the McDonaldized process and engage in a true conversation with the worker behind the counter.
As I approached the counter, I felt myself become nervous. I do not enjoy standing out or making a scene, so the concept of interrupting an established system terrified me. Despite this, I persisted towards the counter. The worker greeted me the same way as she had the customer before, asking how my day was going and what I wanted. I responded to her initial question, but then, rather than start ordering, I paused and asked the Taco Bell worker if she had any suggestions for good vegetarian options. The worker seemed taken aback for a moment. Her tone shifted from slightly robotic to more casual, and she responded by saying, “I know that we have a 7-layer burrito and a vegetarian power bowl, but I’m not sure beyond that”. Even though we were both uncomfortable at this point (after all, giving recommendations wasn’t part of the typical Taco Bell interaction), I continued by asking her what she liked to eat at Taco Bell. She responded with the statement “oh, I don’t really eat here”. At this point, I ordered, deciding on the 7-layer burrito (which I’d never had before) and two soft tacos.
As I sat down to eat my food, I reflected on what had just occurred. I had disrupted the flow of efficiency and control by going against the expected scripted conversation. I had also confounded the ideas of predictability and calculability by not knowing exactly what I wanted. I felt intensely uncomfortable, but, also, oddly satisfied. It had been nice to actually talk to another person, even if they hadn't been very receptive to my disruption. As I bit into my burrito, I couldn’t help but think about Tim Wu’s statements regarding the tyranny of convenience. He mentioned that embracing the inconvenient and struggling, while negatively connoted, could actually be good things. To build character, some difficulty was needed. I couldn’t help but agree with Wu while I sat there in that Taco Bell, eating my surprisingly delicious burrito; a burrito that I never would have never tried if I didn’t go against my established, McDonaldized routine.
As I approached the counter, I felt myself become nervous. I do not enjoy standing out or making a scene, so the concept of interrupting an established system terrified me. Despite this, I persisted towards the counter. The worker greeted me the same way as she had the customer before, asking how my day was going and what I wanted. I responded to her initial question, but then, rather than start ordering, I paused and asked the Taco Bell worker if she had any suggestions for good vegetarian options. The worker seemed taken aback for a moment. Her tone shifted from slightly robotic to more casual, and she responded by saying, “I know that we have a 7-layer burrito and a vegetarian power bowl, but I’m not sure beyond that”. Even though we were both uncomfortable at this point (after all, giving recommendations wasn’t part of the typical Taco Bell interaction), I continued by asking her what she liked to eat at Taco Bell. She responded with the statement “oh, I don’t really eat here”. At this point, I ordered, deciding on the 7-layer burrito (which I’d never had before) and two soft tacos.
As I sat down to eat my food, I reflected on what had just occurred. I had disrupted the flow of efficiency and control by going against the expected scripted conversation. I had also confounded the ideas of predictability and calculability by not knowing exactly what I wanted. I felt intensely uncomfortable, but, also, oddly satisfied. It had been nice to actually talk to another person, even if they hadn't been very receptive to my disruption. As I bit into my burrito, I couldn’t help but think about Tim Wu’s statements regarding the tyranny of convenience. He mentioned that embracing the inconvenient and struggling, while negatively connoted, could actually be good things. To build character, some difficulty was needed. I couldn’t help but agree with Wu while I sat there in that Taco Bell, eating my surprisingly delicious burrito; a burrito that I never would have never tried if I didn’t go against my established, McDonaldized routine.