This week’s discussion for class
is food and justice, and off the bat I want to first reflect upon consumer
choices in the food market. I know the discussion of justice in the context of
food has more to do with the structural and economic consequences to the food
system due to racial and power struggles occurring in society, but first I want
to make a point using my dinner tonight for example. Tonight I made meatloaf,
mashed potatoes, and broccoli, and when I prepared my plate to eat I couldn’t
help but feel cheated. The meatloaf was covered in sugary ketchup, the broccoli
with its butter and cheddar cheese, and the potatoes with butter, cheese, AND
salt. I have always cooked this way, using practices I learned from my mom, and
ingredients that were not healthy (never low-fat, organic, or sugar-free). I
know that these methods are not healthy, but it is hard to feel bad about it because
it tasted so good. I mean, I finished my entire plate in no time, and even had a cup of kool-aid with it! And so I
wondered if I would ever fully be able to eat a completely healthy diet since I am so accustomed to these sugars and fats. I do
not buy fresh vegetables and fruits a lot, due to their high prices and longer preparation
time, and I thought about how my status affected my eating practices. Since I
am a student with not a lot of money or time to cook, I have to eat the most
efficient food in terms of attainment, and these foods are usually fast to
make, cheap, and unhealthy foods. People should be able to eat healthy foods
regardless of income or schedule, and there needs to be a desire for food
justice in order to provide the infrastructure to do this. Another point about my diet has to do with my racial status, since I prepare my food the way black people have in the past. The unhealthy eating habits of the black community are a result of multiple factors, like low income, lack of consumer power, or poor nutritional education. One big consequence from this situation is that the number one killer of black people is heart disease or a related condition due to diet.
Interesting post Daphne. Your "guilty" feelings about eating your dinner Monday are something I can relate to. I have also been trying to eat more healthy foods, partly due to a new year's resolution and partly due to this class. But as you pointed out, it is so hard to change habits. As students, we have limited time and I find myself grabbing unhealthy food simply to save time. For me personally, I think the best way to approach changing my unhealthy food habits is to approach it slowly on a week by week basis. Seems to be more practical than trying to go full fledged vegan in a couple of days.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on needing to provide the infrastructure, especially to the black community. I had no idea the big killer of black people is heart disease. It is my hope that we learn about solutions to these food swamps in communities.