HW 4 - Your Families' Foodways

When my mother was growing up she lived in a house with all of her family members, her aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. As a child food was something that was there however, it s nutritional value was not the first thing on her parent’s minds. They worried more so about quantity. They wanted to make sure that everyone in the house was fed and was full, not if the produce was organic or where it came from. One must also consider the time period; the things we are now exposed to about food weren’t always so obvious. They didn’t talk much about the FDA or about the dangers that a food may contain.

Now, my mom tries to get things that are better for us. Things marked with “organic” and “whole grain” because now she says she knows. Having two younger chubby sisters my mom wants to make sure that they can eat as much as they can and remain healthy. Even though when she grew up, those were not the exact concerns. That difference from her generational childhood to my own is major.

My mother was also raised with a lot more home cooked meals then I have now, my great grandmother would cook for the whole house. That tradition kind of stopped with my mom. Like my aunt still cooks and my grandmother still cooks but my mom doesn't cook as much. I think it has a lot to do with my mother just tired of carrying the weight of feeding everyone and tending to the house, breaking the traditional gender norms. More female empowerment to her. So to kind of make her life easier and to make sure that we eat there is a lot of on the go things to eat that don't rewuire too much prep time to cook.

If I look into my fridge now I see a lot of food that is easy and fast to make. I have two little sisters and they need to eat too but they aren't allowed to use the stove. The food is semi-healthy but not all organic. I see the changes from one generation to another from my fridge to my grandmothers.Maybe its just lazyness from my mom. Which is sunderstandable she comes home late and wants to do nothing but relax after a long and hard day.

HW 3 - Food - Fast Food Insights and Green Market Realizations

Organic food or fast food, which to choose? I don’t think this question comes across many peoples minds these days, if it ever did. Considering America’s history It seems to have gone from the traditional mother cooks fattening meals to going to Wendy’s one block away. Question is why? Why do we consume these meals that we know contain no nutritious value, is it the affordability, the easy access to a meal or something bigger?

I myself do enjoy all bad things society has to offer in the food industry and I never really looked at the fresh food that may be across the street. I think much of it has to do with what you were raised eating, the eating habits passed down from generation to generation. Although in Puerto Rico I’m sure they grew their own food so I guess you can say that moving here may have changed a few things within my family’s diet. Maybe it is the atmosphere of America, the idea that one can go to America and have no worries. You need food, we got it .99 Burgers with all the dressings and freshly cooked mystery meat.

Can one even blame it on America, maybe we all a bit to lazy to go to the market and pick out fresh food and cook, maybe we like that you can get everything you need in one place and eat it on site. I know I do, I don’t have much time and I’m not exactly a child so my mom barely cooks for me, and I don’t mind. I have to go to work and school and I find that it’s easier for my lifestyle. Now when I can I eat something that isn’t toxic to my being. I enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables and if it says organic it makes me feel better. I think that anything that is stamped with the “100% organic” makes anyone feel good about what they’re eating. Maybe it’s a psychological thing, like maybe one needs to put it in their minds that they need to eat things that are good for them. Instead of compromising one’s future for today’s affordability and convenience.