"Cultural Food"

When we hear "cultural food" we think of a specific group of people eating only certain types of food. But, what happens when the food we see as belonging to a culture has been skewed and no longer truly represents their heritage, or when a person of that culture doesn't follow the norm and eats something different? You might not want to admit it, but we all know what most people think about these situations, that "of course that represents their culture, I see it in all the movies" and "are they even a part of their culture if they don't eat that?" It is as if people fail to realize that, even if someone is different from them, they are still human beings and cannot be held to rules about how they should live because of those differences.
In "Reclaiming True Grits" by Bryant Terry and "Eating the Hyphen" by Lily Wong, we get firsthand knowledge of experiences like these and how it feels to be on the receiving end of such judgments. Terry describes society's definition of "soul food" and what it has become opposed to what it used to be. Today, soul food has come to mean food that is cheap and unhealthy when it used to represent food that was locally grown and high in nutrients. Wong tells us what it is like to be Chinese and yet feel as if you don't fit in your culture, because she Americanizes the way she eats dumplings. There is nothing wrong with food representing heritage or culture, but when we develop our own rules concerning the people it represents, it becomes a method of control and shame. Food is something that sustains our lives and displays our personalities, not something to use to control or define a group of people.

College "Food"

I have never thought much about the food I put into my body, at least not nearly as deeply as I have had to since taking my current college writing class. Most recently, I have been assigned to reflect on "You Can't Run Away on Harvest Day" by Barbara Kingslover and "Taking Local on The Road" by her daughter, Camille Kingslover. In the first piece, Kingslover tells us about her family's decision to live only off of food they grow themselves or food that is grown locally. In the second, her daughter tells us what happens when she starts college and is faced with a completely different variety of food than she is used to. I have always known that my own parents care very little for the words "healthy" and "moral" in relation to food, but I always thought that it would be simple, once I was out on my own, to switch lifestyles and eat food that was not only good for myself, but also for the whole world. Unfortunately, this has proven to be a feat much harder than I originally thought. With a complicated homework and class schedule, sometimes it is almost impossible to get an actual meal, let alone one that is good for anyone involved. Even if I did have the time and resources to eat well, I wouldn't know which foods I should choose anymore after being forced to question everything I thought I knew. I am certainly not complaining about this confusion, I am ecstatic that my mind is being opened by so may different arguments and viewpoints, I'm only saying that it has become much harder to justify my eating arrangements with anything that makes me feel remotely good about myself.

"Her Chee-to Heart" vs. "Not Just 'a White Girl Thing'"

"Her Chee-to Heart" by Jill McCorkle and "Not Just 'a White Girl Thing'" by Susan Bordo are two works that couldn't be more different and similar at the same time. They both outline the extremes of over indulgence and under indulgence and also the two severe aspects of society's portrayal of food and body images. I have also realized, after reading "Not Just a 'White Girl Thing'" that my view of what an eating disorder is and isn't follows the popular, but incorrect, thoughts of our society. Now that I am aware of my misconceptions, I am able to see what an issue it is that so many people consider eating disorders things only rich white girls deal with, as this takes credibility from other people who suffer from these disorders. Although Bordo made me seriously consider my own thoughts and the implications of those thoughts, reading "Her Chee-to Heart" honestly only made me uncomfortable. I have never heard someone describe food in the way McCorkle did, and unfortunately, her excellent imagery made it all too easy form me to visualize what she was describing. While reading, I became hyper aware of all of the junk food around me, and basically every unhealthy piece of food I had ever eating.

After seeing Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio's photo series titled, "What The World Eats" (http://time.com/8515/hungry-planet-what-the-world-eats/) my eyes have been opened to how differently other countries view food compared to my own. I've grown up accustomed to the mindset of food being entertainment and always available in vast quantities. I have never had to be too concerned about where my next meal would come from, or if I could afford a full meal, because there's always the McDonald's Dollar Menu when times get tough. Now that I have seen what families from across the world eat on a weekly basis, I'm a lot more self conscious about what I put into my body. In almost all of the other countries pictured, the majority of the groceries they had were of the healthy variety, such as fresh vegetables, fruits, grains and local meats. But, when the photos of America came up, there was always delivery pizza and 2 liters of soda present. Even in the countries who only spent a few dollars on food a week compared to the hundreds of dollars spent in first world countries, the few things they ate were always fresh and healthy. Although I would like to think that these images will play through my mind every time I go grocery shopping from now on and influence me to make healthier choices, I have to face the reality that this probably will not happen. Unfortunately, because of the society I live in, it will be a lot harder for me to change my lifestyle, and I'm not sure when I will be able to put forth that kind of effort. Until then, I raise my glass to those families out there who are more aware of themselves and what they are putting in their bodies.

There Are Foodies and Then There Are Eaties... Right?

Hi! My name is Stephanie, and I would like to introduce myself, not as a foodie, but what you could call an "eatie" I suppose. I have never been able to comprehend food as an art form (although I wish I could), I have only ever seen it as something that is unfortunately necessary. Recently, I have been faced with an extensive list of food allergies, leaving me to resent food and those who can so carelessly eat whatever they want. While food is definitely not a passion of mine, I certainly think it matters; our lives and minds almost revolve around it and its accessibility. When a person does not have food readily and easily available to them, their constant focus becomes how and where they will find their next meal to survive. On the other hand, when someone does have food constantly available to them, they are then focused on the many options before them, such as when and what to eat. Food has become a part of every aspect of our lives, from a source of entertainment, to a source of intimacy between people. It can represent a person's beliefs and personalty and then bring them together. I can't think of anything else as all encompassing as food, nor anything that can accomplish so much.