My second blog post! Your comments make me feel more confident, more connected and writing and help me maintain momentum!
Two facts about myself: I very much enjoy cooking; I live in downtown Detroit. Until very recently, these two things were at extreme odds with one another. Finally, in the last week of October a small, but very well stocked grocery store opened up not far from my home. It has changed my life significantly, no hyperbole intended. The fact is, many urban centers are so called "food deserts", places where one can't find fresh bread or produce readily and affordably. Tonight, for example, I made french onion soup (my first attempt, which was amazing); this required several varieties of vegetables and herbs to make the stock, good quality cheese, fresh bread, and, not least, the the patience to attend cooking onions for ~1.5 hours. This was all made possible by the fact that I was able to go my local grocery store and buy ingredients after work. This simply would not have been possible for me even six weeks ago (for the last several years, I've mainly survived on Pizza, Chinese takeout and Jimmy John's--sad, really). But there is another contributing factor, too, which is that I grew up in a good home, where my parents taught me some basic life skills. Many very delicious and healthy things are simple and cost effective to cook, but if you've never had anyone teach you some basic skills, then you may lack the knowledge or confidence to even try. I think for a lot of America, food comes from the grocery store in a pre-packaged box, or from a fast food window; it doesn't come from the ground or the stove or the oven. Of course, there are a lot of reasons for this, but it is the case, nonetheless. It is easy to ridicule anyone who would buy toast pre-packaged, but I don't think we should be so quick to judge. Lack of access and lack of knowledge (combined with absolutely silly food policy) are what lead to things like reheatable toast, and it is a way bigger problem than anyone in most areas are aware of. I grew up in a suburb where I had no less than 8 grocery stores (by a rough count off the top of my head) within a few minute drive from my house, and I always took it for granted, as I'm sure anyone would. Fortunately, the government has started to subsidize farmers' markets to accept food stamps, which often come on a debit card, requiring wireless access. This is a step in the right direction, but a small one, to be sure. I don't know a good solution, but I know that one can't just laugh at people who buy ridiculous things like frozen toast; there is a reason manufacturers make frozen toast, after all.
Thanks for your response, and the "reality check" behind why frozen toast is purchased and in many cases, a (sad) necessity. It also makes me want to be more careful and precise in my word choice, presentation. My post does focus more upon the decision to buy the frozen toast as opposed to the reasons why it's necessary. And I can understand how my focus' demeanor is a bit too ridicule heavy, which I'm not proud of, especially since it is not my intention. I did add that section about "the need to purchase frozen toast is symptomatic of the larger issues: Industrialism, lack of knowledge (which I put as "lack of education"), etc." - but clearly, that section did not carry its weight. And I certainly didn't consider "food deserts". I've never lived in an environment like that (I also grew up and still live in areas surrounded by grocery stores, bakeries, etc.) - and remembering that everyone doesn't have access to the food choices I've got: it's a very necessary eye-opener. Helps me be more grateful for my food options and more interested in the ways others can gain wider access.
Maybe not the end of the world, but certainly a society that lets profits decide what's good for the people above all else. Detroit is an unbelievable place in many ways, but one of the idiosyncratic things about it is that it has around 800,000 people and 0 chain grocery stores. There is a farmers market once per week, and a number of small corner stores, but no major grocery retailers for 800,000 people (by contrast the 8 grocery stores I mentioned in my post serve ~100,000 people in the suburbs). That will change soon, as a Whole Foods is set to open next summer. I will shop there, but I don't know how much it will change the lives of many of the residents, a fair number of whom probably can't afford to shop there.
b_b, this morning I mentioned your comment to my housemate, and he immediately said, "oh, like a food desert." He was already well versed on this issue and our conversation turned into a short history of how my little section of San Diego, called City Heights, became an urban farming hub (farmers markets with EBT, vacant lots into farming space, etc.). The root of this history: City Heights was once designated a food desert. I am learning. We also watched a TED talk on the subject/movement given by LaDonna Redmond, a Chicago-based food systems activist. She visits a lot of the issues you mentioned in your first comment. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWukl6lqyJI
My first thought, I must never have had good Texas Toast because its never been much more than thick toast in my experience. As for your question, I do eat some prepared meals now and then. It's rare, but we keep some "Annie's" frozen meals in the freezer. I like their Pizza Rolls, something I'd never take the time to make. There is definitely an absurdity to frozen toast, reminds me of a story from when I was in highschool. My parents used to buy bags of ice and keep it in the freezer. One day my friend Natalie came over and saw that they were buying ice. Her response was classic "you know, I could teach you the recipe for that". They still buy it.
Dated a girl. She had a sister. Sister had a roommate. Roommate bought Pepperidge Farm Frozen Texas Toast by the cartload. Freezer had eight boxes of the shit last time I checked. ...which was 1998. Clearly, the world didn't end. The roommate was exactly the sort of person you'd expect - an overweight, underkempt math student with a real fear of flavor. They're out there. And they've been buying frozen Texas Toast for a long damn time. Thing is, there was no clamoring for frozen Texas Toast when pepperidge farm came out with it. It was something that got created, marketed, distributed and purchased and it has remained on the shelves for fifteen years or more. It's not like anyone seeks out "texas toast" when they go shopping... but as they cruise the frozen food aisle, which is kind of the Furr's Cafeteria for Those Who Can't Cook, "Texas Toast" pops up as a starchy bread product that hasn't been deep fried. Add it to your fish sticks and it's actually "healthy" (well, not... but compared to Ore-Ida Crinklers it's a toss-up). And guaranteed - Pepperidge Farm can make Texas Toast hella cheaper than you can. That's why they're selling it. Everybody loves Trader Joe's. The thing nobody realizes is that Trader Joe's sells as little fresh produce as they can and as much frozen and pre-packaged shit as they can stuff the shelves with. Ask any farmer - the money isn't in the crops, the money is in the prep. Apples don't pay half as well as apple juice and apple sauce. Strawberries are nothing compared to strawberry jam. Wheat? Fuck that. Flour? Fuck that. Bread? Fuck that. Frozen fucking texas toast. That's where the money's at. If it weren't, they wouldn't sell it. Yeah, it's disgustingly bad for you. Yeah, toast is stupid easy to make. Yeah, it's one of the seven signs of the apocalypse. I guess I'm just used to it because the first time I saw it Clinton was president. Now, you wanna see the end of the world? Boo Yah. Frozen. Fucking. Rice. Trader Joe's has managed to take the cheapest, easiest foodstuff on earth, prep it, and package it to quadruple the price. Before too long they'll be selling ice cubes and calling it "frozen organic spring water."
Wow. If I ever went to Trader Joe's, it was usually for cheaper peanut butter and tasty cereals. I never sought out their frozen foods, so I had a blind spot. But come to think of it, they're bursting with them. It's like their whole business platform. I wonder if they've got some sort of business partnership with GE. "We will make foods that people need microwaves and ovens to make." I don't know. Clearly, another indication of the End of the World <slightly facetious>
The comments under the link to the TJ Rice are so awesomely fake. That or people are so awesomely stupid. Ann Arbors original whole foods upgraded to a larger building and Trader Joes occupied their old one. People were really excited in anticipation of TJ's and because I'd never been to one, I was too. Then I went and was kind of shocked. It's not a place I go to unless we are throwing a party for people last minute and those people don't care much for food/beer/wine. Which is to say I never shop there. Edit: some of their frozen food is admittedly good though. But thems dangerous waters.
It's grocery outlet for hipsters. I'll be there in half an hour because you generally do get better processed food than you do from the local Kroger/Ralph's/Fred Meyer/whatevertheycallitwhereyoulive. But man, their produce sucks. There's another discussion there.
Interesting. In Los Angeles and Seattle, at least, the staff at TJ's are stable and friendly. They remember you. It looks like they pay substantially better than Safeway or Albertson's. The trick to Trader Joe's coffee is to buy beans, and buy the expensive ones. And, based on where you're at, you might still fail. They used to have Santa Fe Coffee Co beans but now they only have ground; that was a heartbreaker. As it is, their beans do me fine most of the time. Not great but better than Starbucks, as good as Coffee Bean.
Actually that pay isn't really all that bad. More than I made at my high school job (more than a decade ago, but probably still higher in real dollars). Maybe I had bad luck with the coffee. I tried two varieties out of the many they sell before I called it quits.