Second+Draft

Second Draft

Undeniably, obesity and the struggle to find healthy food for low-income families has been a difficulty for the United States for years. This struggle in finding foods that are both reasonably priced and ones which are palatable provide an intimidating challenge for people leading busy lives to balance their diet around these two temptations. It is easier said than done to simply change one’s diet and daily habits; meals provide us with a sense of routine and of comfort throughout the day. That said, the way to live a nutritiously healthier life doesn’t depend on the large differences made once in a while, but smaller changes made over time that combine into a healthier self. Through the knowledge gleaned from research, daily observations, and experiments, it is fair to say that by knowing the necessities of the human body and being aware of the influence of the industry, it is possible to find tasty, cheap substitutions for certain cravings.  Knowing what is good for you is not enough, though. Busy people do not have time for more time consuming food --which begs another question-- when did people set these priorities? When did a successful body and mind become secondary to the success that allows you to purchase nicer clothes. Smart scheduling choices, however, can be the end of this dilemma. When taking diet into one’s own hands, it is more than a new meal plan, but a new lifestyle. Through a collection of tips and choices one can make the transition to new habits smooth, painless, and self-fulfilling. Knowing the predicted preparation time for each form of food not only comes in handy while preparing a dish, but also on a busy day being time-efficient. Letting food stew or defrost while running errands is a simple solution to these problem. Choosing one time-consuming dish to influence the rest of your preparations is also simple. While one dish is in the process, modifications and embellishments can be added while requiring no further time commitments than what has been dedicated. Sauteed onions, for example, take a while to cook completely. I discovered that while leaving those to cook, or by allowing something to bake, I could focus my time on other smaller additions, as opposed to having many quick things cook at once resulting in stress. Stressful cooking is another reason people avoid the kitchen and home-preparations. Firstly, it is important to understand how Americans reached this unprecedented era of fast food. Although TV-dinners brought forth a national trademark and a world-wide image of American family bonding, it was also the marking of the freezer food industry in the 1950’s.  Cookbooks have been a product and resource for avid cooking fans for ages, providing recipes and appropriate cooking challenges (Hamilton). However, within some of these most popular cookbooks, there maintains to be a loss in finding a practical instrument for busy families which cannot afford a poached duck or fresh scallops. According to Michael Ruhlman, a cook and popular blogger, a successful cookbook is one which encourages people to get up and cook for themselves, and has something to contribute. It is not dependent on the number of copies sold (although that is a factor) but by its influence on cooks and recipes, and “the impact they’ve made”. No cookbook or collection of recipes made for urban families is going to revolutionize the way they cook or give a whole new meaning to the word “vegetable”, but perhaps its impact will translate into their attitude towards fast food, their concern for their body, and serve as a trigger for a different lifestyle. That is the purpose behind all pieces of advice served in this collection. This balance is possible, and can be created by dedicating time to finding produce which satisfpeople'sples’ basic nutritional needs, complimentary flavors, with prices and portions which are realistic for a 21st-century families in urban cities. The average American family of four spends around $342 a week on groceries (Hamilton). With all the food products readily available, this is not surprising and can be assumed that many families spend well over that amount. With inflation as a factor, food prices are bound to increase and with that so is people’s hesitancy in spending money on something so “temporary” such as food. However, this seemingly temporary enjoyment has some of the most influential long-term effects on our environment and our body. In taking care of our body and controlling diet it is important to acknowledge the four primary food groups and incorporate fruit, vegetables, starch, dairy products, and meats (Rozin). Fulfilling the daily diet with all the necessary vitamins (Lappe, Rozin, Logue) is the key to creating a healthy filling dish. Each combinations of vitamins and minerals has a specific purpose for the human body, a factor many seem to forget while preparing meals. Vitamin A, for example, can be found in liver, carrots, blueberries, leafy greens, and yellow fruits. This is a source for good eyesight (especially rod enhancement) and growth. They are digested by fatty acids, another perk for the consumption. This list continues with varieties of Vitamin B (good for nerve problems, superficial hygiene, and absorption of proteins), Vitamin C (improves immune system), Vitamin D (strengthens bones and teeth), Vitamin E (improves immune systems), and minerals such as Iron, Calcium, Magnezium, and Zinc (Worden). These are all important influences on the human body, whose absence or concentration can be more harmful than the average person realizes. It is therefore important to ensure that one’s diet includes sources that provide for a healthy balance.  This isn’t to say that vegetarians cannot be healthy because they lack one of these food groups. Different foods allow for more variation, but it is their nutrients that are most important. Therefore, of the nutritional value of one is compensated in the other, there is no need for concern. For example the protein provided in dairy, meat and eggs is substitutable with nuts, tofu, and beans. Although this seems like a comparatively small selection, is is incredibly healthy, and therefore popular in places where the conveniences of meat and fresh dairy products are not at such a convenience. Central America, for example, has what Americans might consider and incredibly modified diet because of their financial restrictions. However, this diet can and perhaps should be adapted more by the American culture since its routine is not as time consuming, healthy, and tasty. According to the Hispanic Nutrition, Foodways, and Health article written by Diva Sanjur, there is a logical reason why many Central American countries such as Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Belize and Costa Rica share qualities in their diet. Aside from agricultural reason, finances and tradition take ahold of the region’s diet. The staple diet of the region—corn and beans, supplemented with meat, dairy products, and local fruit and vegetables—is nutritionally complete and well suited to a healthful lifestyle. The proper combination provides an excellent complement of amino acids, thus supplying the necessary amount of complex proteins. Beef, pork, chicken, fish, and eggs are all used, however limited. The U.S.- Mexican border has had a surprisingly strong effect on the diet of Central Americans. However, When animal products are included, there has been a tendency to choose high-fat products such as sausage and fried pork rinds (chicharron). The use of lard and a preference for fried foods also contributes to high intakes of saturated fat and cholesterol among subsets of the population.  Both cultures have contributed to the other in the food industry; Mexican food such as Tacos, burritos, and enchiladas are incredibly popular throughout the U.S. and have taken up a substantial part of our economy. This countries contributions, however, remain minimal and in fact damaging for the indigenous health. Like any economical country, one would try to export the most expensive and import only the necessities based on the ability of the population. Central America’s economy allows for little indulgences and therefore their imported food largely consists of fast food. Unhealthy food which indirectly causes another concern for struggling countries. Lack of education and resources in the south is a large reason for this continuous unfair exchange of food supply. One must therefore raise awareness personally and locally so to reduce the amount of poor quality food exported. Only by being aware of their desires and the reason behind them will consumers be consciously aware (Logue) of the dietary decisions they make, and therefore not fall into the trap placed by corporations and mass media (Pollan). It is simple to see the standards children are raised with when simply going out to eat. Mothers casually buy their children high sugar, caffeinated, and obscene portions of drinks. Not only does this set a horrible example for what the child considers is part of a normal diet, but it teaches them to invest their money into products that are overpriced and unhealthy for them. Sweets are fine and good, but moderation and appreciation for the human body must be taught at a young age in order to maintain a health at a later age, and to enjoy the dessert; not have it become a routine meal. It is also this sort of development that has caused for the evolution of the junk food industry, where candy is made of increasingly more and more artificial ingredients to make them sweeter. For people who grew up on older sweets, it’s difficult to enjoy candy, since all of the lollipops and Starbursts are too sweet for the developed taste buds. I can hardly imagine how older generations might feel. This also is very reminiscent of quickly reminded me of the Pixar animation "Walle" where people became obese without even noticing any change. I feel this is where America is headed, especially after having worked that evening, and served a 13 year-old boy a four scoop dish of ice cream, with fudge, caramel, whipped cream and chocolate bits (I know it sounds delicious) for him to finish alone. His mother said nothing. We must be more aware of the direction we're headed. However, healthier options do not necessarily mean substantially more expensive or sacrificing the good taste. In controlling their diets consumers will simultaneously improve the environmental repercussions which the food industry strongly has on our planet (Pollan). Although it might seem unrealistic, personal healthy decisions improve life in the long run(Lappe).  With the agricultural advances made in the past decades, it is possible to procure any product at any point in the year. Consideration and careful selection of the brands people choose to support greatly effects the quality of the food; cheap food and healthy food are not mutually exclusive, so it encouraged to purchase legumes and other organics during their season, to ensure best purchase time and least genetically altered food (Lappe). <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There is no better way than sharing the insight gleaned from this research than formatting it into a practical cookbook form, which families can use. Creating the cookbook must be formatted so it is easy to navigate, enjoyable to skim through, and plentiful enough to provide sufficient variety. In looking at renowned cookbooks in history, one can understand what readers look for and what makes for a successful book (Rhulman).