Inner City Lunches

The Problem:

            Inner city school lunches are something I have reflected on for years. I have attended both schools with adequate funding in the suburbs and then schools with barely enough funding in inner cities. The meals prepared are entirely different and affect your bodies drastically too. Imagine what it is like to be food insecure at home and then have to go to school and face more hunger? That’s the reality many kids have to face on a daily basis, especially since most of the time no one in the school's administration cares enough to call the district out for these disgusting meals.  Schools should not be feeding children low-quality meals that resemble prison food! Meaning schools should be making an active effort to be sure that their students are getting the freshest foods possible.  Why are we feeding children old frozen fruit cups, overcooked vegetables, rotten fruit, etc.? Eating is an essential element to one’s education like I said earlier what you eat affects your body. This means that kids who aren’t eating the freshest, most nutritious meals are going to have problems paying attention in class since their bodies haven’t stored the energy they need. I read somewhere that the brain is like an expensive car, if not given the most premium fuel it won’t function well. 

The Solution: 

Stop allowing these private lunch companies entirely dictate what goes into the bodies of school children. Administrators have to be more involved in meal planning and if they would not eat something than why should these kids be expected to. Another thing that could help is better options of food; I don't understand why these food companies are always feeding children pizza, or meat glazed in some sugary glaze with overcooked vegetables. Is this supposed to be healthy or nutritious? There are many cheap alternatives to these foods, like quinoa or seasoned greens. There shouldn't be a reason why companies and schools limit food options for kids as if they were in prison.

a typical lunch (sweet potato, turkey and gravy, wheat bread, a pear, and a red cookie)

Top 3 Macaroni and Cheeses in Atlanta

Here it is. The moment we have been waiting for. Many of you have been aware of my love for macaroni and cheese for a while, as our class is related to eating and macaroni and cheese is my favorite food. Living in Atlanta for the past 3 years has given me the opportunity to try a multitude of pasta goodness. Here are my 3 favorite macaroni and cheeses in Atlanta right now, 1 being the best.

3. Majestic Diner
I've never eaten here before midnight, but every time I have, I make sure to get the macaroni and cheese. Majestic is an Atlanta landmark, and their food isn't "extraordinary", but their mac n cheese is creamy, filled with flavor, and the perfect size for a side portion. If you're an enthusiast, I'd order two. However, I wouldn't like to see how they prepare it.
2. The Porter
The porter, as a "beer bar", prides itself on masterful pairings and a drink menu dozens of pages long. The porter's macaroni and cheese is made from several cheeses and is made with spiral macaroni in a small ovular dish. I'd describe it as a "craft" (not to be confused with Kraft) macaroni due to its interesting blend of cheeses and thick consistency.
1. My Apartment
If you stop by my Clairmont apartment, you're in for a treat. I learned this recipe last summer and haven't gone anywhere else to make mac and cheese. This is the recipe for the sauce; macaroni should be prepared al dente and combined later.
1. Pour 2 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of flour in a hot sauce pan
2. Dice 1/2 medium yellow onion
3. Sautee for 7-8 minutes, until onions start to brown
4. Slowly pour 2 cups whole milk into saucepan
5. Bring it to a boil, then a simmer for 4 minutes
6. Add in your cheese! 4 cups minimum, any blend you'd like.
7. If your sauce is congealing too much, add more milk. If it's too liquid-y, add more flour.
8. Stir constantly until you're got your desired consistency.
9. Add in salt and pepper (I like to add in red pepper flakes as well).
10. Combine with pasta
11. Done!

Foodie Subculture - How Small Trends Have Become Mainstream

As we've discussed in several classes this semester, food is a key part of culture and can have a cost associated to that. I've had the chance to explore culture in other classes at the business school and was very intrigued at the idea of subculture influencing mainstream culture. I think the food industry is a prime example of that right now.

15 years ago, organic, non-GMO, and gluten free food would have been words spoken at small health-food stores or co-ops. Today those are household terms. With increased use of the internet and social media, food bloggers and wellness experts are not limited to interacting with co-op shoppers but can spread messages globally within seconds. On the flip side, consumers have access to much more information about food than in the past. This knowledge transfer has resulted in generations that are much more conscious about their eating habits.

Google's 2016 Food Trends report definitely credits the digital space for the increased focus on "functional foods" - foods that have some health benefit. People are searching for foods that may bring a certain benefit (i.e. what foods should I eat for shiny hair?) or once they have food are searching for ways to cook that item. PwC reported that in 2014 alone, 47% of people 18-34 started eating healthier as opposed to just 23% of people over 55. As Generations Y and Z continue to grow their purchasing power, trends with those group will continue to start to dominate popular culture.

Cultured Meat- the Meat of the Future?

I wanted to touch on a topic we haven't discussed in class that I think could make waves in the future: lab grown meat.

In 2013, the first lab-grown meat burger was created. It may not taste as good as the real thing (or as good as the Beyond Meat burger), but it is an advancement in food science that could help to alleviate some of the environmental effects caused by the meat production industry.  The first lab-grown meat burger cost $330,000, but cost-effective and tasty cultured meat could be in supermarkets sooner than you may think. One company called Perfect Day plans to have cow-free dairy products out at the end of the year, and another called Memphis Meats hopes to have their cultured meat products in the market within 5 years. If the trend continues, who will regulate this new food product?

According to an article by Gizmodo, "The meat industry is a huge contributor to humanity’s environmental footprint, accounting for some 18% of our total greenhouse gas emissions. And that number’s deceptively low, because it includes roughly 40% of methane and 65% of nitrous oxide emissions, which are respectively 23 and nearly 300 times more potent climate warming agents than carbon dioxide." And beyond arguments against global warming, livestock bred for meat consumption also take up a lot of arable land and consume massive amounts of grain: "livestock in the US consume more than 7 times as much grain as the American population."

Only time will tell if cultured meat will catch on enough to stimulate consumer demand. And if it does, let's hope it helps to lessen the environmental impact of the meat industry.



Sources: 
http://gizmodo.com/the-future-will-be-full-of-lab-grown-meat-1720874704
http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/08/lab-grown-meat-inches-closer-us-market-industry-wonders-who-will-regulate

What I Learned From This Semester in Eating Ethics

Over the course of this past semester I have had to reflect on not only my food choices but how those choices have been affected by my environment growing up and how they now affect my environment and the world as a whole. In the past, I had never really taken the time to think about my diet unless I was in the doctor's office. My diet usually gravitated towards sweet things and pasta, and occasionally a salad (but only so I wouldn't feel guilty about eating dessert later). After taking this course I've seen a huge change in the way I eat and interact with food. For starters, I actually cook myself meals now. I have to say, the only thing more satisfying than cooking your own meal, is sitting down to eat it once it's done. I've enjoyed learning to experiment with spices and different modes of cooking. I've found that the oven is my go to kitchen appliance. Most likely because my favorite dish (pie- savory and sweet) is made in an oven. I've also gotten a much greater appreciation for the food that is on my plate when I go out to eat at a restaurant. I now stop and think about all the effort that had to go into creating my meal and those of the other patrons. My diet has also changed a lot over the course of the semester. I started eating whole grain and quinoa oatmeal almost everyday for breakfast. I've also started incorporating a lot more green into my diet. Although I can't say that my aversion go squash and beets has changed, I've definitely developed a deep love for Brussels sprouts and (well seasoned) kale. The discussions we've had throughout the semester have taught me to have a healthy dose of skepticism when entering the supermarket. Now every time someone claims something is good for you because it says "natural" on the label I'm the first person to pipe up and point out the power the private sector has to control that definition. As you can imagine it hasn't made me very many friends, but sometimes the most important truths are the ones we don't want to hear.

My First Year Cooking for Myself and My Go-To Recipes

My freshman and sophomore years of college I almost exclusively ate at the DUC dining hall. My meals would consist of granola bars that I would grab on my way to class for breakfast and then fries and an assortment of random foods from the DUC's comfort food section. I rarely made use of the common kitchen area unless it was to access the vending machine or heat up some ramen. However, this year I moved off campus and had to actually start cooking meals because I no longer had access to the DUC. My saving grace this semester were the buzzfeed pages "Tasty" and "Goodful" I followed them on Facebook so delicious meal ideas would appear right on my timeline and I wouldn't have to scour the internet for recipe ideas. One of my favorite suggestions on either page was "One Pan Dinner" ideas. Meals like these were essential not only for a college student who doesn't really have time to cook, but someone who hasn't really cooked before and wants to start off with something simple but delicious. One recipe I found particularly delicious was a "One Pan Lemon Herb Salmon and Veggies" recipe. The recipe for 2 is as follows:

Ingredients:

2 pounds small red (or yellow) potatoes, quartered

4 tablespoons olive oil

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons fresh thyme

2 teaspoons ginger

2 salmon fillets

1 bunch (roughly 1 pound) asparagus

Prep:

1. Preheat the oven to 400˚F/200˚C.

2. Cover a sheet pan with foil or parchment paper. Spread out potatoes on the pan and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, 2 cloves of garlic, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice.

3. Bake for 30 minutes.

4. Make salmon glaze. Combine salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon thyme, 2 garlic cloves, ginger, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Mix well.

5. Remove potatoes from the oven and push them to the top or side of your pan. Place your salmon fillets on the pan. Brush both sides of the salmon with the glaze.

6. Place asparagus on the pan and top with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of thyme on the asparagus and potatoes.

8. Enjoy!

The clean up for this recipe was also easy since you are using foil or parchment paper. Another go to favorite of mine that is also a great comfort food is a recipe for Pesto Alfredo Pasta. The recipe is as follows:

Ingredients:

1 cup half-and-half

1/4 cup prepare pesto

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper 

Prep:

1. Stir half-and-half, pesto, butter, garlic powder, salt, and pepper together in a skillet over medium-low heat; cook until hot, about 8 minutes.

How Eating Ethics has Affected My Work With Food Banks

Every Sunday I volunteer with Campus Kitchens Emory to transport leftover food from the  DUC and Cox to a local church on Ponce De Leon Ave where we prepare half the food for a meal that we will serve that day and store the rest for the church to use throughout the week. This opportunity has given me a first hand experienced with atlanta's food access problem and the solutions that urban areas are developing in order to solve the issue. One of my main takeaways is how the church can be such an integral part of a meal for those who are food insecure, not necessarily because of their faith but because of the services that churches offer. Many of the food banks and soup kitchens in Atlanta operate out of churches, and thus people from all backgrounds gather in these churches to break bread together. This course has taught me the importance of not only having enough to eat, but also eating in an environment that is conducive to both physical and mental health. Having a diverse community of people who care about your wellbeing and can empathize with your situation is something I can tell is not lost on food bank patrons. I've also had time to think about how powerful this food bank network in Atlanta has become. A few Sundays ago, the service team and I arrived in the few kitchen that morning to find no food has been set aside for us. I was instantly worried about the people at Mercy Church who depended on this meal and who I had assumed hadn't eaten since the day before. When I brought up this concern to one of my teammates he seemed unphased by our situation. He pointed out that not only were there numerous other food kitchens in the vicinity of the one at which we volunteer, but Mercy also has back up supplies from donations they receive from area residents.this instantly made me think about the how we have discussed the importance of community in the process of eating. Community is about more than just where you feel most at home eating a meal, your community is who shapes your eating habits and patterns, your community is a network that bares influence on every meal.