"Back to the Microwave" -- article & thoughts on slow foods/labor/gender

[AileenSuzara]

Check out Sierra Filucci's East Bay Express Article, "Back to the Microwave"
http://www.eastbayexpress.com/news/back_to_the_microwave/Content?oid=1199035

Anyone resonate with this story? I'm feeling the author's point that a feeling of exhaustion -- brought to the kitchen and table even beyond the ingredients -- influences food choices.

As a child of the 80's, I grew up in a small Filipino American immigrant family in southern California. Both parents worked late, erratic hours in healthcare and there was little time for slow-cooked family dinners, or even eating dinner all at the same time. There was the promise of a quick meal, and of eating the foods of a new country, which came in the form of canned and frozen food advertised as wholesome (or at least dependable) and affordable.

My sister and I eventually rebelled in our early teens, her becoming vegan and me cooking made-from-scratch meals. I used to feel cheated out of the fact that there was no grandmother figure (like in the movies) passing on time honored, traditional recipes by the light of the stove. Or that in our desert town, few things grew locally and tomatoes were hard and pink. But sometimes just getting food heated and on a table at all felt like a victory. I try to keep this reality of exhaustion for many people in mind, as I continue on this food path.

[KathrynR]

This topic has been at the forefront for me since I made the decision to attend Bauman College about two months ago:  How do I practice what I preach?  I grew up on a blend of the Standard American Diet and Eastern European fare.  Dinner would include beef, pork, even sausages, mashed potatoes and overcooked vegetables, or could consist of a Swanson TV dinner.  Grandma’s food was traditional, and was tasty, but in reality, not very healthy.  Everybody in the family was overweight, including the kids.

As a young adult, I had no idea what good food was or why I felt terrible if I had a bagel and coffee for breakfast. (It’s what everyone else was eating, and they seemed to be doing OK!)  Since that time I have cleaned up my diet, learned about healthy organic food, cut out most meats and processed foods, and seen great improvements in my health.  Preparing food became pretty easy.  If nothing more interesting caught my eye, I could always prepare the old standby, tofu and steamed veggies.

Then… I got married.  Tofu and steamed veggies 4 nights a week was not going to cut it.  I had to work, and didn’t have the time or energy to pour over vegetarian cookbooks, or the patience to try exotic recipes that might turn out to be inedible.   So I gave in to food I knew my husband would like, even though I knew it was not good for either of us. 

Now I feel like I am getting back on track.  But it is a real challenge.  And just as important, if I make nutrition a career, I know there are going to be a lot of people like me who are willing to make the changes they need to make, but are going meet with resistance from their families. I don’t know how to prepare a variety of tasty foods and diverse menus (that don’t take hours to prepare), and I think in this class, this may be my greatest challenge.