Comments on: World Food Day Post: Bringing Cooking and Food Preservation to the Table http://sharonastyk.com/2008/10/16/world-food-day-post-bringing-cooking-and-food-preservation-to-the-table/ Finding the keys to the future…and trying not to lose them in the mess. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:26:03 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Digest It http://sharonastyk.com/2008/10/16/world-food-day-post-bringing-cooking-and-food-preservation-to-the-table/comment-page-1/#comment-42511 Digest It Thu, 09 Jun 2011 19:48:44 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/10/16/world-food-day-post-bringing-cooking-and-food-preservation-to-the-table/#comment-42511 This is one of those couple of moments where you're surfing the web and by accident stumple across superb post. Thanks for Sharing it. This is one of those couple of moments where you’re surfing the web and by accident stumple across superb post. Thanks for Sharing it.

]]> By: Dangerously Complacent « Pagan Dawn http://sharonastyk.com/2008/10/16/world-food-day-post-bringing-cooking-and-food-preservation-to-the-table/comment-page-1/#comment-9660 Dangerously Complacent « Pagan Dawn Sat, 18 Oct 2008 09:17:53 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/10/16/world-food-day-post-bringing-cooking-and-food-preservation-to-the-table/#comment-9660 [...] as a post by Sharon Astyck (http://sharonastyk.com/2008/10/16/world-food-day-post-bringing-cooking-and-food-preservation-to-the-...) points out, our ready access to food in the Western world is significantly dependent on or linked [...] [...] as a post by Sharon Astyck (http://sharonastyk.com/2008/10/16/world-food-day-post-bringing-cooking-and-food-preservation-to-the-...) points out, our ready access to food in the Western world is significantly dependent on or linked [...]

]]> By: Sharon http://sharonastyk.com/2008/10/16/world-food-day-post-bringing-cooking-and-food-preservation-to-the-table/comment-page-1/#comment-9659 Sharon Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:30:42 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/10/16/world-food-day-post-bringing-cooking-and-food-preservation-to-the-table/#comment-9659 There are definitely things that make it hard for poor people to cook - those who live in motels rooms with no cooking facilities, those who face regular utility shut offs, those who work long hours and leave bigger kids in charge. That's tough. That said, however, my father worked two jobs and came home and fed his kids from scratch. Many of the world's poor, working at jobs far worse than the ones Americans do cook. I'm not saying there aren't compelling reasons to not cook, or that there aren't a lot of reasons to sympathize with them, but a lot of the foods available cheaply to the poor that won't give them diabetes and kill them earlier require cooking, and that's something all of us - rich and poor - are going to have to deal with as we become less rich. Sharon There are definitely things that make it hard for poor people to cook – those who live in motels rooms with no cooking facilities, those who face regular utility shut offs, those who work long hours and leave bigger kids in charge. That’s tough. That said, however, my father worked two jobs and came home and fed his kids from scratch. Many of the world’s poor, working at jobs far worse than the ones Americans do cook. I’m not saying there aren’t compelling reasons to not cook, or that there aren’t a lot of reasons to sympathize with them, but a lot of the foods available cheaply to the poor that won’t give them diabetes and kill them earlier require cooking, and that’s something all of us – rich and poor – are going to have to deal with as we become less rich.

Sharon

]]> By: Rosa http://sharonastyk.com/2008/10/16/world-food-day-post-bringing-cooking-and-food-preservation-to-the-table/comment-page-1/#comment-9658 Rosa Fri, 17 Oct 2008 04:44:59 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/10/16/world-food-day-post-bringing-cooking-and-food-preservation-to-the-table/#comment-9658 When I was broke and not working very much, I ate really well. And I was raised on something a lot like Hillbilly Housewife's $45/week menu, except with lots of weird cuts of meat nobody else ate. I tell people who think tofu is icky about the cow-tongue sandwiches i had to take to school in the early '80s. But when I was broke and working and doing school full time, I ate a lot of cereal and free food from places I & my friends worked. Hell, I'm still working an entry-level job where they give us free food, we had Little Caesar's today. I'm not turning down free food - that's a survival strategy that has served me well for a long time. People have different skills, and different strategies, and different interests. Where are the complaints about he 35 year old six-figure-making software engineer with a negative net worth who eats in a restaurant every night? If people are putting their time and talents into something other than cooking from scratch (like, say, learning all new parenting skills better than the way they were raised) there is probably a reason for it. When I was broke and not working very much, I ate really well. And I was raised on something a lot like Hillbilly Housewife’s $45/week menu, except with lots of weird cuts of meat nobody else ate. I tell people who think tofu is icky about the cow-tongue sandwiches i had to take to school in the early ’80s. But when I was broke and working and doing school full time, I ate a lot of cereal and free food from places I & my friends worked. Hell, I’m still working an entry-level job where they give us free food, we had Little Caesar’s today. I’m not turning down free food – that’s a survival strategy that has served me well for a long time.

People have different skills, and different strategies, and different interests. Where are the complaints about he 35 year old six-figure-making software engineer with a negative net worth who eats in a restaurant every night? If people are putting their time and talents into something other than cooking from scratch (like, say, learning all new parenting skills better than the way they were raised) there is probably a reason for it.

]]> By: Heather Gray http://sharonastyk.com/2008/10/16/world-food-day-post-bringing-cooking-and-food-preservation-to-the-table/comment-page-1/#comment-9657 Heather Gray Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:48:16 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/10/16/world-food-day-post-bringing-cooking-and-food-preservation-to-the-table/#comment-9657 I didn't know how to cook dried beans but I made plenty of other dishes from when I was working and going to school, to just working. I got a lot of meals out of one chicken (stir fries, soup, etc.), and the day-old veggies racks were my friend. One summer I only had $10/week to spend on food, so yeah I got some cheapo mac-n-cheese and ramen, or made sauces (sometimes butter and dried garlic powder) to go with pasta, but it was amazing how often I could get veggies for next to nothing. No chicken that summer of course, but one year I was able to get whole chickens for only .49/lb (even in the 80s that was a good price). Didn't eat out at all during the tougher times -- would have cost too much. I didn’t know how to cook dried beans but I made plenty of other dishes from when I was working and going to school, to just working. I got a lot of meals out of one chicken (stir fries, soup, etc.), and the day-old veggies racks were my friend. One summer I only had $10/week to spend on food, so yeah I got some cheapo mac-n-cheese and ramen, or made sauces (sometimes butter and dried garlic powder) to go with pasta, but it was amazing how often I could get veggies for next to nothing. No chicken that summer of course, but one year I was able to get whole chickens for only .49/lb (even in the 80s that was a good price). Didn’t eat out at all during the tougher times — would have cost too much.

]]> By: BoysMom http://sharonastyk.com/2008/10/16/world-food-day-post-bringing-cooking-and-food-preservation-to-the-table/comment-page-1/#comment-9656 BoysMom Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:15:54 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/10/16/world-food-day-post-bringing-cooking-and-food-preservation-to-the-table/#comment-9656 Something of interest, and I've no idea how to change it: my husband is from the third world, and when he first saw me canning, tomatos, I think it was, just boiling water bath, nothing fancy, he said "How come none of your peace corps volunteers ever taught us how to do that?" A good question, don't you think? Our chickens eat whatever scraps and leftovers the people won't. I suppose I ought to check and see if there's anything they really shouldn't have rather than trusting to their chickeny good sense to keep them from eating stuff that wouldn't be good for them. They're having celery tops, pepper seeds, and carrot peals tonight. They might get some chilli, if the toddler doesn't finish his, tomorrow. Nobody seems to want his leftovers after he's eaten some, spit a couple mouthfulls back into his bowl, and fingerpainted in it, except for the chickens! Something of interest, and I’ve no idea how to change it: my husband is from the third world, and when he first saw me canning, tomatos, I think it was, just boiling water bath, nothing fancy, he said “How come none of your peace corps volunteers ever taught us how to do that?”

A good question, don’t you think?

Our chickens eat whatever scraps and leftovers the people won’t. I suppose I ought to check and see if there’s anything they really shouldn’t have rather than trusting to their chickeny good sense to keep them from eating stuff that wouldn’t be good for them. They’re having celery tops, pepper seeds, and carrot peals tonight. They might get some chilli, if the toddler doesn’t finish his, tomorrow. Nobody seems to want his leftovers after he’s eaten some, spit a couple mouthfulls back into his bowl, and fingerpainted in it, except for the chickens!

]]> By: olympia http://sharonastyk.com/2008/10/16/world-food-day-post-bringing-cooking-and-food-preservation-to-the-table/comment-page-1/#comment-9655 olympia Thu, 16 Oct 2008 22:52:05 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/10/16/world-food-day-post-bringing-cooking-and-food-preservation-to-the-table/#comment-9655 Beth- See, I really hesitate to make the judgment that pre-prepared food is the only option for the working poor. Also, all working poor are not alike- when I was working 30 hours a week as a cashier (ah, the misery!), I had little money, but plenty of time to cook. And sometimes, I did. Yeah, a $1 cheeseburger may be easy to grab and satisfying on some level, but a lot of dry grains and beans are also really easy to cook, and are very satisfying. Why do we assume poor people aren't capable of cooking them? Beth- See, I really hesitate to make the judgment that pre-prepared food is the only option for the working poor. Also, all working poor are not alike- when I was working 30 hours a week as a cashier (ah, the misery!), I had little money, but plenty of time to cook. And sometimes, I did. Yeah, a $1 cheeseburger may be easy to grab and satisfying on some level, but a lot of dry grains and beans are also really easy to cook, and are very satisfying. Why do we assume poor people aren’t capable of cooking them?

]]> By: Beth http://sharonastyk.com/2008/10/16/world-food-day-post-bringing-cooking-and-food-preservation-to-the-table/comment-page-1/#comment-9654 Beth Thu, 16 Oct 2008 22:33:55 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/10/16/world-food-day-post-bringing-cooking-and-food-preservation-to-the-table/#comment-9654 Cooking anything at all is a hassle for the working poor. Especially for those on their feet, working a long shift and working more than one job to make ends meet. Why cook, when all those fast-food places offer a special on $1 hamburgers? Also, many of the working poor have jobs in fast-food places, and they get free food to take home to their families. Kind of a no-brainer. A fast way to fill everyone's stomach before heading off to your next job. It does take time and know-how to prepare nutritious food. And so more of the working poor get sick and malnourished. If you can have at least one parent at home, then they can scratch out some nutrition from container vegetable gardens and do a bit of cooking from scratch. But many, many kids just don't have two parents. Cooking anything at all is a hassle for the working poor. Especially for those on their feet, working a long shift and working more than one job to make ends meet. Why cook, when all those fast-food places offer a special on $1 hamburgers? Also, many of the working poor have jobs in fast-food places, and they get free food to take home to their families.

Kind of a no-brainer. A fast way to fill everyone’s stomach before heading off to your next job. It does take time and know-how to prepare nutritious food. And so more of the working poor get sick and malnourished. If you can have at least one parent at home, then they can scratch out some nutrition from container vegetable gardens and do a bit of cooking from scratch. But many, many kids just don’t have two parents.

]]> By: Ailsa Ek http://sharonastyk.com/2008/10/16/world-food-day-post-bringing-cooking-and-food-preservation-to-the-table/comment-page-1/#comment-9653 Ailsa Ek Thu, 16 Oct 2008 22:31:23 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/10/16/world-food-day-post-bringing-cooking-and-food-preservation-to-the-table/#comment-9653 olympia: I "Hrmph!" in those people's general direction. When I was poor I baked all my own bread and made just about everything from scratch. Doing anything else seemed to me improvident, and I could stretch food stamps just about forever, it seemed like. I always wished I could teach a cooking class to my fellow food stamp recipients, though, because I knew everyone couldn't do what I was doing - and in mu opinion you eat a whole lot better when you know how to cook. I'll match my Chicken Kiev against any frozen Chicken Kiev anytime. olympia: I “Hrmph!” in those people’s general direction. When I was poor I baked all my own bread and made just about everything from scratch. Doing anything else seemed to me improvident, and I could stretch food stamps just about forever, it seemed like.

I always wished I could teach a cooking class to my fellow food stamp recipients, though, because I knew everyone couldn’t do what I was doing – and in mu opinion you eat a whole lot better when you know how to cook. I’ll match my Chicken Kiev against any frozen Chicken Kiev anytime.

]]> By: olympia http://sharonastyk.com/2008/10/16/world-food-day-post-bringing-cooking-and-food-preservation-to-the-table/comment-page-1/#comment-9652 olympia Thu, 16 Oct 2008 22:00:35 +0000 http://sharonastyk.com/2008/10/16/world-food-day-post-bringing-cooking-and-food-preservation-to-the-table/#comment-9652 In regard to the cooking part of things, there is an unfortunate school of thought out there, held by some very well-meaning people, that the poor are incapable of doing more than heating up a can of soup or spreading peanut butter on bread. A year or so ago, a local food writer did an experiment in which she attempted to eat local and organic on a food stamp budget. The woman obviously had some cooking skills, along with a fully stocked spice cabinet, but she wasn't making her own foie de gras or anything. She roasted a chicken, she made her own bread- oh, and she foraged for fiddleheads. The first person to comment on her experiment seemed incensed- the writer didn't know how real poor people lived, he said. Real poor people couldn't forage for fiddleheads. I thought, well, why not? It's true that if you're limited to a hot plate for cooking, or your work schedule requires you put your 11-year-old in charge of meals, your options are limited. All poor people aren't so limited, though. There might be enough time, along with an adequate enough kitchen, to cook from scratch. Still, I see this insistence out there, that poor people need canned food and frozen chicken fingers, as they aren't able to cook much more than that. My concern is that this belief has become self-fulfilling- and that is putting people of limited means of even greater risk of food insecurity. In regard to the cooking part of things, there is an unfortunate school of thought out there, held by some very well-meaning people, that the poor are incapable of doing more than heating up a can of soup or spreading peanut butter on bread. A year or so ago, a local food writer did an experiment in which she attempted to eat local and organic on a food stamp budget. The woman obviously had some cooking skills, along with a fully stocked spice cabinet, but she wasn’t making her own foie de gras or anything. She roasted a chicken, she made her own bread- oh, and she foraged for fiddleheads. The first person to comment on her experiment seemed incensed- the writer didn’t know how real poor people lived, he said. Real poor people couldn’t forage for fiddleheads. I thought, well, why not? It’s true that if you’re limited to a hot plate for cooking, or your work schedule requires you put your 11-year-old in charge of meals, your options are limited. All poor people aren’t so limited, though. There might be enough time, along with an adequate enough kitchen, to cook from scratch. Still, I see this insistence out there, that poor people need canned food and frozen chicken fingers, as they aren’t able to cook much more than that. My concern is that this belief has become self-fulfilling- and that is putting people of limited means of even greater risk of food insecurity.

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