Warning: this post may be harmful or fatal to naïve & overly patriotic American flag wavers…
This is sort of a follow-up to a post just over a month ago: It’s The Crap; Just Eat Real Food. In large part that post was about the abysmal state of “school lunches” in the USA — especially in comparison to the far higher quality exhibited in pretty much every other country on the face of the Earth. That’s right: America sucks. When it comes to food, most Americans are treating their kids like shit.
When I see how kids are eating in general in America now, I’m satisfied to declare that I’m becoming increasingly embarrassed to even refer to myself as one. I’d be perfectly happy to see the 200 & somthing-yr-old project go right down the shitter for good, given that such loathsome atrocities have been perpetuated for so long. But you can’t do that because these are kids we’re talking about and so, I’m all for beating adults into submission on this topic — with truncheons, if necessary. And if you think that’s extreme then realize that what we’re talking about here is a pernicious form of abuse — malnourishment — carried out over roughly two decades — and increasingly less — until the kids become adults and then go perpetuate the same sort of abuse on their own children because the food culture in this country, particularly for kids, has been driven down to the lowest depths of mediocrity and depravity of anyplace on the face of the planet. Even dirty little third-world shitholes have a better food culture than America, now. I know, because I’ve had fabulous street vendor meals in many of them, from Djibouti to remote Islands in the Philippines without even the benefit of electricity. Poor people care about their food because getting it requires so great a proportion of their time and income. They care, and it is precisely this high time & effort value in food that forms the basis of healthful and wholesome food cultures around the world in the first place. How much time & effort goes into a trip to McDonald’s? Hell, we can’t even be bothered with taking the time to go in and sit down, anymore.
When I now hear tripe about how America is “the greatest country on Earth,” I wanna puke. It’s real simple: the Greatest Country on Earth would be absolutely the last place on Earth you would find its most precious members of society — its children — eating garbage, getting obese to the rate of 20%, now; and developing diabetes and fatty liver disease at ages unprecedented in all of human history. A quote from that post linked above.
What impressed me most of all about the French school lunch was not just the deliciousness of the food, but that everything about it — the brightly decorated lunchrooms, the gorgeous kitchens, the lunch moms, the chefs — sent such a deep message of caring. To my ears it fairly screamed, “We care about and love our children. They are us, after all, and we want them to eat well and be nourished.”
Unfortunately, that is about the last message American school lunch sends to our children. Instead, we’re saying, “We have to feed you something; it’s gotta be cheap, and we don’t really care about it or you.”
So stop with that “greatest country” BULLSHIT! until the house is in order, by which I mean a general public default on the most basic and fundamental responsibility an animal ever has in its entire life: proper care, nourishment and training of offspring until they are competently self-sufficient.
What is more fundamental than that? What does it say about a country that’s the richest in the world, yet has the world’s most obese and unhealthy children? Greatest country? You’re deluded, then. It’s not even close. How can it be, with such a deeply damaged culture of basic food, nutrition, health?
Americans: Here’s what Real Food looks like, you despicable, uncaring, ignorant fools; you child molesters. Get off your fat, lazy, miserable asses; go shopping, and for a change, instead of filling your cart with pop-tarts, hot pockets, fruit loops, frozen pizzas, ice cream, candy, and sugar drinks, fill it with Real Food. Then dust off that cookbook you never even cracked open and get busy.
You’re too tired you say? Well try Real Food. It’s amazing what it’ll do for energy. Processed garbage is a vicious circle. Get off, and get your kids off it too.
Thankfully there seems to be a Food Revolution underway. And I’m going to stay entirely off the political aspects of this because, you know what? I don’t give a damn. It’s the food culture that’s totally fucked. It’s not about whose pockets are being picked to pay for it, really. If we had a food culture that existed as it did when my grandparents, parents, and I were growing up, this wouldn’t even be an issue. People would simply eat well whether they bought it at school, it was a “free lunch,” or whether they brought it from home. If food and its quality and wholsemeness were essential, inviolable concerns the money would take care of itself, rest assured.
Part of the previous post I linked to above was about the mysterious Mrs. Q, the school teacher documenting her year of torture eating school lunches. Well, she has now grabbed the attention of Good Morning America, as well as Jamie Oliver and others.
But not so fast… Evil lurks in the shadows. Yes, I’m talking about the dual menace to society: Margot Wootan and the Center for “Science” in the Public “Interest” (CSPI).
…but what’s perhaps most striking is what the meals look and taste like – and the rogues’ gallery of components (fries, canned green beans, cling peaches in heavy syrup) that are missing.
Revolution shuns high-fructose corn syrup, artificial colors and flavors, trans fats and deep-frying. Its meats and milk are hormone- and antibiotic-free, and many of its ingredients are organic and locally sourced. […]
Margo Wootan, nutrition policy director for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, says she’s slightly concerned with Revolution’s insistence on natural, local ingredients.
“You can have full-fat cheese from a local farmer, and it’s still going to clog your arteries and give you heart disease,” she says. “Having the food be natural is nice, but a bigger threat to children’s health is making sure that there’s not too much salt and not too much saturated fat.”
…[tapping fingers on desk]…
So I know this post is largely preaching to the choir because all you great readers are part of the revolution to restore a rational, caring Food Culture in America we can once again be proud of. So get out there and talk and celebrate and promote Real Food.
ToddBS 
Aaron Griffin 
Buckeye 
Laurie 
Dana
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My daughter’s elementary school has a salad bar and she eats from that every day. In fact, she has a second persona at school: she tells them she’s a vegetarian. I let it slide because she eats plenty of meat at home (she probably loves bacon more than I do, which I thought wasn’t possible).
I’m sure the salad dressing has some HFCS in it, but it still has to be better than the alternative. Now if I could just get her to eat something from home.
*golf clap*
Right on, man
I prefer the slow clap from the move “Rudy”, but I am with you. Spot on Richard.
I agree with you Richard, in many poor countries, kids eat healthier foods – yeah the artery clogging saturated fats included ;)
The sad yet prevalent attitude of “whatever” or “I don’t care” is intolerable.
Right on!
Seems like Reason magazine had an libertarian aneurysm on the subject. I don’t support government schools either and definitely support efforts to weaken their control, but they are a reality of life and the government shouldn’t have carte blanche to poison kids unfortunate enough to attend them. Kids don’t have the ability to chose their schools. Even private schools serve garbage…I’m almost afraid to even have children myself.
I do think overemphasis on fresh and local gets in the way of things. Frozen vegetables are pretty much just as good as fresh local ones unless you are a chef or a gourmet.
Richard…
Yeah, what you said. We just got back from about 6 weeks in SE Asia…mostly Thailand. Food was great, and not touristy crap either. Kind of makes us look a bit bass ackwards.
Spent a lot of time there in the 80s — sometime a month or more at a time: Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, and various islands. Every day was a food extravaganza regardless of where we were. One of my favs was a resto on a rocky point in Koh Samet. They had a generator because the island generator shut down at 10 every night.
Beast giant prawns I’ve ever had. To this day.
I don’t even think processed junk could be has at any price. They had a proper culture around food.
Gotta get back there. Wife has never been and I’m motivated.
Your recent post on school lunches and Jamie Oliver’s show were my first clues as to the deteriorating state of food in the schools, as I don’t have kids and haven’t been one for a long time. I was shaking with rage and holding back tears as I saw Jamie Oliver’s show. At least the issue is getting some media exposure now. Hopefully more and more people in the know will be around to counter CW BS that CSPI and other “experts” spout.
We’ve been watching “Food Revolution” and even my kids are grossed out. (They’re all on board with the natural/real food – they were raised that way, and now they’re teenagers and can’t stand SAD crap.) (score!) I think the show is a good thing – certainly as far as promoting real food – and definitely as a starting point. Unfortunately, getting rid of the CW no-fat mantra will take much longer.
Here’s a funny story for you: Today, girl at the high school lunch table bragged to my son that she was giving up bread because it’s bad for you. He asked why she was still eating chips and candy, and she quickly clarified that she was NOT going low carb, just no bread and no fat. He told her fat was good for her, and she laughed at him. He didn’t like her anyway.
Keep up the good work, Richard!
I have taught in high schools for 23 years now. I can count on one hand how many times I have eaten school cafeteria food. It is abysmal. The kids have no choice if they don’t bring food from home. The menu is driven by what kids will buy most and god knows that 14 – 18 year olds always make the best choices, don’t they? Every single day, the menu contains a pizza variation, some sort of potato product (baked, not fried, ’cause that’s healthier, right?) and the token salad bar with wilted lettuce and tasteless tomatoes. Even the kids make fun of the guv’ment food. Beverages are sugar-laden “healthy” juice drinks and Powerade. Goodhearted Jamie Oliver has it wrong in spots – he is a victim of CW himself – but he is right about the shame of what we feed kids in school. However, most of what kids are eating at home is even worse – you are spot on about that.
I was just in England and France last summer. England’s food is abysmal as well. Chain carryouts everywhere, same processed crap. My daughter did a 6-month study abroad there last year and I had to send her some contraband (non-perishable) food wrapped up in clothes. Just like here, there are places to buy decent food, but the populace prefers the same junk Americans do and they are showing it in their waistlines. While I was there, I ate in Jamie’s Fifteen restaurant. It was glorious – the man does know how to teach people to prepare fresh food.
France was still a culinary wonder. They do have their share of junk and everyone smokes so they don’t eat. They eat way too much bread and the dark circles under their eyes show it, but the meat and vegetables are first rate. I had some great meals there! We spent several evenings in the park snacking on fresh raspberries and cheese bought at the local quick market (about as 7-11 unlike as you can get).
Unfortunately, I think most “developed” countries are losing their way and the poorer countries have to rely on real food. Wonder who will end up surviving THAT natural selection?
Yep Laurie. Good word for Jamie. He is good hearted. He really, really cares. Yea, not going to be paleo anytime soon, but his inspiration is going to be worlds away from where we are now.
I can support that.
How about if we start cleaning up the food lunch program by banning chocolate milk? Do you realize how much sugar is added to chocolate milk?
I’m opposed on principle of banning anything, though if districts decide on their own to eliminate, that’s fine.
I’m not looking for solutions from DC. Only make matters worse. I’m for a cultural food revolution here and that’s why I don’t preach paleo here. I could kind all sorts of things wrong with Oliver’s approach, for example.
But in spite of the errors and shortcomings, he’s a chef, he loves great food and the care that goes into it, and he’s very good at inspiring others along those lines.
Kids are no dummies. Ignorant, but not dumb. They simply need to be shown what’s good & beautiful and even if not paleo at least the ball is moving in a better direction.
But yea, chocolate milk is awful.
Banning is a short term solution. A good long term solution the government has easy control with is with subsidies. I am pretty sure that the US government spends billions every year on farm subsidies. It will be great if those billions are poured into family run farms raising grass fed meat or pasture eggs. This will surely make eating healthy cheaper.
You just hit a nail on the head.
Few people are aware of the subsidies going to the grain industry (which is an indirect subsidy to the pharma industry).
Without those subsidies there may be no healthcare crisis to begin with.
What the gov’t pays for it controls. If I don’t like farm subsidies I like small family farm subsidies even less. That is essentially taking my money, running it through the bureaucrat filter then giving it back with mandates attached.
Ditto on the golf clap.
Ok, so you guys made me have to Google it. I’m guessing you mean something along the lines of the Fark variation. :)
I had no idea about all the meanings…I meant it in the fark way though.
How does this fit into your Anarcho rants?
I mean who sends their kids to public U.S. schools anymore? If you think the food is inferior sit in on a contemporary American elementary school class for half a day; sophisticated day-care is all, absolute rubbish. The average American high school graduate is only functionally literate, is barely numerate, and is incapable of expressing even basic historical timelines. Yet, they have been successfully instilled with a sense of entitlement that would make a 19th century aristocrat blush.
And who sends their kids to school these days without having prepared a proper lunch for them anyhow?
Chris, I get you, man and believe me that’s were my heart is.
It’s just that at some point culture overrules and that’s what this is about.
Maybe I’m wrong, but I think freedom & individualism best rest on a sound foundational culture. Good food is a good thing to get in order.
Reasonable?
E pluribus unum is so pre postmodern Richard. Didn’t you get the memo? Re: The culture of multiculturalism. In the old days you could actually preach a rights n’ responsibilities, don’t-tread-on-me, anti-determinist sermon with a straight face. Have you noticed what the federal government has been up to for the past, oh 50-years? We ain’t ever going back…
Turn off, tune out and drop trowel, I say. Now I know how the Plymouth Colonialists must’ve felt pre-crossing.
(Hey have you read “Albion’s Seed: Four British Folkways in America (America: a Cultural History)” )?
I hear you though Richard, I do.
I hear you too. Food is good for illustrative purposes but the problem is marrow deep at this point. Systemic perhaps. I believe change starts at home. I have the power to reject what I find unacceptable if and only if I am willing to put my money [and time] where my mouth is.
Multiculturalism isn’t supposed to be about evading responsibility, though. The original point was that other cultures have something constructive to contribute to the world besides white Protestant Christian culture.
In case you hadn’t noticed, all those cultures Richard’s talking about that feed their kids better than we do? The majority of them belong to people of color. And none of them are white Protestant American. (Although I wonder if the Amish don’t come close.)
The real problem is assimilation. The very premise is hypocritical. Had our colonial ancestors practiced what American conservatives are now preaching in this regard, we would have a far greater amount of freedom, we’d be getting along much better with our ecological surroundings (not perfectly, just *better*), and we wouldn’t be feeding our kids giant truckloads of crap each and every day.
We also wouldn’t be speaking English, but never mind.
You said what I’ve been thinking. We often discuss here how crappy the school lunches are here in the Crowley school district here in Texas. They should be ashamed of themselves for the garbage they serve. In m opinion, it’s like eating out of a giant vending machine. Of course I’m sure they’d defend themselves just like those in the Jamie Oliver special. And I’m likewise sure it meets some government dietary standard, which of course is part of the problem.
It’s amazing how the status quo canbe defended, even when it’s obvious that it’s an abject failure.
This country sucks because many people decide to eat crap? And feed their kids crap (or allow their kids to eat crappy school lunches)? I guess France is a great country then? Americans can eat whatever the hell they want-let em’ eat crap, or good food if they so choose. There is more to life than food culture, and it doesn’t ultimately define a country in my humble opinion. I would love to see everyone eating better, but they don’t, and never will. It doesn’t define a country.
No, food isn’t the only thing that defines a country – how about corrupt politicians and huge corporate power? It is kind of hard for many people to know what good food is when their government pushes the food pyramid as healthy.
You think people really listen to the government when it comes to their eating practices?
Why would everyone and their grandmother be eating high-carb/low-fat if the government’s advice didn’t sink in at some level?
Because that’s what for sale everywhere, what’s cheap and takes no prep, and sweet tastes good because that’s what people are raised on.
Most people I know don’t give a crap about their health or diet. They eat some meat and cheese, but mainly sugar, more sugar, flour, and vegetable oil. The low-fat dieters who do care about their health and are trying to improve it eat the same, but usually with a bit less sugar.
Processed food is cheap in part because of agricultural subsidies for corn, wheat, and soy, most of which are used to fatten feedlot animals.
Federal funding of school lunch programs and restrictions on WIC food items are other ways the government uses money to promote unhealthy eating. Until a few years ago, WIC did not cover the purchase of fresh produce, and now the maximum allowance is $6 per month. What does WIC cover? Packaged milk, cheese, beans, fruit juice, and dozens of branded cereal.
I guess it depends on a number of factors regarding how much the WIC allotment is for fresh produce. I work in a grocery store and deal with the WIC vouchers all the time. $6 is not the limit. Though the WIC participants are allowed fruit juice, cereal, etc., I thought it was a step in the right direction that they started allowing fresh produce. Before that *all* they could get was the processed, packaged crap. Mind you, I do want to shake my head when I see the WIC peeps buying some of the things they do, but it’s none of my business while on the clock.
I realize most people don’t obsess with food choices. However, potato chips do taste good, but that doesn’t explain the popularity of low fat mayonnaise, low fat sour cream and low fat salad dressings, nor the whole grain craze, or the little “heart healthy” symbols on the over prices boxes of cereals. Why do people prefer those products?
“I guess France is a great country then?”
Culturally, familiarly? They have us beat by a million miles. I lived there, for two years, as an adult in my 30s working with them side by side, eating with them 2-3 meals per day. They rock in terms of familial culture, including food, nourishment, and eating as a family. We are nowhere close anymore. We are laughing stock by comparison. Laughing. Stock. Embarrassing. Hang. Head. In. Shame. Poor. We’re shit. It’s a fact. But you’re just ignorant, so you get a poor-ass pass.
In terms of familial culture, any day. America is a poor step child.
In terms of entrepreneurial, can-do spirit? America kicks there ass over an over, and I used to love to make the point with my French friends.
Would that we could just combine the two.
I can’t really argue with that so I wont. We’ll have to settle with family or ethnic (food/everything) culture in this country-it certainly wont be a national one. Too big a melting pot and too much confusion and, yes, corporate interests. Money rules the world.
Thomas:
I may have been a but crude to you in that response. Given the reasonable tome or your reply I fear I may have unfairly musgudged your original and if so I apologize.
France isn’t the only country with a food culture we could learn from. I spent more than a decade in East Asia. CSAs originated in Japan, reflecting a strong preference for locally grown food and a respect for local farmers. Restaurant menus and supermarket produce sections showcase what is in season. Ordinary restaurants prepare many dishes from scratch using fresh or frozen raw ingredients. I miss walking into a Chinese restaurant, pointing to the meat, seafood, and vegetable ingredients on display and telling the cook how I want them prepared. I miss the little shops on the ground floor of large apartment buildings in Japan, Korea, and China, where residents could pick up fresh produce and other food items for the evening meal.
I lived in Japan for five years prior to going to France for two.
I lived on the beach in a little town called Hayama and had a fresh vegetable stand and a sushi bar within 100 years of my place, year round. The quality was always superb.
What many do not appreciate Thomas is that when the taxpayer foots the bill then the taxpayer has a say in how the recipient behaves.
Consider health care. The more universal/federal health care becomes the less individual freedom you have. So unfortunately if I’m footing the bill then I do have a right to tell you not to “eat crap”. If I were not connected to your poor decision-making (in this case via health care and the requisite taxes) then I would not have any right whatsoever to knock that twinkie out of your hand.
Think about how the federal government (via our taxes, our money) ultimately foots the bill for people’s poor decisions. This marginalizes the liberty of all involved. Without my money you are more free. With more of my own money I am more free.
Your never going to be able to mandate “healthy eating” when no one can agree on what that is (not talking about the people here, of course). It would be like trying to make people exercise (but what kind?)-not a chance. With the way we’ll be paying for everyone else’s health care through higher taxes, it isn’t fair-but that’s life. From a perspective of fairness, It would be better if the government stayed out of the whole thing and let people fend for themselves. I think there is probably some good middle ground somewhere but that doesn’t score political points or energize bases so it will probably never happen.
The government does indeed mandate all manner of behavior/procedure both directly and indirectly (via subsidies, prohibitions, recommendations, etc.).
If school lunches “improve” they will most certainly include an emphasis on “healthy” whole grains, vegetable oils, fruit juices and low-fat everything (think sugary non-fat yogurt!); so your point about universal “healthy eating” is well taken.
I’m not advocating that people should be left to “fend for themselves”. Local communities made up of families and individuals who care deeply about their neighbors and neighborhoods are quite capable of self-governing, including the moral and academic training of their young.
I believe strongly that contemporary American political thinking fosters a culture of dependance. The more dependent one is, the less free s/he is. (Ironically the American political-left, as opposed to classic liberalism, consistently associates itself with “more freedom”, yet their systems actually marginalize liberty.)
“Life’s not fair” isn’t a very meaningful response for most any discussion.
Cheers
““Life’s not fair” isn’t a very meaningful response for most any discussion.”
Maybe, but it’s still not fair.
You think food doesn’t define a people? You seriously need to read Weston Price.
Here, I’ll make it easy for you.
journeytoforever.org/farm_library/price/pricetoc.html
All I need to know is I’m saner and think better when I’m eating well. When I was living on less than a thousand dollars a month in a crap neighborhood with a carb-heavy vegan diet and a WIC voucher, I was crazy and I drove off all my friends. It is night and day.
(This, by the way, is why I get real angry when I see Paleos and LCers suggest giving verboten carb food to food pantries. NO, NO, a thousand times NO.)
Maybe you already get the good food and have gotten it all your life and you don’t know the difference. Lucky you.
“This, by the way, is why I get real angry when I see Paleos and LCers suggest giving verboten carb food to food pantries. NO, NO, a thousand times NO.”
Yep, give cans of tuna or chicken or something.
My friend, who used to work at the local elementary school, said that the kids would load their plates with croutons from the salad bar, then smother them with ranch dressing. No lettuce, no vegetables, and the lunch ladies just look the other way. Disgusting! My own kids brought lunch from home. Much more control that way, but who knows what happens when they get to school.
Does one actually have to have raised children to know that feeding them crap is bad for them?
The problem with school lunches is a cultural one, so it seems appropriate to label it an American problem. The Standard American Diet is also, by definition, an American problem.
Step outside the USA sometime and see the difference.
Bill:
I deleted the idiot’s comment anyway. I’m just not going to put up with that, because if I have to, then it’s going to be f-bombs and other invective in response. Better I delete and move on.
Cloistered, ignorant flag wavers. They are so cute & funny. They speak only English, have never stepped across the border except maybe to Mexico or Canada, and they get oh-so defensive if America is questioned as not being The Greatest Country Ever On The Face Of The Earth.
It was great, the greatest indeed and there’s no question about that. It _was_ the best. That’s history. Now it’s pretty much a miserable heap of socialist shit going downhill as fast as a rocket sled will take it.
But hey, there’s always the next masturbatory election! There’s that.
Roger that. I like how you run this place.
France is socialist too. You seem to like France.
We don’t do socialism here. We never have. In fact someone wrote a book called It Didn’t Happen Here about that very subject. I mean to read it but it’s hard to get into. I’d be curious to know what happened. Nearly every First World nation with a European background has adopted some degree of it, but we haven’t.
What’s really funny to me are the Christians getting het up about it–seems to me Jesus once said something about giving your surplus coat, cloak, and meat to your Christian brother who has none. People never seem to get around to reading that verse. (Think it’s in Luke.)
Dana, I’m not a Christian (raised Catholic), but Jesus never called for the state to compel people to give away their surplus coats. Initiating force or the threat of force to compel someone to give away a coat is very un-Christian by any definition of Christianity.
Charity isn’t charity if it isn’t voluntary, and it’s been shown that self-identified religious conservatives give more to charity than self-identified big-government liberals. The disagreement isn’t about giving, it’s about government compulsion.