A Breakfast Eater's Manifesto

Everyone knows what the most important meal of the day is—breakfast, of course! Not only is breakfast an enjoyable way to begin the day, it is also essential for a healthy diet. I have always been a breakfast lover. I firmly believe that “few rituals are as uplifting and comforting as a big, sumptuous breakfast: fluffy waffles with warm maple syrup; crisp, golden fried eggs; thick-sliced, applewood-smoked bacon; soft, sticky cinnamon rolls; and freshly squeezed orange juice” (Yee). My eighteen years have shared a common theme of a daily morning meal; however, how I eat breakfast has changed quite a bit over the course of my life. I intend to have a lifelong love affair with breakfast and, in order to do so, I feel I must establish a stronger basis for our relationship. I need to clearly state my intentions and set standards that I will try my best to follow. Recently, I have been reevaluating my relationship with food in general. I would like to get the most out of my consumption—nutrition wise—while maintaining the aspects of eating that are central to my food values. I would like to combine the ideals of health and wellness with my passion for breakfast in order maximize the benefits I receive from something that I, along with the majority of people, love—eating delicious food. 

            Some of my earliest memories of breakfast are waking up to the sound and smell of my dad making waffles in the kitchen. I would rush out of bed to assist him in whipping up the batter and pouring it into the sizzling hot waffle iron. While my father was scrambling some eggs and cooking up some breakfast sausage, I would sit patiently, watching the timer until three minutes had passed. I would immediately alert my father that the waffles were done. Taking my plate, he would open up the waffle iron, releasing a burst of a warm, cinnamon aroma, and gently remove the perfectly golden brown creation. Making a little puddle of Aunt Jemima off to the side of my plate, I would use my hands to rip the waffle into bite size pieces and dip them into the syrupy goodness. My dad and I would always wake up earlier than the rest of my family members, so we would often spend mornings similar to this, just the two of us enjoying a homemade breakfast together.

            I consider myself lucky to have had such a pleasant experience with breakfast from the very beginning. Because of these mornings with my dad, I developed the habit of consistently eating breakfast every day, from which I have received several health benefits. According to the American Dietetic Association, “more than half of male teenagers and more than two thirds of female teens do not regularly eat breakfast” (Smith).  I was one of the few fortunate teenage girls that loved breakfast and incorporated it into my daily schedule. Leena Mogre, a nutritionist and fitness expert, explains, “The reason why breakfast is important is because it breaks the fast between dinner and lunch, where there is a gap of 16 hours” (Kallury). Skipping breakfast requires the body to go a long time without the consumption of food or the access to new energy. Mogre comments that “leaving such a long gap between two meals eventually leads to problems such as acidity and stomach ulcers” (Kallury).

While breaking the fast between dinner and lunch is the main reason a human body needs breakfast, there are many other benefits that come along with daily consumption of a morning meal. Several studies have shown that eating breakfast can help control weight, boost brainpower, and benefit a person’s overall health. According to a recent study by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health’s Eating Among Teens (EAT) project, “teens who ate breakfast daily typically gained less weight than those who skipped” (Smith). Breakfast skippers are more likely to eat between meals and tend to make unhealthy and impulsive food choices. Sarah Krieger, a pediatric dietitian, explains that people who don’t eat breakfast are “craving and reaching for the high-salt, high-fat, high calorie foods” because their bodies are trying to store up calories to prepare for the sixteen hour fast between dinner and lunch (Smith). Not only does breakfast fill the stomach and help people make healthier food choices throughout the day, but it fuels the brain too. While a body is asleep, the “brain drains its main energy source, called glucose, from the food [that was eaten] the night before. A morning meal replenishes that energy supply,” and if breakfast is skipped, the person will be left tired and irritable (Smith).The benefits received from the energy gained from eating breakfast every day have been investigated. Numerous studies have shown that “students who eat breakfast perform better on tests, have better grades, and are better behaved than those who don’t eat breakfast” (Smith). Breakfast eaters also tend to be “more physically active than those who [skip] breakfast” (Smith). According to the American Dietetic Association, breakfast consumers are “more likely to meet their overall nutrient requirements.” It is clear that eating breakfast on a daily basis provides many important health gains. Not only is it necessary for a body to function after a night of sleep, but a daily morning meal helps people make better food choices throughout the day, leads to higher academic success, encourages a more physically active lifestyle, and helps achieve a healthy dose of daily nutrients. With this knowledge, I will most definitely continue to eat breakfast every day for the rest of my life.

It has been established that there are many benefits to eating breakfast and that it should be eaten on a daily basis—I already do this and through the research above have reconvicted myself to this habit. The only thing to figure out now is what I am going to eat every morning. As I mentioned before, how I eat breakfast has changed a lot over time. My love of breakfast began with making waffles with my dad, but we slowly expanded our horizons. Together we would make vegetable omelets and buttered toast, or scrambled eggs and ham with cheese melted over the top. I loved the good, hearty breakfasts. I still do, especially on holidays. On Christmas and Easter, brunch is the best part of the day. My mother makes all kinds of egg dishes, homemade cinnamon rolls, biscuits and gravy, fruit salad, and freshly squeezed orange juice. While this type of meal may be a delicious way to celebrate special occasions with family and friends, one would think that all these foods are not the best for someone to eat when trying to eat healthy. These assumptions would be correct, but I’ve found that indulging in these large meals from time to time may not be as bad as I thought. Timothy Harlan, a professor of medicine at the Tulane University School of Medicine, explains, “Fortunately, the weekend binge isn’t likely to have a huge negative effect because ‘eating healthy is all about balance.” Tall stacks of pancakes, bacon, eggs, and sticky buns are not something that should be consumed every day, but they are okay to have occasionally. In fact, Harlem says, “Sunday brunch is a special part of countless family rituals…That alone can have health benefits” (Deardorff). He explains that “having a large, friendly meal works for all of us on a social level that transcends the perfect diet” (Deardorff). While the food itself and the portion sizes consumed on such occasions are not exactly health conscious, the company is. People need social interactions to be healthy, and a lot of social interactions in our culture are surrounded by food. Big holiday brunches are the perfect way to apply this concept to breakfast. I will not be eating this way every morning, but I will not hesitate to have a sweet danish and some fried potatoes next time the family gets together. Even when attempting to maintain a nutritious diet, “it’s fine to indulge in the special meal every now and then” (Deardorff).  

As I got older, life got busier. I didn’t stop eating breakfast, but I did begin to jump on the ‘on-the-go breakfast’ bandwagon. A piece of peanut butter toast or a toaster waffle was sufficient on the way to school in the mornings. I began calling a cup of coffee and a granola bar ‘breakfast’. Just as the “hearty feast of bacon and eggs” that I enjoyed in my youth is “hardly a good start by today’s standards, the doughnut and coffee that have replaced it in today’s fast-paced world is no better” (Breakfast). Nutritionist do say that when “wrestling between a bad breakfast and no breakfast at all, choose the doughnut” (Deardorff). While it is clear that this advice is true—because skipping breakfast means missing out on many health gains—I hope to maximize the benefits I receive from eating breakfast, and therefore, plan to avoid any unhealthy food choices. This means that I may have to rethink my on-the-go breakfasts or at least amp up what is on the menu. A daily cup of coffee or tea can provide “some hydration and a jolt of caffeine. Research has linked both drinks to a variety of health benefits” (Deardorff). With this in mind, I think I will continue to have a cup of coffee every now and then, but it must be consumed along with something a bit more substantial. According to Janet Ovrut, a dietitian, when a breakfast consists of only coffee or tea, “it’s only the hot liquid that is filling your stomach, tricking you into feeling satisfied.” If all I have is a cup of coffee, I will likely overeat throughout the rest of the day to make up for the lack of energy I obtained in the morning. In order to jumpstart the metabolism, Ovrut suggests adding a piece of fruit. Typically, when I’m on the go, I will grab a muffin or a granola bar and some juice. Physician John La Puma explains that a breakfast bar and orange juice, while may seem like a healthier on-the-go breakfast, is “not much better than eating a candy bar and sugar cubes.” Juices, due to their high sugar content, should be considered desserts (Deardorff). While I may go for some kind of pastry or baked good when I’m in a hurry, there are much healthier choices that are just as quick and easy. Doughnuts and cereal bars are simple carbohydrates that “make your glucose (blood sugar) spike and then drop, leaving you starving by 11 a.m. and craving sugary foods” (DeCostole). Complex carbs, such as oatmeal or whole-grain toast, are high in fiber and low in sugar. They digest slowly, “providing steady energy to keep you full and minimize cravings” (DeCostole). From now on, when I have to grab something fast, I will opt for the healthier items.

I suppose I have always known that breakfast is good for me, but I didn’t realize all the health implications it carries with it. Sure, I’ve always been aware that breakfast is the “most important meal of the day”—but little did I know just how important it really is. My love of breakfast is still strong, but from now on I will be paying even closer attention to how I eat it. I will be sure to eat it every day, to choose foods that are healthy (even when I have to eat on the go), and to indulge in a big family brunch every now and then. Not only does breakfast give me the energy I need to make it through the day, but if I eat it right, it can make a world of difference in everything I do. It is a glorious start to the day, I time in the morning to compose myself and simply enjoy good, healthy food. A good breakfast translates into a good day ahead.  

References

“Breakfast and Your Health.” Harvard Men’s Health Watch, Vol. 9, No. 7. February, 2005.

Deardorff, Julie. “How to Eat Breakfast: What you eat in the morning can make or break your

            day.” Orlando Sentinel. August 18, 2009.

DeCostole, Jessica. “Eat this for Breakfast!” Redbook, Vol. 208, No. 1, p. 56. January 2007.

Kallury, Kruttika. “Power Breakfast: Feel tired all day and find it difficult to keep your energy

 up? The solution to your problem is a nutritious morning meal.” India Today. April 18,

2011.

Morris, Tim. “Breakfast.” Gastronimica: The Journal of Food and Culture.

Smith, Natalie. “Breakfast’s Benefits.” Scholastic Choices, Vol. 21, No. 1, p. 18-20. September,

 2011.  

Yee, Laura. “Breakfast.” Restaurants & Institutions, Vol. 109, No. 15, p. 28036. June 1, 1999.

I've learned a lot about food and research writing throughout this course. Some of the most interesting things we covered included reading about the food industry and discovering where our food comes from. It was interesting to hear other people's view points on what is ethical and what is not and their reasoning. I really enjoyed reading articles out of Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and Culture. It made me really think about my personal relationship with food, which I had never really taken the time to do before. Due to this course, I am reevaluating my personal food values and thinking more about the significance of my food choices.

                Both Michael Pollan’s “Unhappy Meals” and Melanie Dupuis’s “Angels and Vegetables: A Brief History of Food Advice in America” address the shift that has been made from simply eating food to survive to the current omnivore’s “moral” choice of what they should eat. Pollan explains that people no longer eat “food”; we eat “nutrients”. In the grocery store, people used to see words such as “cookies”, “cereal”, and “eggs”. Now we mostly see things like “cholesterol” and “low-fat”. People today are consuming a lot of “food-like” items instead of natural food. Pollan gives some good advice by telling his readers that in order to be as healthy as possible, they should “eat food, not too much, mostly plants.” Food has become a source of pleasure and entertainment in today’s culture, which has led to consuming large amounts of tasty, unhealthy foods.

Where people find information about what they should and should not eat has also changed over the past several decades.  People used to look to religion for answers when deciding what to eat. Then people began listening to scientists when it came to dietary advice. Dupuis claims that people no longer ask religion or science what they should eat, but “rely on popular writers to steer [them] through a welter of confusing and contradictory information.”

Both of these articles have made me think about my own food choices—what I eat and why I decide to eat them. I’ve never really thought much about what I eat and have, along with most Americans, probably tend to eat what Pollan calls “food-like” products. Some of my diet includes fruits and vegetables, but a lot of it is snack foods that probably aren’t very natural. I think these type of eating habits have become an issue in today’s food culture. Eating these processed “nutrients” is neither natural nor healthy. In order for the food culture to make the shift back to eating “food”, we must reevaluate what we eat, why we eat, and how we make dietary decisions. 

Eggsellent for your health

            Keeping track of what I ate for three days really got me thinking about my eating habits. I looked over what I had eaten and looked for trends in my diet. One thing I noticed is that I eat eggs almost every morning with breakfast. Typically I will enjoy one or two scrambled eggs, seasoned with salt and pepper or with a bit of hot sauce. Because I eat them every day, I started wondering about the health implications of consuming eggs on a regular basis.

            Over time, advice about the dietary role of eggs has changed several times. I’ve heard many of these different things regarding the nutritional value of eggs. People have told me that eggs are very healthy for you; however, I have heard from others that they are not very healthy to eat on a daily basis. Starting in 1957, the Egg Marketing Board advertised eggs as being a good source of protein and was successful in increasing sales. By the 1960s, egg consumption in the US “peaked to nearly five eggs per person per week” (Derbyshire et al). However, within a few years people began to worry about the cholesterol content of eggs, with “research studies suggesting that cholesterol-rich foods may elevate blood cholesterol and, hence, increase the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD)” (Derbyshire et al). It is true that eggs contain protein and cholesterol, which leaves me wondering if the health benefits outweigh the concerns or vice versa.

 Research shows that “eggs are a rich source of protein and several essential nutrients, particularly vitamin D, vitamin B12, selenium and choline” (Derbyshire et al). It is well established that the egg is a very important source of nutrients. It contains all the “proteins, lipids, vitamins, minerals, and growth factors required by the developing embryo” (Kovacs-Nolan et al). It is logical to conclude that an egg is healthy for us to eat because it contains everything needed to nurture a chicken embryo. It has all the elements necessary for healthy growth and development of a chicken, which are all things that would also contribute to the healthy growth and development of us.

            Eggs not only contain all of these important nutrients, but also have “a number of defense factors to protect against bacterial and viral infection” (Kovacs-Nolan et al). In order to defend a developing chicken from disease and infection, the egg contains antioxidants. By consuming eggs, we consume these antioxidants and they give us certain health benefits. Emerging evidence suggest that the egg could become important in “human health and in disease prevention and treatment” (Kovacs-Nolan et al). The health benefits of eggs go beyond being a good source of protein and other nutrients—they have potential to play a role in the treatment and prevention of infectious disease.

            Concerns that people have voiced about the cholesterol content of eggs have also been investigated. Within the last 15 years, the majority of key studies done “do not support the contention that egg consumption is a risk factor for heart disease or stroke” (Derbyshire et al). It has been calculated by using the risk apportionment model that “eating one egg per day accounted for 1% of CHD risk. In contrast, 40% of risk was attributed to lifestyle factors” such as smoking, alcohol intake, lack of exercise, or unhealthy diet (Derbyshire et al). While eggs do have a somewhat high cholesterol content, they have much less of an impact on health than other risk factors. Researchers have concluded that “for most individuals, egg consumption will have little or no influence on cholesterol levels or CHD risk” (Derbyshire et al).

            There are clear dietary benefits to eating eggs on a regular basis. Emerging evidence shows that eggs have potential to be used in therapy and prevention of infectious disease. The nutritional value of eggs goes far beyond being a good source of protein. While eggs do contain cholesterol, they do not have near the impact of other factors, such as consuming foods with high levels of saturated fat, a lack of exercise, or smoking cigarettes. People who consume eggs on a regular basis are unlikely to be affected by CHD or have a stroke as a result of cholesterol levels in the eggs. Conclusions have been made making it very clear that the health benefits of eating eggs outweigh the concerns. With this in mind, I will be enjoying eggs for breakfast for many mornings to come.

References

Derbyshire, E.; Gibson, S.; Ruxton, C.H.S. “The nutritional properties and health benefits of eggs.”

Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 40 Iss: 3, pp. 263 – 279. 2010.

Kovacs-Nolan, Jennifer; Mine, Yoshinori; Phillips, Marshall. “Advances in the Value of Eggs and Egg

                Components for Human Health.” Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, Vol. 53 Iss: 22, pp.

    8421 – 8431. Department of Food Science, University of Guelph. 

Food Journal Observations:

Reading through some of my classmates' food journals from the weekend, I noticed a few trends. A lot of people ate pretty light for breakfast--there was a lot of yogurt and granola. Pizza was also a pretty popular meal; probably due to lack of appealing options in the cafeteria. Another thing I noticed was the time of day that people ate at. The times were not always typical meal times, but scattered throughout afternoons and late at night.

What I have been eating for the past three days...


Friday:
9:30 am -- Two pieces of whole wheat toast, lightly buttered. Blueberry yogurt with granola and raisins. A couple scrambled eggs with salt and pepper. Half a glass of orange juice.
2:00 pm -- A panini made with whole wheat bread, ham, provolone cheese, pickles, mayonnaise, and spicy mustard.
7:00 pm -- A taco with beef, salsa, sour cream, jalapenos, and lettuce; all on a whole wheat tortilla. Small side of about eight or so chips with guacamole. Water to drink.

Saturday:
9:45 am -- One cup of coffee, black.
11:00 am -- One scoop of an egg dish with eggs, cheese, chorizo, and jalapenos. One scoop of an egg dish with eggs, cheese, asparagus, spinach, mushrooms and Italian sausages. Put Cholula hot sauce generously on both egg dishes. A cinnamon roll. Scoop of fruit salad with watermelon, honeydew, grapes, strawberries, and pineapple. Half a glass of orange juice.
5:30 pm -- Three baby back ribs smothered in barbecue sauce. Scoop of fruit salad with watermelon, honeydew, grapes, strawberries, and pineapple. A dinner roll, buttered. A small scoop of potato salad. A small scoop of macaroni salad. A cream soda to drink.
7:45 pm -- A piece of marbled cake (chocolate and vanilla) with vanilla frosting and a scoop of chocolate ice cream.  

Sunday:
11:00 am -- A waffle, buttered with syrup. A couple of eggs, scrambled with salt and pepper. A sausage patty. A cup of coffee, with a little milk. A scoop of fruit salad with watermelon, honeydew, grapes, strawberries, and pineapple.
3:00 pm -- A chocolate peanut butter Cliff bar.
5:30 pm -- A piece of marbled cake with vanilla frosting.
7:30 pm -- A couple scoops of penne pasta in a light tomato sauce. A piece of garlic bread. Water to drink.

                        The other day, I was chowing down on some tacos and realized that they just wouldn’t be complete without one ingredient—guacamole. In fact, it got me thinking about how much I love avocados in general. Avocados have grown to be a favorite of many people around the globe, appealing to Americans in particular. I started wondering about where the avocado in my taco came from and how it ended up being eaten by me.

            The avocado is a tree fruit, and is “thought to have originated in Mexico and Central and South America” (Boriss et al, 1). In 1833, they were first planted in Florida, and then in California in 1856. Today, avocados are commercially grown in California, Florida, and Hawaii; however, America is still the “largest importer of avocados…accounting for 26 percent of world imports” (Boriss et al, 2). The world’s largest exporters include Mexico, Chile, and Spain, which are where we get our imported avocados. Mexico is responsible for about a third of the world’s avocado production. Over half of the imports we bring in from Mexico are processed avocado products (Boriss et al, 2). We import millions of dollars’ worth of avocados, yet we produce over 6.5 percent of the world’s avocados ourselves (Boriss et al, 2). We have no choice but to import if we want to eat as many avocados as we like. The avocado industry in the United States has grown tremendously over the past couple decades in an attempt to keep up with the demand of its citizens.

            Many people in America, including myself, enjoy avocados often, and the number of avocado lovers in the U.S. is increasing every day. The annual per-capita consumption of avocados “has risen 10 percent in the United States over the past decade, and if that trend continues, coupled with population growth, avocado demand will top 2.8 billion pounds by 2020” (Linden). Per capita consumption of this tasty fruit has “followed a variable but generally increasing trend since 1970, increasing significantly in recent years from 1.5 pounds per capita in 1999 to a record 2.5 pounds in 2003” (Boriss et al, 1). Reasons for this recent increase in avocado popularity in America could be due to a couple of factors. Avocados have been marketed as “a healthy dietary choice and as a good source of beneficial monounsaturated oil” (Boriss et al, 1). An increasing awareness of healthier foods and the acceptance of monounsaturated fats, along with a growing Hispanic population in the U.S., have contributed to the recent increase in demand (Boriss et al, 2).

The value of avocado production has been steadily increasing along with the rise in the fruit’s popularity. The value of the avocado industry in the Unites States has been “increasing since the early 1990s, from $118.1 million in 1992 to nearly $400 million in 2003” (Boriss et al, 3). In the most recent years, it has been over $400 million, and is continuing to increase. The goal of farmers is to have this “lofty figure” continue to be reached on an annual basis for many years to come (Linden).   The avocado industry may be nowhere near reaching the same number as seen in the production of tomatoes, apples, and other produce, but they are well on their way. In 2011, California avocado growers produced 300 million pounds, “while the 2012 crop has been projected at 400 million pounds” (Linden). Increasing yields is currently a top priority for American avocado farmers. They are looking into expanding the industry by increasing “tree density per acre and possibly expanding more production to other areas” (Linden). The majority of avocado farms are in the valleys along the western coast of California. There is a “high cost of water and competition for that prime coastal land [which] means there are not a lot of new groves being developed” (linden). While it is more difficult to grow avocados in other climates, it is necessary for farmers to attempt growing crops more inland in order to increase production (Linden).

            It is safe to say that the avocado is a food considered tasty and nutritious by many Americans. It is rapidly growing in popularity and the U.S. avocado industry is trying to expand as much as it can as quickly as it can to satisfy the growing demand, but it seems that this might not be possible due to limited land and water supplies in the areas of America that provide the proper climate for growing avocados. It is safe to say the already massive amounts of avocados we import will continue to grow in coming years and Americans like myself will continue to enjoy guacamole on their tacos.

References

 Boriss, Hayley; Brunke, Henrich; Kreith, Marcia. “Commodity Profile: Avocados.” Agricultural

            Marketing Resource Center. Agricultural Issues Center: University of California.

            February 2006. http://aic.ucdavis.edu/profiles/Avocados-2006.pdf May 8, 2012.

Linden, Tim. “California avocado industry bullish about its future.” The Produce News. April 4,

2012. http://theproducenews.com/index.php/category-list/9-story-cat/7313-california-avocado-industry-bullish-about-its-future May 8, 2012. 

                In America, we are very separated from our food. The production of common foods, such as tomatoes or chicken, is something the average American doesn’t know much about. The market has lowered the cost of high demand foods at the expense of the workers and by lowering the quality of the products.

Barry Estabrook, in his book Tomatoland, addresses some of the issues seen in food production today. He discusses how the standards that the country has for tomatoes in our supermarkets all have to do with looks. If the tomatoes are not the right color, shape, or size, they are not allowed to be shipped. A company could grow the most delicious tomatoes in the world, but if their appearance does not meet the market’s regulations, it cannot be sold. Estabrook explains that tomato production these days “has everything to do with marketing and nothing to do with biology.” The industry is sacrificing quality and defying nature in order to mass produce “perfect”, tasteless tomatoes.

Christopher Cook, in his infographic “Fowl Trouble”, discusses similar problems seen in the chicken industry. He points out how, due to the increase in demand, the amount of meat processed per minute has gone up from 40 pounds to 91 pounds in the last forty years. The industry is producing meat as fast as they can—which is probably leading to lower quality of not only product, but also working conditions for the laborers.

Cook and Estabrook both address the issue of poor working conditions throughout the food industry. Workers are often immigrants, which allows companies to pay them close to nothing and give them no benefits whatsoever. The pieces both describe the horrific conditions that these workers deal with every day.

  While we may enjoy our flawless, inexpensive food at the grocery store, we must take a step back and think about what this convenience is actually costing our country. We should eat according to our own standards, not the standards of corporate agriculture. 

Low carb diets really go against the grain

In his article “Our National Eating Disorder,” Michael Pollan addresses the recent low-carb diet craze in America.  He describes the obsession with cutting carbohydrates as “carbophobia” and identifies it as something distinctly American that came about in the early 20^th century.  U.S. citizens had been “happily chomping” on bread, noodles, and potatoes for years, but the minute a scientist declared that cutting carbs would burn body fat, the sales on these items when down drastically.

Pollan mentions the French people and how their population consists of “wine-swilling cheese eaters” who seem to be overall healthier than the majority of Americans. He writes that the true paradox here is that of the American health movement—our population is made up of “notably unhealthy people obsessed by the idea of eating healthily.” Pollan describes the American people as willing to try any new diet “as long as it doesn’t actually involve eating less food.” This is why the low-carb diet has become a food fad in the U.S.

These food trends determine what people choose to eat—hence why donut shops, bakeries, and pasta companies are not making as much money as they once did. When I think about how I choose what to eat, I realize that I don’t really think very much at all about what I eat. I eat whenever I’m hungry, and I eat whatever I have available. I typically try to maintain a somewhat balanced diet that includes protein, carbohydrates, calcium, etc., but I usually just grab whatever sounds good. 

The Golden Arches around the Globe

            When Dick and Mac McDonald opened the doors to the first McDonald’s restaurant in San Bernardino, California in 1940, the world would never be the same (mcspotlight). Today McDonald’s has over 25,660 restaurants worldwide and has an estimated annual sale of nearly $29 billion dollars (restaurants, annual).  The growth of the McDonald’s fast food restaurant chain has been rapid and strategic. Not only has McDonald’s changed to accommodate its international success, but aspects of cultures around the world have also changed due to the globalization of fast food. Dr. Jia Lu, PhD in Communication, suggests that “McDonald’s is often used to illustrate the international pervasiveness of the American fast food industry” (Lu, 620). While this claim may be true, it is also possible that other cultures have influenced McDonald’s and diversification has taken place as much as homogenization has across the globe.

            After the first McDonald’s opened in 1940, the chain began growing—and never stopped. By 1959 the 100^th restaurant opened in Chicago. By 1963 the 500^th was opened, the one billionth hamburger was sold, and the company’s net income exceeded one million dollars (mcspotlight). By this point Ray Kroc had purchased the McDonald’s concept for $2.7 million; and this was just the beginning. The first restaurants outside of the U.S. opened in 1967 in Canada and Puerto Rico. Within the next four years, McDonald’s had expanded to eight more countries. This rapid international expansion continued for many years. By 1972, “assets exceeded $500 million and sales surpassed $1 billion” (mcspotlight). At this point, a new McDonald’s restaurant was opening every day. In 1984, McDonald’s had well over 1,000 international restaurants and served “17 million customers a day—equivalent to serving lunch to the entire population of Australia and New Zealand” (mcspotlight). If all the hamburgers sold between 1955 and 1984 were lined up, they would reach to the moon and back five times (mcspotlight). Business was definitely booming, and it wasn’t stopping any time soon. By 1994 the company consisted of over 15,000 restaurants in 79 countries on 6 different continents (mcspotlight). The globalization of McDonald’s had been very successful. The company had revolutionized restaurant business and food culture throughout the world. Thanks to McDonald’s, the fast food phenomenon had swept the globe.

            Not only had the company expanded exponentially, but new menu items were constantly being added to accommodate the tastes of new customers. For example, fried beef patties may appeal to American audiences, but they certainly would not have the same effect on Hindus living in India; and so the Chicken Maharaja Mac was born. German menus offer beer, Canadians can purchase McLobster lobster rolls, and Japanese restaurants serve shrimp burgers (Adams). The new menu items are sometimes an entirely different from American options, such as Gallo Pinto (rice and beans) available in Costa Rica. In other cases, the American menu is tweaked just slightly to appeal to other cultural tastes. For example, in Hong Kong burgers are served with rice patties as a bun, and in Greece burgers are wrapped in a pita (Adams). While McDonald’s has brought aspects of American style restaurants to other countries and maintained the standardization of a fast food chain, these menu changes show how it has also assimilated somewhat to other cultures in order to appeal to a variety of tastes.

            The characteristics of McDonald’s that are distinctly standard aspects of American food values show the homogenization of cultures around the world, while the ways McDonald’s changes to appeal to the local culture of a foreign nation show the diversification of fast food culture. While few current scholars “agree with the oversimplified position of cultural homogenization, what still remains unclear is to what extent homogenization and diversification occur in the international expansion of the American fast food industry” (Lu, 620). As McDonald’s expanded and continues to expand into new countries and new cultures, variety and diversity is maintained due to underlying cultural differences. At the same time, cultural barriers are being broken down and several aspects of food culture are now shared worldwide.

Diversification can easily be seen when observing the application of “cultural proximity” in the globalization of McDonald’s. The theory of cultural proximity argues that the most appealing media is that which is “closest, most proximate or most directly relevant to [the audience] in cultural and linguistic terms” (Lu, 620). Cultural proximity allows local audiences to “selectively appropriate foreign media products. It is a diversifying process in which the audience’s cultural identities shape interpretation and reception of foreign media products, and adapt them into their daily life” (Lu, 620). The pressure of being culturally proximate can be seen in McDonald’s menu changes from country to country. Offering items such as guacamole on burgers in Chile or the McHuevo egg burger in Uruguay are McDonald’s attempts of appealing to the taste of the local culture (Adams). Different cultures have distinctly different tastes. Fast food consumers throughout the world have “tastes and eating habits [that] are different from Americans” (Lu, 620). The audience, in a way, chooses what items will be on the menu by associating certain foods with their culture. Cultural proximity focuses on diversification by “assimilating more local cultural elements…and [offering] the products/services that are culturally approximate to local audiences” (Lu, 622). This idea has not only made the globalization of McDonald’s successful, but has also maintained some diversity in food cultures around the globe.

Often times what American fast food chains “represent is not a true cultural proximity but that of desire of aspiration” (Lu, 620). Another definition of proximity focuses on homogenization by “maintaining a distinctive foreign identity loaded with modern/global themes…and [offering] a desired, standardized model of modernity to attract local customers” (Lu, 621). It is good for McDonald’s to be culturally relevant to an audience, but the whole concept of an international American food chain, to some extent, appeals to an audience as well. The foreign identity, specifically the American identity, of McDonald’s associates the restaurant chain with economic and technological advancement and modernization. Because of this, customers expect some standardization and consistency among all McDonald’s restaurants, no matter what country it is located in. The traditional view of modernity defines it as “a uniform, unambiguously structured and self-contained pattern in progress towards full realization and harmonious integration” (Lu, 621). The way modernity is regarded here—as a standard homogenizing process—poses threats to the diversity of existing cultures throughout the world. A newer idea of modernity, known as “multiple modernities”, does not “necessarily eradicate traditional…standpoints and practices but can become associated with different cultures” (Lu, 621).

The McDonald’s globalization strategy emphasizes the consistency of products and quality across countries and cultures. Focusing on “efficiency, predictability, calculability and replacement of human with non-human technology…McDonald’s has successfully standardized food, menus, tastes and restaurant environments all over the world” (Lu, 622). By establishing this standard expectation, McDonald’s has successfully created a solid, foreign identity that appeals to most non-American cultures. McDonald’s represents America “and the promise of modernization” (Lu, 622). The symbolic consumption of McDonald’s enables locals “to know about advanced modernity, and get connected to the global modernization process” (Lu, 622). People are attracted to the idea of McDonald’s and their products because of the international reputation the restaurant chain has. As an American fast food chain, McDonald’s seems to be more to foreign cultures than just burgers and fries, but rather a chance to be a part of the development of the modern world. The standardization of products and service in order to put on this identity of modernity has, in a way, homogenized the food cultures throughout the world. There are certain things that are maintained and remain consistent from country to country, culture to culture. Due to the association between McDonald’s and modernity, the gap between the unique tastes of foreign cultures is closing as the globalization of fast food continues.

McDonald’s has taken over the global fast food market in less than seventy five years. The globalization of this company has been very rapid and very successful. Not only has McDonald’s changed to be more culturally proximate to foreign customers, but it has also worked hard to maintain a sense of standardization in an attempt to create a foreign identity associated with modernization. Changing to appeal to different cultures has encouraged diversification among food cultures, while the desire for consistency from nation to nation has begun to homogenize the world’s tastes. Because of the way the relationship between “homogenization and diversification transforms each other and generates hybridity…it is hard to distinguish western food and local food as well as modern/global values and local traditional ones” (Lu, 630). The globalization of fast food is changing all of the food cultures in the world. The growth of McDonald’s has both encouraged the diversity of taste, and standardized the way people eat. The wide variety of cultures and tastes in the world has certainly affected the way McDonald’s operates and McDonald’s has no doubt forever changed the way the world sees food.

References

Adams, Beatrice. “McDonald’s Strange Menu around the World.” Trifter. July 19, 2007.

http://trifter.com/practical-travel/budget-travel/mcdonald%E2%80%99s-strange-menu-around-the-world/  April 26, 2012.

Bojanic, David and Hanako Murase. “An Examination of the Differences in Restaurant Brand

Personality Across Cultures.” Journal of Hospitality and Leisure Marketing, 11:2-3, 97-113. October 12, 2008. http://dx.doi.org/10.130/J150v11n02_08 April 26, 2012.

“Brief History of McDonald’s.” The Company.

            http://www.mcspotlight.org/company/company_history.html April 26, 2012.

Lu, Jia. “Multiple modernities an multiple proximities: McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken

in Chinese television commercials.” International Communication Gazette. Sage Publications, 2010. http://gaz.sagepub.com/content/72/7/619 April 26, 2012.

“McDonald’s Annual Financial Report 2010: Sales, Revenue and Profits.” Finance N

Investment. June 14, 2011. http://www.financeninvestments.com/annual-report/mcdonald%E2%80%99s-annual-report-2010.html April 26, 2012.

“McDonald’s Restaurants (most recent) by Country.” Nation Master.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/foo_mcd_res-food-mcdonalds-restaurants April 26, 2012. 

         In "Eating at the Edge" Jamie Horwitz describes on-the-go eating as a growing aspect of American food culture. People are always eating while they are doing something else--emailing, driving, studying, etc. This type of multitasking has been described by researchers to not qualify as "eating alone," as things such as listening to the radio and watching TV are classified as a social experience (42).  Horwitz discusses how Americans are moving away from the sit down family dinners and towards the drive through windows. Horwitz explains that "taking time to share food, as part of a daily routine (not a special occasion), is becoming less common in the U.S. as unstructured eating patters become more familiar varied" (45). As a college student, I am living proof of these claims. Most of my meals are eaten while I'm studying, walking to class, or in class. They aren't planned, nor are they satisfactory. I find myself rushing to grab a quick granola bar or piece of fruit to hold me over until I have a few minutes to scavenge another snack.
         When I was a kid, my family would eat dinner together almost every night of the week. My mother was an excellent cook, and we always devoted 6 to 7 o'clock every evening to enjoying her food and each other's company. I do miss those family meals and they have provided me with fond memories of my childhood. Eventually, however, everyone became busy and that time together was lost in the hustle and bustle of our daily lives. Now I struggle to get in three square meals a day and really appreciate the times I'm home and can have a delicious home cooked meal with my family.

Drinking too much coffee can cause a Latte problems

                It was noon on Tuesday when I walked into Stella’s, a local coffeehouse on Pearl Street. Entering the shop, I walked across the porch which wraps its way around the entire building. There were people sitting on the patio furniture, enjoying the beautiful weather and each other’s company. Most folks outside and inside had either coffee drinks or tea. A few people snacked on pastries and baked goods of some sort, but no one really appeared to be eating a full blown meal. The food and drinks were of fairly high quality—they serve “one of the most finely pulled espressos in town.” All the coffee is roasted locally and the food items are homemade. The prices were not cheap, but not overly expensive—about the same prices at a Starbucks.

                The folks working there seemed to keep pretty busy. They were constantly making drinks, ringing people up, cleaning, or restocking. Although they were consistently being productive, they weren’t in much of a hurry. They took their time taking people’s orders and making their drinks. It was very laid back and relaxed. They were friendly and seemed to be happy doing whatever they were doing.

                Most of the customers were young adults; either college aged or recently graduated from college. Customers consisted of a very diverse group of people. They ranged from people who wore polo shirts and boat shoes to people who had dyed their hair green and gaged their ears. The shop had very laid back vibes. There was no music playing, but only the sound of a few people talking and coffee being brewed could be heard inside. The people out on the deck were mostly socializing in small groups ranging from two to four while people inside were mainly individuals studying, reading, or on a laptop. There were a few groups of two inside playing cards or having conversations. It was not overly crowded, but most of the tables were taken by at least one person. The majority of people appeared to be doing some sort of studying or work. This could have something to do with it being noon on a Tuesday; maybe a Saturday morning or evening would be a bit livelier.

                Stella’s Gourmet Coffee and Such “offers an eclectic atmosphere that can appeal to most any coffeehouse goer.” It is laid out as a “virtual labyrinth of comfortable nooks and crannies, perfect for long study sessions, conversations with friends or just a quiet minute to yourself.” There are several small rooms that make up the shop. Two contain several small tables with a couple chairs and one contains an L-shaped couch with a coffee table covered in board games and newspapers. The rooms are open to each other and flow together very naturally, yet each room “offers a unique feel.” There are a few bookshelves full of collections of books on every subject. The walls are covered with the artwork of local artists for sale.

                Overall, Stella’s was a very nice local coffee shop. It’s cozy and welcoming atmosphere was perfect for socializing in small groups, studying, or just relaxing. The drinks are delicious and moderately priced and the service was great.

Source:  http://www.stellascoffee.com/index.html 

                What is a culture without food? Most folks can identify with some specific culture and can name a type of food that corresponds to that culture. There is Chinese food, Italian food, Mexican food, and so many others. There are several cultures that I had never considered before. After reading “Breaking Bread with a Spread” by Sandra Cate, my eyes have been opened to the food enjoyed by the inmates of the San Francisco County Jail, who seem to have a culture all their own. Another article, “The Cultural Politics of Eating in Shenzhen” by Mary Ann O’Donnell, showed me how to take a more political approach to seeing food within a culture, specifically the food enjoyed by those in different parts of China.

                Cate discussed in depth the type of food that prisoners enjoy—spread. Spread, their own creation, combines many common food items—chips, cheese, beef jerky, etc.—with ramen noodles. It is something more flavorful and unique than the food served in prisons that they can make themselves and enjoy with the other inmates. Cate described how they would often all bring something to add to the spread, and then share it among themselves. She also noted that several inmates said they would share their spread with anyone who was hungry. The spread not only provided a satisfying meal for the men, but also served as a communal bond. Even after they were released from jail, some said they continued to make spread; for themselves, their families, and friends.

                O’Donnell investigated the city of Shenzhen in China and discussed the food eaten there depending on the culture of the people. The history of the city caused the people to be separated into several cultural groups. The majority of the population is not native to their area, and brings several different styles of food to the culture. One woman O’Donnell talked to told her about growing up in Northeastern China. Originally from Beijing, she received the food rations of an urban resident and ate well. After a year though, she received the treatment of a rural resident and had to work for her food. She often went hungry because she did not understand agriculture and was not successful in growing wheat and corn. Sitting in a restaurant in the big city of Shenzhen, she eats cornbread and remembers when it was a rarity during her days in the country. Her son, however, does not appreciate cornbread the way she does, for he doesn’t understand its value to her culture.

                Overall, both articles were eye-opening to the role food plays in any sort of culture. It is something that has value, not only for its nourishment, but for the community it brings together. 

Essay Com-pear-ison

Quinn's Personal Essay 2: Naked and Food Advertising

      Quinn's essay on the advertisements used by the Naked juice company brings up some interesting points when it comes to marketing a food product. The essay discusses how the ads for Naked try to convince readers that the product will benefit their health and "everything will be more beautiful if you enjoy Naked." Although these claims that the juice company makes may or may not be true, they are being used to help sell more product. This same marketing technique can be seen in the Absolut advertisements I discussed in my previous post. An example is in the ad that reads "Absolut Appeal", which suggests to the audience that they will be more appealing if they drink Absolut vodka. This statement is not necessarily true, but it is still an effective marketing tactic.
      Quinn goes on in the essay to discuss how the Naked ads speak to "the food culture in America and what values are considered to be important." This provides some insight into this rather strange advertising strategy. In both the Naked ads and the Absolut ads the companies provide their audiences with false claims about their products. They are conveying to the targeted group of viewers that by using a product, they will be better in some way (healthier or more appealing). By marketing falsehoods, the companies aren't being completely honest, but they are making more money because the culture of American consumers values certain things (being healthier and more appealing) and people are willing to spend money to achieve them.

Absolut Marketing

                The Absolut Vodka’s long-running advertising campaign that began in the eighties proved itself to be effective in attracting an audience that would help the company both gain new buyers and sell more product. The campaign consists of many one page advertisements that contain several similar aspects, yet vary slightly. All of the ads are composed of a bottle of vodka, or something in the shape of a bottle, in the center of the page. Under the image are the words “Absolut ____”—the blank being filled with some word depending on the target audience of the ad. I have picked several Absolut advertisement to analyze and compare and contrast to one another in their marketing strategies.

                One advertisement depicts a bottle made out of lemon peels and reads “Absolut Appeal”. This particular ad is most likely targeting people who socialize when they drink. It is not only marketing the citrus flavor of the vodka, but also the status drinking it will give you. The advertisement is attempting to convince the audience that if a person drinks Absolut vodka, they will be appealing—which is a desirable quality for someone at a party.

          
       Another advertisement says “Absolut Vegas" and shows a bottle with a name tag stuck to it that says, “Hello, my name is Absolut.” This is one of several Absolut ads that use the name of a city or specific location. They are clearly marketing to the people in Vegas on vacation—or people that wish they were in Vegas on vacation. Absolut is using the connotations that come with “Vegas” to market the product as something fun and exciting.

                A third advertisement uses a picture of a topographical view of an island shaped like a bottle and reads “Absolut Paradise”. This ad is targeting an audience, similar to the previous ad, that either goes on vacation, or wish they went on vacation. The picture of the island and the use of the word “paradise” gives the advertisement a tropical, relaxed feel. It is hinting that Absolut vodka is a good drink to have while relaxing, or is a good way to relax.

                The three advertisements use the same basic structure and strategies to reach a wide variety of audiences; however, the differences are key. The second and third advertisements are similar in how they market Absolut vodka as a fun, relaxing drink due to the connection to vacations; however, the type of vacation and the type of people that those vacations are associated with are completely different. People that prefer to go to Vegas are typically different from those that prefer going to an island. By using the different locations, Absolut is targeting these two completely different audiences in the two separate ads. The first advertisement is very different from the other two. It could be targeting an audience that includes people from both audiences of the other two ads, and people that weren’t included in either of those groups. Overall, all three advertisements are very similar, yet have very distinct differences that differentiate which specific groups of people the marketers are trying to reach.

                The Absolut ads that I’ve looked at, based on their appeals, say a lot about food culture and values. In order to market effectively to mainly American consumers, Absolut takes a look at the culture of alcohol in the United States and integrates it into their advertisements. The first advertisement looks at the culture of alcohol in a social setting. People at parties want to be “appealing”, so Absolut uses this fact to market their product. The second advertisement uses the culture of Las Vegas to attract consumers. Las Vegas is thought of to be a crazy, fun, and exciting place. Known as “sin city”, alcohol is a huge part of the culture in Vegas; making it the perfect place to use to advertise vodka. The third advertisement draws on the correlation between relaxation and alcohol. American culture associates alcohol with vacationing and relaxation. By using the idea of “paradise” in their advertisement, Absolut effectively markets their product to people that identify with this culture. 

Attracting Spec-Taters

I recently read an article entitled “Authenticity in America: Class Distinctions in Potato Chip Advertising” by Joshua Freedman and Dan Jurafsky. The authors discussed, in depth, the marketing strategies of potato chip companies. They analyzed how different audiences are targeted based on socioeconomic standing. There are many strategies considered by these companies; however, one in particular is the manipulation of language.

Freedman and Jurafsky carefully looked at the text used on the packaging of twelve different potato chip brands. They examined the bags (all containing plain potato chips) of six brands that were more affordable and six brands that were higher end. The language used in these two groups differed slightly. The more expensive potato chip brands tended to use longer sentences, more complex grammar, and rarer words those on the cheaper chip bags. In fact, the reading level of the text used in the more expensive group was at a tenth or eleventh grade reading level, while that of the less expensive group was at about an eighth grade level. More costly chips also have, on average, 142 words on each bag, while the others have only about 104.

An infinite number of other products could be analyzed in a similar way. It would be interesting to see how many words are used and how complex the language used to market a product is. Rather than just looking at the packaging of the product itself, this type of analysis could be applied to advertisements of all sorts—billboards, magazines, etc. It would be interesting to see if the same observations that Freedman and Jurafsky had with the potato chip bags are consistent in other advertisements for other products.            

Those Who Forget the Pasta are doomed to Reheat it

For the average American kid, Saturday mornings are spent eating cereal and watching cartoons; however, my childhood memories are slightly different. When I woke up, I would quietly make my way through the house to my parents’ bedroom. I would climb up into bed with my mom and we would turn on the TV and flip straight to The Food Network. Chefs would be whisking, sautéing, and baking away while my mother and I enjoyed our lazy morning. After watching an episode or two of Paula Dean or Rachel Ray, we would make our way to the kitchen to put what we had learned to the test and cook up some breakfast. The smell of bacon, waffles, and eggs would fill the house and my dad, brother, and sister would soon make their way to the kitchen for a family breakfast.

            During my childhood, food wasn’t just something I ate; it was something my family and I shared, something we all enjoyed together. My mother is an excellent cook. She would spend time every day in the kitchen preparing dinner for her husband and three kids. I can still hear her voice calling us to kitchen, saying dinner was ready. My siblings and I would race to wash our hands and get into the kitchen in order to get what we considered the best seat at the table. Our mom would serve up whatever she had chosen to make that day—she made a very wide range of dishes, but somehow, all of them shared something familiar. I can’t put my finger on exactly what it was, but no matter what my mother cooked, I could tell it was from her—all her meals were delicious. We would typically have a main dish of some sort of meat, with several side dishes. My favorite of her creations included barbequed chicken with canned green beans, hardy minestrone soup with buttered bread, and the best—her slow cooked baby back ribs smothered in barbeque sauce. My mouth waters just thinking about the delicious meals my mother used to cook for us to enjoy.

            My mother’s cooking was not only central to my childhood because of the foods I ate, but also because of the time I spent with my mother in the kitchen. She taught me everything I know about cooking—everything The Food Network did not, that is. I clearly remember spending a morning with her learning how to make the perfect egg, bacon, and cheese sandwich. She had learned from her mother, and then passed the unwritten recipes onto me. I never met my grandmother—she died before I was born—but I feel that through cooking with my mom, I have come to know a little part of who she was.

            Food is important to my family; it is important to the relationship I share with my mother. It may be hard to believe after describing all the scenarios of my mom and I spending time together, but I am quite the daddy’s girl. Growing up, I loved camping, fishing, and sports; so cooking was one of the only things my mom and I really shared and could bond over.

            During my teenage years, food shifted from a family thing, to a friend thing. Like some teenagers do, I began to grow away from a family a bit and was more interested in being social with my friends. A lot of the socializing we did involved some sort of food. Whether it was cooking together, going out for a meal, or just grabbing a snack, it was a social event first and eating because we were hungry second. My friends and I had our favorite places around town to eat. Café Mexicali was a local Tex-Mex restaurant that had the best smothered burritos. They were huge, and delicious, and they would give students a discount, so naturally, we ate there a lot. We would get our food, grab a table and dig in—to our dinner and our conversation. We would finish eating after about thirty minutes, but continue sitting in the restaurant, sipping soda and talking for another two hours. When I go back to that restaurant, or taste one of their smothered burritos, I do think about how delicious the food is, but what I appreciate the most is the memories of the good friends associated with it.

            I had one friend growing up in particular that I enjoyed a lot of food with. We have been best buds since the second grade, and to this day, every time I drink a Starbucks or eat Panda Express I can’t help but think about him. Throughout high school, we would go to Panda Express at least once a week and order chow mein and orange chicken. We also frequented the Starbucks that was located exactly half way between our two houses. He is one of the best friends I’ve ever had—we had known each other for so long, yet never ran out of things to talk about.

            From spending Saturday mornings cooking with my mom to going out for burritos with my high school friends, food has played a significant role in my life. It has not only provided me with nourishment and satisfied my hunger over the years, but has been central to the development of my relationships with those I care about. The food I’ve eaten in my lifetime does not necessarily have a specific cultural significance or ethnic trends; however, the variety of food I have consumed matches the variety of friends and family I have enjoyed it with. 

Mis-steak-en Identity

Roy Ahn and Geoff Nicholson both attach personal and cultural significance to food in their pieces, “Home Run: My Journey Back to Korean Food”, and “Eating White”.

In Roy Ahn’s piece, he discusses the role that Korean food has played throughout his life, establishing his identity as a Korean-American over the course of many years. Using food as a representation of culture, Ahn describes how he rejected his Korean heritage during his youth and assimilated to American culture. He writes about how he would eat all the same things as his American friends and found the Korean food his family ate embarrassing.  He describes how he now wishes to embrace his Korean roots and pass the culture of his ancestors on to his son. He plans to do this specifically through food.

Geoff Nicholson writes about his mother’s cooking while he was growing up, using the food he ate to represent his personal experience in his family. He discusses how his mother cooked the way his father wanted to eat, which was bland, overcooked, large amounts of meat and potatoes. He also describes his mother’s obsession with white food and the significance that had in his life. He associates the food he ate growing up with memories of his family life in England.

Both authors write about food not as something they simply eat, but as a part of who they are; a reason for why they are who they are. Food represents something that has shaped their lives, whether it be culturally or personally. Ahn uses food to describe how his Korean culture has been present in his life, while Nicholson uses it to represent memories of his childhood and how his family life impacted him personally.

I found both Ahn’s and Nicholson’s pieces very interesting and was amazed at how food could be so central to their identities. It made me think about my own experience with food and how it has shaped me as a person and as an American. My mother cooked a lot growing up, influencing how I like to think about food. It was not the particular type of food she cooked that was memorable, but that she spent time cooking a meal for the family and we all gathered to share in it together. When I think about my family and about the bond I have with them, I think about sitting around the kitchen table enjoying each other’s company and delicious, home cooked food.

A Boiled Egg in the Morning is Hard to Beat

While sitting in my 8am math class this morning I built up quite an appetite. Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day and when 9am rolled around, I was ready to eat!

Scrambled eggs with a dash of salt and a sprinkling of pepper went very nicely with some oatmeal and yogurt. The eggs were slightly undercooked; just the way I like them. I had a small bowl of blueberry yogurt with granola and raisins on top. I took a risk going for the oatmeal—it’s not my typical breakfast of choice—but with a spoonful of brown sugar it was delicious. All this, washed down with a glass of orange juice, was a more than satisfactory.

I sat at a very small table, right against the window so I could look outside and see the beautiful Colorado morning unfold. I worked on my computer as I ate, finishing up some last minute assignments before my next class.

I took my sweet time—eating a few bites of oatmeal, then a little yogurt, then some eggs, taking a gulp of orange juice, and reading a few sentences of an anthropology article. I repeated this process until my plate was clean, and my assignment was done.

My day was off to a great start with this all around enjoyable morning meal!