Divide and Conquer - How the Snack Food Came to Power

In "Divided We Eat", Lisa Miller details her dietary habits as well as the eating  patterns of the United States as a whole. She does this to show the divide between the rich and the poor, in terms of the foods that they eat. Lisa eats on the upper end of the food quality spectrum, this is done by eating organic, locally grown foods. These foods are also very nutrient rich, and are always fresh. On the other side of the divide, we find the poorest Americans, those who struggle to keep a roof over their heads, and who rely heavily on food stamps. These Americans are pushed into to buying more efficient foods (efficient being cost per calorie). These foods such as pizza, cakes, soda, and potato chips fill the proverbial hole, but lack the nutrition that constitutes a solid diet. This leads to several issues, the first is an entire class of children who are not learning correct eating habits, and as a result they will pass these habits to their children. Another issue with this system is that these children who are growing up eating these junk foods are more than often overweight (or obese) which only leads to further health complications down the road. Lastly, these eating habits do not support local farmers and food producers, only large corporate farming aggregates and big box stores are supported. Miller acknowledges the fact that this disconnect can not be solved overnight, but she does assert that some action must be taken in order to improve the food choices of the poor. 

Tasty and dollar-per-calorie efficient, but not healthy at all.

This same concept was demonstrated in class this week, in the "People Like Us" video. For in Burlington, VT the residents had a large dispute over what grocer was to take the place of a big box store that had failed. The two choices were another chain supermarket, or a co-op market where local farmers and bakers could sell their goods. The main conflict came down to what bread the new store would retail. Residents with lower income were concerned that the co-op would not sell the 99 cent loaves of white bread that they rely on. This shows how the lower income levels of society cannot always afford the most healthy or conscious foods available. This is also a warning, for if the current grocery system is not fixed then we will have severe health and economic problems on our hands (and worse than the health and economic problems we currently face). 

Why exactly white bread is not healthy: click on me

A parallel can be seen in this dietary issue and the recent Cairo, IL levee issue. Where several miles of miles of levee were to be destroyed in order to save the town of levee, but the destruction of this levee would flood several hundred thousand acres of MI farmland. However, a state representative was willing to allow Carol to be washed away, only because of its lackluster appearance and low social class citizens. This is similar to the food debate in that upper class citizens are allowing the lower classes to fail, just because they are doing well in their own right. 

Cairo, IL yesterday.