2018 Communication and Foodways

1212 words 100% beef! Made with real milk! Big, beefy, bliss!   All these claims announced in big bold letters on billboards, television commercials, advertisements in the magazines, radio stations and the array of social media notification that make McDonald’s menu look as if it is of great quality and value.   McDonald’s marketing plan to separate their menu items so it appears easier and affordable to order.   There is the dollar menu they created for individual small items like a hamburger, small french fries or small soft drink.   Everyone can afford something for only a dollar, even young teenagers.   McDonald’s also created a meal package so the adult consumer can simply be satisfied that they are getting a burger, french fries and a soft drink.   The consumer now believes they are fully satisfied because not only are they saving money but they are getting a full delicious meal as well.   What the consumers do not know are these types of advertisements draw customers

A Conscious Kitchen By Sami Biro This image of a landfill in Auckland, New Zealand, comes from Aurecon Australasia . Introduction: Food Waste in America Americans throw so much away that could be recycled, and when we finally picked up on that, we began attempting to recycle our plastic, paper, and whatever else we can find. Still, the majority of garbage that could be recycled finds its way to the landfill. The same can be said about food- a lot of us have compost buckets or worm bins at our homes, but the vast majority of homes in America do not compost their food, and it ends up in landfills. Did you know that a head of cabbage could take 75 years to decompose in a landfill? Compare that to a functional worm bin which could turn that cabbage into soil in a matter of weeks. We have the "Three R's" to help us determine what to do with most garbage, but when it comes to food waste, it's either composted or thrown in the garbage. Of course, there'

by Cristina Flores In the previous blog posts I’ve written, all have ended in some sort of call to action--being more aware of where your food comes from, who makes it, and who ends up benefiting in general from your purchase. And while I believe that there are people out there who choose this more conscientious path to consumption, there are others who decide to blindly follow in the same footsteps. Those individuals, who tell everyone they know about “that great organic and local kale they bought the other day”, post about it on social media, and act as “woke” members of society because of it? Not really the call to arms I’m looking for. Even if they seem to be contributing to an increase in local produce and markets, this can become problematic in other ways. “But why are you so up in arms about it? Regardless of whether or not someone does it for the likes, it’s still a different means to the same end, right?” Not necessarily. In Warren Belasco’s Food , he opens up the f

Whether served at home or in a restaurant, a portion of the food on most plates at any given table ends up going to waste. On the small scale, a few pieces of broccoli or some unwanted pizza crusts may seem insignificant, however such items are just a tiny fraction of the larger food waste crisis across the U.S. and around the world. In fact, it is estimated that 30 - 40% of the U.S. food supply is wasted every year . Not only is this statistic alarming because, despite the high rate of foodwaste, a staggering  41 million Americans struggle with hunger every year , but also because of the severe impacts that food waste is having on our environment. Most simply, the steps required for food production, ranging from growing to transportation and finally preparation require significant use of resources including water, electricity, and fossil fuels. Between these environmental concerns and the many issues surrounding food waste in landfills, it is clear that the food system is in dire nee