Hidden "Nutrition"

America had a serious freakout after the release of the famous Quackumentary, Super Size Me, which  documented the adverse effects of eating fast food.

Fearing every naughty morsel that ever passed our lips, we started pointing fingers in all directions.

Sure, it used to be considered "taboo" for employees to talk about what went in those juicy patties. Yes, we had to force them to distribute the Nutrition Facts, practically at gunpoint. Well, knowing what really IS in those "Happy Meals," I probably wouldn't want to share that information either.

While I do not think that our ridiculously expanded collective waistband is entirely the fault of companies like McDonald's or Starbucks , I do agree that they could have done more to, oh I don't know, keep their customer base from going extinct due to heart failure? That said, don't try to argue they were the ones who made you fat. Ronald, the creepy pedophile clown, didn't shove that burger down your throat - YOU did Piggy (though it's definitely true that sometimes there's not much choice in the way of available food sources).

There are new laws that have been created to try to essentially "save us from ourselves," through pre-treat guilt-tripping (via clearly posted nutritional values). It's true, I am less likely to indulge in a Vente Soy Chai Latte if I have the calorie count and fat content shoved in front of me. But does that mean I'll be giving those babies up entirely?
Pshhhh, dream on you skinny b*tches! Me like-y my SCL's.

Thinking about what I personally consume, with that defensive attitude in mind, I wonder if our addiction to "bad bites" has reached the point of no return. In all honesty, many American's don't really want to know what's in their food. A lot of us secretly wish that those nutritional facts had stayed hidden (as long as you didnt know, then it wasn't that bad - similar to how we joke that if it's free, then there's no calories). I mean, I doubt you've ever eaten a Twinkie and gone "I bet that was packed with protein and Vitamin D!" You know it's not diet-food.
We know how bad it probably is, and are afraid we'll end up having to give up our favorite treats.


But think about it - are you really going to eat health foods for the rest of your life, just 'cause a creepy blonde-moustached guy OD'd on Big Mac's, and barfed out his car window?

~Carolyn

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The fast food industry "tries" to promote healthy eating by slickly using words such as "Real" fruits to win their customers over. From watching Super Size Me in the past, I know better than to trust these coorperations because the last thing on their mind is my health. As you can see here, these advertisements persuade us to think that we eating healthier just by adding "real" fruits to their ad. They acknowledge that obesity is a huge problem in our country, so by going "healthier," customers may not feel as bad while consuming their food. The only real fruit that may be contained in the smoothy is a single strawberry. They didnt say how many real fruits, it just states real fruit.  We buy into these ads which the product contains nothing but huge amounts of sugar. Oh, the commercial world.

-Fawnda

Location, location, location

You want a big grocery store? Does your neighborhood meet the criteria?
The truth is, if they don't think there's money to be made in your area, they won't set up shop there.
They don't care about the people, they don't care if we have them as a resource to acquire fresh, healthy food -  they care about their wallets.
They don't want to set up in a poor neighborhood, because they know that people there can't afford to spend $50+ on groceries every Sunday. They think that they will more likely be effected by vandalism and theft in those areas. That, to them, is the same as losing money.
Chain stores just love to move in when they see enough middle-class people gathered in one location. They can just smell the profit to be made.

These big-name stores are forcing most or the small locally-owned stores out of business, due to the lower prices and larger selection (though the products are not necessarily of better quality).

We spend our money, and instead of keeping it within the community, it goes off to some elite individual with 5 houses, a convertible, and a golf addiction.

Well, we should be fair - he needs our money so that his personal shopper can go buy his groceries.
Cause God forbid he go hungry.

~Carolyn

burrito truck

this is my favorite burrito truck, its located on a main street, at night time it be packed full of people sometimes even in the afternoon so i suggest if any body come here come with some people because you might problems with other people. even though its on a main street  and the food is really good i would say if i was 10 blocks away its a walking distant. :D

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A side of Binge, but hold the Purge

Open campus lunch was a BIG deal for us. A taste of freedom, of independence (even if some of us spent our parents money till we got jobs).

The place to be?
The local gas station.
We'd go there everyday to stock up on Hot Pockets, Coke, Ruffles, and dip.

Our mission, and we chose to accept it, was to see who could eat the most junk without barfing.
(I usually won, just for the record, though I've had to occasionally sprint to the jumbo trashcan).

We thought "who cares? we won't get fat, we're young and have high metabolisms."

While we did start this as a game in celebration of our new life as high school students, as almost-adults, it resulted in some serious consequences. Not only did we abuse our developing bodies with vast amounts of sugar, salt, preservatives and carcinogens, but my friends and I also developed eating disorders from these poor eating habits. I admit that social pressures had driven me already to anorexia in middle school, but I never would have considered Bulimia until I had this experience.

My education did not properly share with me the darker side of diet. We learned about the colorful Food Guide Pyramid, but not about the psychological side of diet. We learned that we should not eat too much junk food, but not the true consequences of ignoring that advice. (Think about it - you tell a kid "don't open the cookie jar," what are they going to do the instant you turn your back? Eat a cookie.) And eating disorders, while running unchecked throughout the school district, were treated as something that happens to Others. How can you identify an illness if you don't believe you could have it?

Lack of education + poor dietary options = a life-long struggle against a disorder that was preventable.

~Carolyn

Hungry? Grab a Snick....oh wait, you can't afford candy bars

Everything in the Bay Area is so expensive these days that sometimes many of us have to go to extreme measures to make ends meet. Rent is so high, I've seriously considered living out of a cardboard box behind a friends' place. Minimum wage doesn't really give you a lot to work with, when you have bills to pay. The increase in public transit fees only makes our money situation worse, and then your stomach starts growling in rage at your empty fridge.

So what do you do?


Some of us have done the Poor-Mans Diet:
"wow, girl have you lost weight?!"
"yeah, cause I can't afford food."

others try living on straight rice and oatmeal.
Trust me, while these foods fill you up, they make you crazy. Eventually you NEED real foods with those almost mythical things called "vitamins and minerals," but you can't get much at your neighborhood corner store.

My last desperate choice was theft. Thankfully my dad has a garden at his house with the stuff we couldn't find...you know, FRUITS and VEGETABLES. I know that I'm really lucky to have that as a last resort....but having to travel that far to steal from your own parents so you don't get Scurvy or something isn't ideal. Having real healthy options in all areas, at prices that won't make you homeless is ideal.


~Carolyn

One Step At a Time . . . .

Food Security in Oakland is a huge issue. Many children are malnourished due to the lack of financial  stability and the lack of access. What can our community do to take a step in improving the problem? One

of the things I plan to continue to do is shopping at the local famers makets and supporting them. Also, I believe taking little steps to support our local markets will encourage others to see the significance of reasonable pricing. While I was exploring the farmers market, I made conversation with another consumer there. One of the things he mentioned was taking resposibility for yourself. He was right. Being strict on children and their consumption of junk.

Its obvious that the system don't give a F@#$%&* about our health and our well beings. We can to make little changes and progress. It starts with making a change in your household

 -Fawnda