The Awful American Food Thread

[BLD]

I see tax is still unable to understand anything outside his little bubble. If only life was as simple. The lack of empathy is quite incredible.

Just curious, but is domestic science still taught in schools? My sisters and I both learnt to cook, sew and knit at home but were taught the basics at school as well.

I guess we had it lucky, 1/3 pint of milk every morning during junior school. Decent school dinners and the only fast food around was the ice cream van.

I blame Maggie with the loss of the marriage tax allowance and the norm becoming a 2 parent working family. Add to that forced commutes due to silly house prices and it's easy to see where time to buy, cook and prepare food is lost. It's why I have batched cooked on Sundays for so many years. That's not always possible for working class families, who struggle to make ends meet.

My kids get domestic science class but sadly what I can see is they teach em how to make a fucking pizza. It's fucked up

[Troy]

^ Yes, not quite the same as we were taught. For us, it was the basic skills of boiling, grilling and roasting as well as pastry and crumble recipes. Learning the difference between different types of flours, how to make butter and cheese from milk, making different stuffings for Christmas, all sorts of things that are hidden somewhere in the memory.

Back to food and fatties and laziness, which I find to be a very simplified view from middle class twats with no idea of the hardships of others.

One of the big problems is the food industry itself and the additives that they are allowed to use in order to increase the shelf life of products. A lot of seemingly healthy foods fall into this trap. For example, people think yoghurt is healthy, and it is, IF you pick the right one. I have seen yoghurts in the supermarkets with sugar levels as high as 25g/100g, which is far from healthy. In fact, most yoghurts contain far too much sugar and, where I am, there are only 2 products that I can eat, with 4-5g/100g sugar. Those that state low fat, ones that those trying to control their weight tend to buy, are some of the worst for sugar content in order to have a good shelf life. Fruit juice healthy? Check again, many of the fruit juices are laden with additional sugar and make them far less healthy than people suppose.

The amount of crap that the food industry is allowed to get away with is scandalous. Everyone wants to make a profit and who cares about the consumer.

After a month in Thailand, eating local produce with additional fruit, veg and fish from the garden, I was feeling pretty good. One week back in Germany and I am still trying to get used to the change. I feel bloated, I feel as if I have over eaten, I feel tired. I was the one cooking in Thailand, and I'm the one cooking here in Germany. It's the products and the lifestyle that are causing this not me and my cooking.

[taxexile]

troy

I blame Maggie with the loss of the marriage tax allowance and the norm becoming a 2 parent working family. Add to that forced commutes due to silly house prices and it's easy to see where time to buy, cook and prepare food is lost. It's why I have batched cooked on Sundays for so many years. That's not always possible for working class families, who struggle to make ends meet.

it's always someone elses fault.

[Troy]

^ What a very strange and infantile comment about something that changed the whole philosophy of bringing up a family.

[Joe 90]

My kids get domestic science class but sadly what I can see is they teach em how to make a fucking pizza. It's fucked up

Joy!

Not forgetting when the kid tells you they need 150grams of flour, half a grapefruit and some food colouring at 10pm the night before.

[Neverna]

... people think yoghurt is healthy, and it is, IF you pick the right one. I have seen yoghurts in the supermarkets with sugar levels as high as 25g/100g, which is far from healthy. In fact, most yoghurts contain far too much sugar and, where I am, there are only 2 products that I can eat, with 4-5g/100g sugar. Those that state low fat, ones that those trying to control their weight tend to buy, are some of the worst for sugar content in order to have a good shelf life.

I make my own yoghurt sometimes, Troy. It's very easy and no special equipment is necessary.

1. Buy a yoghurt.
2. Eat 90 percent of it.
3. Add some room-temperature milk to the small amount of yoghurt in the pot.
3. Cover the top and leave in the kitchen (or living room) for 24 hours.
4. Eat your cheap and healthy home-made yoghurt (or put it in the fridge for a later date).

[Edmond]

I have seen yoghurts in the supermarkets with sugar levels as high as 25g/100g, which is far from healthy. In fact, most yoghurts contain far too much sugar and, where I am, there are only 2 products that I can eat, with 4-5g/100g sugar. Those that state low fat, ones that those trying to control their weight tend to buy, are some of the worst for sugar content in order to have a good shelf life. Fruit juice healthy? Check again, many of the fruit juices are laden with additional sugar and make them far less healthy than people suppose.

There are not many things that have changed little things in my life, but That Sugar Film definitely is.




The simple thing I took from it was that 4g of sugar = 1 teaspoon of it. Look at the label of what drink or snack one is buying. Often will be 16-20g of sugar.

4-5 teaspoons of it.

Would one make a fresh glass of squeezed juice, or freshly brewed lavender, peach bud and safflower tea, and then load 4-5 teaspoons of sugar into one cup of it. Of course not.

[Neverna]

There are not many things that have changed little things in my life, but That Sugar Film definitely is.

The simple thing I took from it was that 4g of sugar = 1 teaspoon of it. Look at the label of what drink or snack one is buying. Often will be 16-20g of sugar.

4-5 teaspoons of it.

I learnt that at school way back in the 20th century. At the time, Coke had 12 teaspoons worth of sugar in a can - or so the teacher told us. Looks like they've made it healthier than it used to be. Kids nowadays don't know they're born.

[hallelujah]

The simple thing I took from it was that 4g of sugar = 1 teaspoon of it. Look at the label of what drink or snack one is buying. Often will be 16-20g of sugar.

4-5 teaspoons of it.

Would one make a fresh glass of squeezed juice, or freshly brewed lavender, peach bud and safflower tea, and then load 4-5 teaspoons of sugar into one cup of it. Of course not.

I used to work with a lad who would only ever drink tea and water.

Sounds ok until you saw him put 7 teaspoons of sugar in his chai.


He had teeth like a row of burnt houses.

[Edmond]

the 20th century

There was sugar back then?


#learn.something.new.everyday

[hallelujah]

I learnt that at school way back in the 20th century. At the time, Coke had 12 teaspoons worth of sugar in a can - or so the teacher told us. Looks like they've made it healthier than it used to be. Kids nowadays don't know they're born.

If you ever see Mountain Dew for sale, take a look at the sugar content in that.

A quick google confirms it's diabetes in a can:

How Much Sugar is in a 12 oz Can of Mountain Dew?

Each 12 oz can of Mountain Dew contains a staggering 46 grams of sugar. ThatÂ’s more than Coke, Pepsi, and Sprite. In fact, Mountain Dew seems to be the soda with the most amount of sugar - not exactly an award you want to be winning.

[Troy]

The point is that many so called health foods can be very unhealthy. Many of the cheaper products of margarine, yoghurt, fruit juice, breakfast cereal...pretty much everything contain additives with high sugar and/or salt content. Many are advertised on TV and many people believe what they are eating is good for them. They trust the food agencies, they trust government, they trust advertising. They are the victims of these agencies rather than simply being lazy and apathetic about themselves and their families regards food intake.

[MarilynMonroe]

^ Yes, not quite the same as we were taught. For us, it was the basic skills of boiling, grilling and roasting as well as pastry and crumble recipes. Learning the difference between different types of flours, how to make butter and cheese from milk, making different stuffings for Christmas, all sorts of things that are hidden somewhere in the memory.

That sounds like really good skills to have. Here in Canada, they are reintroducing Home Economics as a requirement to graduate from high school It more now teaches financial Literacy, ,managing a household budget, how to buy and save for a house, and detecting financial fraud. All very important to have in this day and age.

The point is that many so called health foods can be very unhealthy. Many of the cheaper products of margarine, yoghurt, fruit juice, breakfast cereal...pretty much everything contain additives with high sugar and/or salt content. Many are advertised on TV and many people believe what they are eating is good for them. They trust the food agencies, they trust government, they trust advertising. They are the victims of these agencies rather than simply being lazy and apathetic about themselves and their families regards food intake.

Yes, definitely agree as I said in other posts on this thread. Sugar is hidden in most things, and it is important to read the ingredients. I agree about there being so many food additives and additives that make the food last longer on the shelf. I try to eat a whole food diet and stay away from processed foods, which isn't always easy in this day and age. Sugar is also highly addictive, so once you start eating it, you want more of it, and there is zero nutrition in it.

My roomate who is a social worker and myself being a teacher, we work with the same population of people (Middle Eastern and African folks). We see a lot of poverty and just uneducation in food choices. For a lot of these nationalities, they have big families of four or five kids. At our local food bank you can only go twice a month, which is not a lot for a family of four or five.

I do see part of Tax's thinking processs, in the fact that I do see some Gen Z or Millenials mostly who are lazy and don't want to work. It is a different generation. Some of them lack ambition, and have been given everything on a silver platter. My moms and even my generation had to work hard for what we wanted. I started working at 15 before the legal age of 16.

[MarilynMonroe]

what is the fucking point of making meat free food look like meat? you will never see bacon masquerading as broccoli.

lol.. well a lot of the 'beyond' and 'impossible' burgers are terrible and full of fillers. I don't eat any of that. I do like tofu, and it is soy which is good for you.

Some vegetarian stuff is not trying to taste like meat which are the ones I like. They make some really good bean burgers out there. I've also tried a mushroom burger. I like the odd meat burger and also like bean burgers like lentil, chickpea and black bean burgers.

[MarilynMonroe]

My daughter's husband is vegan and looks unwell on it.

Well that is the thing, you can be vegetarian and unhealthy if you are eating processed food. Plus vegetarians often lack B12 and are low in a few other vitamins .
My bestie is a vegetarian, and she is pretty healthy and fit.

[MarilynMonroe]

How Much Sugar is in a 12 oz Can of Mountain Dew?

Each 12 oz can of Mountain Dew contains a staggering 46 grams of sugar. ThatÂ’s more than Coke, Pepsi, and Sprite. In fact, Mountain Dew seems to be the soda with the most amount of sugar - not exactly an award you want to be winning.

Yikes!!! Maybe that is why I don't see them on the shelves much, although I think you can still find them here. That is the big problem especially in the US, where many people are getting their calories from liquid sugar and a lot of these have HFCS (high fructose corn syrup). Super size me.. remember that movie? You can get huge sized drinks in the US and many other countries. I cut out soft drinks a long time ago. I drink carbonated water (Buble) if I feel like a soft drink. I know a lot of people close to me that drink a coke or two a day , and it just boggles my mind how much sugar they are consuming.

[david44]

They make some really good bean burgers out there. I've also tried a mushroom burger. I like the odd meat burger and also like bean burgers like lentil, chickpea and black bean burgers.

If burger off could you handle a sausage or falafel?

[Edmond]

I tried the same, once, years ago. Overpriced mush. Possibly more processed than the average box of food.
My daughter's husband is vegan and looks unwell on it. Apart from the fresh fruit and vegetables, anything he buys in a packet looks like a health hazard.

Well that is the thing, you can be vegetarian and unhealthy if you are eating processed food. Plus vegetarians often lack B12 and are low in a few other vitamins .
My bestie is a vegetarian, and she is pretty healthy and fit.

The Diaz brothers often adopt vegan diets for months before fights, and just bring fish into their diet at other times.

These are the Diaz brothers:










They are also triathletes that often compete in triathlons.

It's can't be that unhealthy.

[misskit]

^Vitamin K deficiency?

I think Shutree is talking about how processed a lot of the vegan food is. For instance, the vegan cheese is made from hydrogenated coconut oil. Not even food. More like Velveta.

[cyrille]

Well you lot turn all other types of food into ultra-processed ... why not vegan?

[misskit]

^ Hey, I found about the vegan cheese here with the local made stuff!

[cyrille]

But you know which country did it first, right?

[Troy]

I think Shutree is talking about how processed a lot of the vegan food is.

I vaguely recall a vegan diet lacks Vitamin B12, which is why they either have to take supplements or look like death warmed up. They should add eggs to their diet.