"You Can't Run Away on Harvest Day" and "Taking Local on the Road"

      Barbara Kingsolver tells us about death on the farm and death of people and plants in “You Can’t Run Away on Harvest Day”. I found from this article that I really don’t know a lot about where my food comes from. I never thought about being vegetarian not really saving that many lives. When she was going into detail about all of the lives ended by plowing fields and growing crops I found it disturbing. But, I like her perspective, “To believe we can live without taking life is delusional.” (Kingsolver 186) Death happens with just walking down the street, it’s sad to think about but it’s unpreventable. I liked this piece other than it being a little long and didn’t have much point towards the end that I could see. I didn’t necessarily want to hear about the way the chickens/ turkeys are killed but I see why she thought it was something you should know. After reading this article I feel like I need to find out more about where my meat comes from before I eat it.

Camille Kingsolver’s piece made me wish I grew up on a farm. To constantly have fresh fruits, veggies, and meat would be amazing. But, unfortunately we can’t have that in college. I would really like to spend maybe a week or two on a farm to see what it’s really like. Overall I enjoyed these pieces and the information made me sway my opinion on food in general.

"Reclaiming True Grits” and "Eating the Hyphen”

             In "Reclaiming True Grits" by Bryant Terry he explains how the definition of Soul Food has been twisted into something it's not. Instant grits, fried chicken, "unsophisticated and unhealthy fare comprised of high-calorie, low-nutrient dishes" (Terry, 82) is what most of society thinks of when they hear the words "Soul Food". Terry goes on to say that soul food is good for you and delicious when made correctly. I myself have never tried real soul food and I would like to after reading this piece. I think it's offensive to African American families that this term became used so wrongly by so many people. Terry also talks about how African American's are known to be overweight or have diabetes more than other races. I think has more to do with genes than how they eat. Terry wants to improve not just the health of African Americans but also every American by having more access to healthy foods.
             "Eating the Hyphen" by Lily Wong tells how she bridges the gap of being Chinese American by eating her dumplings with ketchup. I enjoyed this piece because it was funny and it gave me an idea of how to eat dumplings next time I have them. She mixes steak dumplings with veggies and puts ketchup on the side. Wong then cuts each dumpling in half and squishes the insides out with her fork. She eats all of the meat (dipped in ketchup) along with the veggies first and leaves the thick dumpling skin for last. I like that she takes how she eats dumplings as a symbol for how she's both Chinese and American. She also included how her grandmother gives her a hard time which I think is funny. Overall I liked these pieces.

Her Chee-to Heart

Her Chee-to Heart is basically Jill McCorkle talking about what food she loves. I'm not complaining but, wow. This woman loves food. I personally didn't see the point in this piece but, it did make me hungry. McCorkle is funny and seems like a entertaining person. I enjoyed her witty humor and narratives throughout this writing. For some reason I wondered about her physical appearance so I looked her up and was surprised to find she's a thin woman! Go, Jill.

Not Just a "White Girl's Thing": The Changing Face of Food and Body Image Problems

In the article "Not Just a "White Girl's Thing"", Susan Bordo writes about how eating disorders effect all kinds of people all over the world and how body image expectations have changed throughout the years. I love love LOVE this piece. I would personally like every person to get the chance to read this article. Bordo uses facts, narratives, and references throughout this article. I think this piece is really informative and I really agree with a lot of the content and opinions of the author.

To read the article visit this link: http://learnonline.unca.edu/pluginfile.php/334475/mod_resource/content/1/Not%20Just%20a%20White%20Girls%20Thing.pdf

What the World Eats

Peter Menzel and Faith D’Aluisio  documented what different families eat throughout the world. Their project, “Hungry Planet,” lays out what a family eats for a whole week and what it costs. This project strikes me as thought provoking, shocking, and interesting. Families of 3 in one part of the country sometimes eat 2 times the amount a family of 6 in another country and vice versa. One family of 6 in Chad uses only $1.23 for their whole week! View more families here: http://time.com/8515/hungry-planet-what-the-world-eats/

Food is a way for family and friends to come together and bond. It is also essential for our energy and nutrients to fuel a productive day. Everyone who has access to food on a daily bases should consider it a privilege. Food plays so many roles in our society-- from entertainment to spiritual belief expression.