Food culture in the United States has always been hard to define. Sure, many would consider the hamburger as an American food, but the rest of our favorite dishes, like pizza, seem to be nothing more than adaptations from other well-established food cultures.
If you wanted to know the current definition of American food culture, there is no better place to look than federally funded school lunch programs around the country. And let me tell you, our food culture looks downright dismal.
According to The New York Times, the average American child’s top sources of calories are grain-based desserts, pizza, sugary drinks and bread.
U.S. children, especially those in public schools, are growing up on an all-carb diet of sugar and grains.
When comparing the diet of an American child with the school lunches offered in Normandy that consist of scallops, lamb and cheese, U.S. lunches appear cheap and lackluster.
France has specific and traditional food culture that is centered on eating in courses, while American food culture seems to be dominated by whichever food product is the best-seller.
I use the term “food product” since most of the food American children eat in school is pre-packaged and made to heat and serve.
People may think feeding children pizza and soda at school is not as terrible as I am making it out to be. But the truth is these children are building lifelong eating habits.
Once a child learns eating pizza three times a week at school is OK, that habit can carry over into teenage and adult years. Allowing children room to develop a healthy relationship with food and ways of eating is one of the most valuable gifts a child can receive.
U.S. food culture has thrived by bastardizing every foreign dish it comes into contact with while simultaneously praying at the altar of processed food.
The U.S. is known for high obesity, diabetes and heart disease rates. While life is all about individual choices, eating habits are learned early and die hard.
Changing your eating habits in order to be healthier is much harder than just learning how to eat well as a child.
School is a place for education and that education should include proper, sustainable eating habits if we’re going to start changing American food culture to reflect healthier food habits.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Americanized cuisine and potato chips just as much as the next person.
I know American food is not doing any good for our bodies nor doing our children any favors. But It needs to change.
rcm2@indiana.edu
@RachelCMiller1
