The Foodie Snob – It’s in All of Us
I am a huge fan of the food at large warehouse stores like Sam’s Club and Costco. I think they have a great selection of cheese, wines, deli meats and breads for the average foodie like myself and at unit prices that are affordable and worth it. During Thanksgiving, my boyfriend’s family left an enormous jar of bruschetta mix of spicy peppers, tomato, basil and other spices in the refrigerator. So, after grocery shopping this weekend, I decided to make something Italian – Shrimp Alfredo w/ Bruschetta. I lightly coated some slices of cuban bread with butter and garlic, then toasted it in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes – a spoonful of the bruschetta topping and voila! Easy, peasy. I also used canned Alfredo sauce which is normally something I try to stay away from not because of the principle of cooking something from scratch but because of the levels of preservatives, cholesterol and sodium in most of the premade sauces.
But buying premade reminded me that there’s stark dichotomy in our culture and our blogosphere of people who want food quickly, disregarding quality and health to the foodie snobs who pay astronomical prices, sometimes for common produce and goods. I’m not the type of foodie that will turn up my nose at all prepared or processed foods – within reason (low in saturated fats, cholesterol, salt, sugar etc) especially since I don’t have the income to browse through Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods – and let’s be real, there are some foods in there that are criminally and unjustifiably expensive, I don’t care if their cows and chickens were hand-fed compliments and sunshine.
And, on that note, I’ll digress for a moment by saying I’ll never understand the whole organic movement at Publix and Whole Foods whose line of organic products are exceedingly unaffordable in today’s economy. The woman shopping at Big Lot’s for expired cereals for her children deserves the same high quality snobbery that fools in Whole Foods go to for goat’s cheese. There’s gotta be a solution too our healthy food dilemma.
So, my question is this: Do you, as a blogger/reader/consumer, have your own cooking standards when it comes to buying and cooking food (i.e. brand names, big chain grocers etc)? And, if forced to live on a strict budget, how would you maintain those standards?
irenie (December 9, 2008, 4:58 pm).
when i have the money, i tend to spend an inordinate amout of it on food, shopping in places like farmer’s markets and whole foods and other smaller markets that sell organic or local. but it’s a luxury, because i don’t always have the money. not to mention, i don’t always have the time to cook things from scratch. i love to, but it’s just not always an option. and, on top of that, too, there are some prepackaged foods i’ve got a soft spot for – stove top, spaghettios, mothers circus cookies… you know. i think it’s all about finding a healthy balance. for me that means making good, healthy, from scratch food when i can, and not beating myself up when i don’t want to, or can’t.
Judy (December 9, 2008, 9:09 pm).
I totally agree with you about the outlandish costs of the more “sought after” foods. I used to garden extensively in New Jersey, and never used pesticides or chemical fertilizers, so I was, so to speak, an organic gardener. It cost me less, not more, to garden organically. So why is the cost of organic vegetables and fruits so high? I have resorted to again growing my own herbs and limited veggies: lettuce, radishes, tomatoes, peppers. It’s all I can fit on our patio and small plot of ground in a deed-restricted development. But the only answer that I can see is the “victory” garden. How else can anyone afford quality produce?
Judy’s last blog post..CHICKEN POT PIE
Judy (December 9, 2008, 9:10 pm).
And, PS, hooray for you for catering to the ones who want a quick-fix meal with convenience food.
MC (December 10, 2008, 9:37 am).
irenie, I agree, finding a balance is key. It just makes sense to have a healthy amount of everything. I mean, it’s nearly impossible (especially for people with small budgets and tight schedules) to make or eat foods that aren’t processed in some form or another. I always think about how crappy the food is at restaurants but I eat it anyways *shrug*
Judy, I’ve been considering gardening more and more, especially with the cost of produce going up. I’m actually growing my own garlic, accidentally really, so I’m not really sure how this batch will fair but the opportunity to grow more like my own tomatoes and herbs, well now I’m intrigued!