Monday, June 1, 2009

The Commander in Chef

Michelle Obama has taken active steps to prove that eating locally and organically is possible for the average American. By doing things such as planting a backyard vegetable garden at the White House, Mrs. Obama is trying to show Americans that healthy eating is practical and feasible in mainstream America. However, guest columnist Amanda Hesser believes that these efforts are not enough to win over every American. Mrs. Obama has stated jokingly several times that she does not like to cook and is grateful that she has a White House kitchen staff to do the chore for her. Mrs. Obama’s feelings represent a paradox in the American culinary world. While cooking healthy, fresh food takes equal or less time as cooking pre-packaged convenience foods, most Americans still choose to cook preservative and chemical enriched boxed or frozen meals. This unique situation may be the reason behind the obesity epidemic throughout the country because of the lack of fresh fruits and vegetables in Americans’ diets. Hesser points out that locally-grown, organic fresh fruits and vegetables are nothing unless prepared. While Mrs. Obama’s steps are commendable, as an average American, backyard vegetable plots and locally-grown produce still do not seem like a feasible, viable option, when supermarkets conveniently stock a variety of cheaper produce.

Hesser cites quotes given by Mrs. Obama to various news publications as evidence for her unwillingness to cook. Hesser uses these quotes to suggest that Mrs. Obama is not doing enough to convince Americans that backyard vegetable plots are a possibility for every citizen in America. The author also offers her opinion on how Mrs. Obama should go about deepening her message, which in Hesser’s opinion includes addressing the preparation of produce. Hesser’s argument does not address the main reason why Americans do not eat locally-grown produce, but instead focuses on a superficial rationale. Convenience is probably the main explanation for America’s addiction to processed, packaged foods. Until organic, locally-grown foods become a staple at supermarkets, Americans will still continue to rely on food processing companies such as Kraft and Nabisco for their nutritional needs. Mrs. Obama is surely a role model for the average American, but something as trivial as her disinclination to cook food grown in her backyard should not be taken as the basis for mainstream America’s reluctance to embrace the organic, locally-grown movement.

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