this post was submitted on 20 Sep 2023
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Over the last 10 years or so, some kinds of convenience foods have gone up a lot. Like some types of
"value meal" is over $10. That's a bad scene if you have several people to feed.
You can beat that by cooking your own, but if you have been working a 12 hour shift that is a harsh scenario.
It just seems like people, and I'm referring to the U.S., getting food should not be such a press.
The big problem is convenience is being shoved down our throats.
10 Years back, what was there that was convenient? Bread and then stack something on it.
Now every brand is trying to shove "REALLY EASY AND FAST MEAL FOR WHEN YOU ONLY HAVE 20 SECONDS TO EAT" down yours.
20 Years ago we just cooked and if it had to be quick we cooked something small.
So if you enter a grocrry store in the us two huge strong guys immediately grab you and force garbage down your throat? And the beat you until you buy some more garbage and if you so much as look into the direction of vegetables or legumes immediately shoot you?
Come the fuck on
People are freely choosing to buy this garbage
Are you also one of the brainlets that think that advertisements don't work on you? Because i have a bridge to sell to you. If you truly don't understand how this happens then you might not be informed enough on how advertisements and media campaigns change society. Do you want me to explain it to you?
Please, do!
Happy to. This is very US centric and not applicable to many other countries.
Back in the 70s the big bois of processed foods started advertising processed foods. Their marketing guys realised that convenience, in many cases, wins when it comes to perceptions. This is one reason why cornflakes took off. After they stopped advertising it as an anti masturbation food. They found that especially on sundays wives had to wake up way earlier to make food for their families before they all had to go to church. So they started advertising it towards women. Some adopted it because it just meant that they could now sleep longer or be less stressed on sundays. Eventually there was more stuff that was relatively quick. Cornflakes, canned beans, canned something. Premade things that you just had to warm up. And they all had something in common. They werent really nutritious and a bit expensive. But the convenience of them paid off. And if many people adopt something as the new normal it becomes normal. Now it was a normal thing to eat something quick in the morning, like cornflakes or premade sandwiches. Or the new cool thing that was even more convenient. But the things being advertised and slowly adopted were shit. Nutrition and price eventually succumbed to the promise of time savings. How much time does it take to eat rice and veggies in the morning? Lets say you made it all the day before. 10 minutes of plate > warm up> sit down > eat > clean up.
But this isnt enough. You are used to 10 minutes already. Your boss now wants you to come in at 8. You wake up at 6 and you will be in traffic for an hour to 1 1/2. You have 30 minutes. Now 10 minutes isnt enough anymore. But now nestle has an idea. Just eat a poptart. Its got real fruit inside, tastes sweet and you just have to pop it in the toaster.
Boom, new normal. Ads are everywhere. And who are you to say no to saved time.
And that's how a whole country grows up on trash processed foods and nobody cooks anymore. Because the media, brands, your supermarkets and society tells you that a good breakfast consists of poptarts and a glass of orange juice. And dont even think of offbrands to save money! Theyre disgusting. Only eat poptarts!
Thank you for taking the time to explain, I appreciate it!
This is very different to where I live. Here our (literally communist /s) laws prevent something as ludicrous as at-will employment. Working hours and mandatory rest periods between them are regulated by laws. They cannot be circumvented by employment contracts, not even if the employee themselves wishes it. The law is the law. And I won't even talk about a minimum of a month of mandatory paid holidays per year or six months of mandatory minimum paid maternity leave.
What people eat has gone to shit here a bit as well for two similar reasons: convenience and the change in gender roles. In the past women were forced to cook at home. Now they are - finally - a bit freer. The problem is that some men refuse to cook elaborate meals instead of the women, so easy meals it is. But easy meals for us means spaghetti with homemade tomato sauce, that can be cooked in 20 mins. Or some piece of meat with some easy to prepare vegtables on the side, like frozen broccoli. Or dump whatever vegetables into a broth, boom, soup, to be eaten with whole grain bread. I don't think something like pop tarts would sell here. Even if they were they'd be considered candy, not a breakfast replacement.
I think a big difference is the quality of foods. A sandwich in the US might mean white toast 10% sugar by volume, made of bleached white wheat, with lots of 80% sugar by volume jam and maybe peanut butter (which is 5% sugar and 40% cheap oils instead of 100% peanuts). For us a sandwich might mean whole grain rye or spelt or wheat with various seeds, zero added sugar bread, with tomatoes, mozzarella, pesto, and cress inside. (And that is not something super special you'd only get in one specific out of the way store, but at a random train station take away.)
I somewhat agree but your time scale is way off.
At least in the US, it's been exactly this way for at least the last 20-30 years. 20 years ago was 2003, if you showed me this photo and told me it was from the turn of the millennium I wouldn't bat an eye. The 90s was crazy with all these fast brands and snacks. Everyone's freezer was filled with totinos pizza rolls.
Arguably longer to be honest. I can't remember a time where frozen microwave junk food didn't dominate the grocery stores and TV advertising. I wouldn't hesitate to believe an argument that it's been like this since the early 70s but assume it happened sometime in the 80s when the stay-at-home housewife transitioned to the career-focused woman.
As an European student, my freezer is also filled with pizza rolls and other junk food. But that's only because my fridge is filled with fresh produce and my cupboards have lots of dry ingredients. Cooking simple dishes from common ingredients is easy and quick once you got a couple of go-tos and the freezer is only for "guilty pleasure" snacks. That cart looks like my snack run. Many ads show "quick and easy" meals here too, but luckily I learned (in school) how to cook on my own, quickly and easily despite my schedule
I can't speak for everyone but, in the US, I would imagine students especially cooking with fresh ingredients is pretty rare, especially guys. Personally I didn't start doing that myself until I was married and really only because my wife enjoyed cooking. Since kids I can't imagine being on the processed food train - most people I know didn't start cooking at home when they had kids.
I'm a big proponent of the "cooking is way easier than you think" camp but you'd be surprised how little some people have in their pantry and cabinets. There's folks that don't even own a baking dish, anything more than a 12" frying pan is probably a big ask depending who you're talking to. Spices? I knew kids in college that didn't even own table salt and pepper shakers... if I said the word turmeric I'd get a funny look.
Many people are not that privileged. Adding onto that: Building up a spice rack and knowing what and how takes work. If youre already in the processed food trap learning how to cook not only takes time but also seems useless because you can spend just 1 dollar more and you save the time
My time perception is off and additionally i do not live in the US. The steady and very aggressive push towards highly processed foods that are "quick and easy" never really came to Europe.
But i have a lot of US Based Customers that i talk to a lot and in recent years the topic of time scarcity has almost gotten to be a daily occurrnce.