¼ box of elbow noodles

½ bag Sharp White Cheddar Cheese (shredded)

½ Sharp Yellow Cheddar Cheese (shredded)

¼ stick Velveeta Cheese

1 cup Evaporated Milk

2 Eggs

1 tablespoon Butter

Pinch of salt

Directions:

1.     Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2.     Boil water with a pinch of salt

3.     Once the water is completely boiled, add noodles and let cook until the noodles are soft.

4.     Microwave the butter until it is completely melted.

5.     In a bowl microwave ½ of evaporated milk and Velveeta cheese together until completely melted.

6.     Stir together the cooked noodles, microwaved Velveeta cheese, microwaved butter, and eggs.

7.     Once the ingredients are well mixed add the yellow and white cheeses. Stir.

8.     Spread the ingredients into a pan.

9.     Put in the oven, and let cook for 15 – 20 minutes. (until edges are a light brown)

About the ingredients

Cracker barrel white/ yellow sharp cheddar cheese

-       No sugar

-       High calcium

-       High saturated fats

-       Kraft product (made in Kraft factories)

Land O’ Lakes Salted Butter

-       100 calories per serving (1 tbsp)

-       All fat

-       Comes from Arden Mills, Minnesota

Velveeta Cheese

-       High in calcium

-       High in sodium

-       High in saturated fats

-       Kraft Product (made in Kraft factories)

Evaporated Milk

-       High in calcium

-       High in sugar

-       87 calories per serving (100 grams)

-       High in carbohydrates

-       Nestle Product (factories in Allentown and in Harrisburg)

Eggs

-       High in protein

-       No saturated fat

-       No cholesterol

-       High in riboflavin

-       High in selenium

-       High in sodium

Elbow Pasta

-       High in carbohydrates

-       No saturated fats

-       No cholesterol

-       No sodium

-       High in thiamin

-       Barilla product (factory in Bannockburn, Illinois)

Overall, this meal isn’t the healthiest thing you could eat. A lot of the ingredients involved have high amounts of sodium, high cholesterol, high amounts of sugar, and high amounts of carbohydrates.  Maybe with different ingredients, this meal could potentially be turned into a meal that won’t kill you over time. I got the recipe for my macaroni and cheese dish from my mom. She doesn’t make this dish often, and now I see why.

In terms of cost, this meal can be considered to be an expensive meal. Before producing the meal, I had to go out and buy all the ingredients used. I ended up spending about 30$ for all the ingredients in total. Since I didn’t every bit of each ingredient, I would say there is enough left to make the small dish about 2 more times which would be equivalent to 1 large pan. That isn’t the best deal. I can think of about 5 other meals that I can buy that would be cheaper than just this dish.

Another downside to this dish is where the ingredients come from. This meal is 100% processed, which isn’t the best thing. The only things that are considered to be “local” or whole foods would be the eggs. Everything else comes from factories, some far and some not too far. However, when you think about things being produced in a factory you have to think of the means of production. With factories come workers, injuries, waste, and pollution. So now not only do I have to think about how this meal is affecting the health of my family, but also how this meal is effecting our environment.

The biggest problem that we have in our food system is cost and profit. These people who produce these foods aren't worried about the health of their consumers. They're more concerned with how much of a profit they will make which is why the food system is so screwed up. It's easy to say that we'll stop buying products from these "Big Food" companies, but that is unrealistic. What we need is to find some type of alternative. Food that is bad for you shouldn't be so cheap, and food that is good for you shouldn't be so expensive. Basically, healthy food is a luxury and that shouldn't be the case. I think we need to really think about and research how our food system got like this and then work on a way to reverse it.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb boneless chicken thigh and/or breast (cut into small cubes/pieces)
2 lemon grass (cut into 4-inch lengths, use only the white part, pounded)
6-8 pieces kaffir lime leaves
1 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon lime juice
Salt to taste

Spice Paste:

1 1/2 inch galangal
1/2 lb fresh red chili (seeded and sliced)
5 shallots (sliced)
1 inch ginger
1/2 inch fresh turmeric
1/4 teaspoon belacan (fermented shrimp paste)

Instructions:

• Blend all spice paste ingredients to a very fine paste.
• Heat up some cooking oil in a work and stir-fry paste until aromatic or a thin layer of oil rises to the top.
• Add chicken and continue stirring until it’s almost cooked.
• Add the coconut milk and continue to simmer for another 15-20 minutes, over low heat.
• Add salt to taste and serve hot.

It's interesting to see where our food comes from when you actually research it and get to know about it a little more. In my country, I always eat different meals and try different things, but one of my favorite dish would probably be the Chicken Curry. Many countries has their own way of cooking curry and what to eat it with, but in Vietnam, we eat it with white rice or bread. My chicken curry has a lot of different spices as you can see above, but it all blends well together. I promise.

Us vietnamese people love to eat our greens, seafood, fruits, and lots of meat! I was raised in a environment where we kill animals and eat them. I guess you can call us meat lovers! One of my favorite chicken to eat is Tyson's chicken because it's so tasteful in my mouth. When I did some research on Tyson's chicken and where it came from, I found out that the chicken are processed and Tyson has its own slaughter house. Although this is probably a bad thing, it won't stop me from eating Tyson. I mean, it's better than McDonald's chicken. The chicken curry does have some nutritious ingredients as well. This dish consist of lime leaves and lemon grass. The name of these different vegetables/plants might not sound good, but it makes this dish even better. It gives a complexity of flavor that distinguishes them from other curries.

According to the Live Strong resource, it turns out that coconut milk can help us level our blood cholesterol and it puts us in a better position of protecting our hearts. "Coconut milk contains lauric acid, a medium chain fatty acid, unlike the saturated fat in meat and more like the saturated fat found in human breast milk." According to Nutrition Data, lime juice provides a really good source of vitamin C and it offers a good amount of potassium. I feel as though that Asian people uses a lot of spice that keeps us healthy in our meals. For example, galangal (ginger) is one of the main spices in the chicken curry and they way it smells, it makes me nose tingle a little bit. Actually, galangal are used sometimes for medications in Asia. True Fact. For example, turmeric was discovered to help treat cancer since it increases liver functions. Since this chicken curry is supposed to be spicy, there's 3 different types of ginger we use and the more I go down the line, the spicier it gets! As we go down the ingredients list, things just get hotter and hotter, but overall, my meal didn't consist a lot of "unhealthiness." Tyson's chicken might be processed, but my spices makes up the healthiness and nutrition that my body needs.  

Personal Reflection

I think that America is considered the "Fat" country. This country has been trying to live right and healthy but I feel like America contradicts what they think they are and what they say to others. Compared to the world, America seems to have the most fattening in food. McDonalds would be a perfect example for fattening. The reason why is because they use meat that has certain fattening in the meat and it cause the Americans to gain weight. In the movie Super Size Me, the man clearly shows that he was gaining a lot of weight by eating McDonalds every single day. I think that fast food is probably one of the biggest problems in our food system because for one, it's not healthy for our body and it's not the right food. Because of fast food, people are getting obese, diabetes, high cholesterol, and many more. But if people were to eat healthier, they would be in better shape and there wouldn't be so much people dying because of diseases.

Ingredients:

• Cous Cous
• Chick peas
• 2 2/3 cups of water
• 2 2/3 tea spoons of salt
• your choice of spice

Materials:

• Actual Cous Cous
• Pot
• Big Spoon
• Microwave to speed the heating of the cous cous
• Another pot to stir the sauce for the cous cous
• Plates to eat the cous cous!

Steps:

• Open cous cous from container, put it in pot
• Add water, salt and mix the cous cous
• Although some people prefor to heat the cous cous using an oven, I've found simply using a microwave is sufficent.
• Use the other pot to start making the sauce for the cous cous
• Either use already made sauce and add more spices or ground up your own tomatoes.
• Combine both the sauce that has the meat in it and the couse cous
• Eat up!

Analysis:

Cous Cous is a food that is very popular in the Mediterranian. The Mediterranian includes Countries such as: Italy, Spain, Tunisia, Morrocco. These places eat cous cous a lot. Cous cous has become a trend around the world too. Especially in places like the Middle East, North America and South America. The United States has particularly adopted Cous Cous as a favorite. It travels over 2,000 miles to get here- the natural kind, that is. Some cous cous is getting picked here, caushing it to have more pesticides in them. 

There are many, many variations of making Cous Cous but the one I explained above is the my Mom's recipe she's been using for many, many years and it's customed to eat it like that where I'm from. Cous Cous can be a very healthy food- it doesn't rival brown rice when trying to eat healthy but is still a healthy alternative to pasta. You can cook Cous Cous with lots of vegetables and healthy lean meats. Depending on how much you buy, this could be a very cheap meal when looking at this bare bones. Most of the food here is not processed because usually you can pick the vegetables that you want to cook with or the kind of meet. Also, when looking at the container of cous cous the nutrients are very healthy. Though cholesterol is a bit high, there is low sugar, fat, but again, high on carbohydrates. 

The money goes towards farmers because they help dig up the cous cous because it is a grain. Cous Cous is usually picked without much pollution or immorality like you see the meat companies do here in the States. Since cous cous is in such a high demand, people are hired more to make them across the pond, so I feel as though politically, the people win. Also, the quality of food is better so people will enjoy cous cous more and the demand will keep growing. Cous cous could be become one of the most sought-after foods in the world.

This recipe has been in my family for many generations and lives on. My mom makes really great cous cous and I don't think the other types I've tried really rivals the kid she makes. The times i've gone to tunisa, I've tasted amazing cous cous and wish to travel to Italy or Spain to  try some more.

6 apples, Granny Smith preferred
1 tablespoon cinnamon
5 tablespoons sugar
2 3/4 cups flour, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9” Bundt pan. Peel, core and chop apples into chunks. Toss with cinnamon and sugar and set aside.

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, orange juice, sugar and vanilla. Mix wet ingredients into the dry ones, then add eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.

Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Spread half of apples over it. Pour the remaining batter over the apples and arrange the remaining apples on top. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until a tester comes out clean.

The apples definitely came from Washington. They are from a company called Rainier Fruit Company. I read on their website that they apples are harvested in September and October. On the site, it says they are stored in oxygen controlled rooms for up to 12 months. They say this allows the US to not rely on the imported apples and only ones grown locally. They state they do not use GMOs, but I can’t find information about the fertilizers or pesticides only that the fruit is certified pesticide-residue free.

The flour costs 2.98 for a 5lb bag so this recipe used 50 cents worth. 

The sugar cost 6.48 for a 10lb bag so this recipe used 87 cents worth.

The vegetable oil costs 3.48 for 48oz so this recipe used 58 cents worth.

This recipe uses about 66 cents worth of eggs. 

This recipe is actually pretty cheap if you buy the ingredients on sale. Apples can vary in price if they are in season. Farmers and companies that produce eggs and apples made lots of money off these because they are mass produced. For the apples, the Rainier Fruit Company is an independent corporation but they are one of the biggest fruit growers in the US.

The main ingredient in Jewish Apple Cake is the apples. As mentioned, they are from Washington, specifically the Selah town. That is about 2,750 miles from Philadelphia. There isn’t a way to know when they were actually grown do to the storage process. The website for the company as well as the bag mention the wax that is put onto the apples. Firstly, I believe this to be purely aesthetic to achieve that shiny apple look, but they say the waxes come from natural sources, they stop mold and apples normally produce their own wax--plus you can wash it off. Now I bought them at the supermarket, but buying them locally cuts down on the need for these ‘waxes’. Growing them yourself would be of course the idea and most cost efficient.

Cook Time: Approximately 45 minutes

Servings: 4

• 4 cups of rice
• ¾ cup of water
• 4 tbsp of vegetable oil
• ¼ stick of butter
• ½ of whole chicken
• 2 tbsp of curry powder
• ¼ tbsp of black pepper
• 1 small onion
• 2 stalks of scallion
• 3-4 pieces of thyme
• 3 pieces of garlic
• 1 tsp of chicken seasoning
• ½ tbsp of pimento seeds
• 2 Irish potatoes
• Salt for taste

Instructions for RICE:

1. Wash rice twice to remove starch.

2. Put rice into pot and add just enough water to cover the rice.

3. Add a pinch of salt, butter and stir.

4. Place stove on medium heat until water boils.

5. After water boils, turn the stove on low heat.

RECIPE ANALYSIS

Surprisingly, I estimate that approximately 80% of my meal was processed. The processed ingredients included the rice, chicken, curry powder, black pepper, and butter. On the other hand, the whole foods included the onions, thyme, garlic, potatoes and scallion since my mom buys most of our fruit and vegetable at the farmer’s market at Reading Terminal. However, if this meal was prepared in Jamaica, over 95% would be whole foods. This is because the chicken would have been raised on a farm, the curry seasoning would have been homemade and all the vegetables would have been from a garden.

After completing some calculations, I estimate that each full serving of curry chicken and rice has approximately 640 calories (48% fat) and 18 g of protein. As you can see this meal is high in fat and also in protein. If this nothing but this meal is eaten everyday, obesity, diabetes and possibly high blood pressure could occur. However, if eaten in moderation, this meal can provide you with healthy benefits since it is also low in cholesterol and high in protein.

The ingredients for this meal originated in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Texas, Wisconsin, New York and Florida. The food that raveled the farthest was the curry powder that was manufactured in Doral, Florida, 1,297 miles away. The potatoes traveled all the way from Rosholt, Wisconsin, 1070 miles away. The potatoes were organically grown with a limited amount of pesticides. As stated previously, the vegetables (onions, scallion, garlic, thyme) were local produce that was bought at a farmer’s market. I estimated that my meal traveled more than 7,000 miles, which is bad for the environment because of all the pollution.

The cost of this meal was approximately $15. The most expensive ingredient of the meal was the chicken at $5. The corporations that made money of this meal were the Wakefield Food Group and Purdue. In addition, local farmers made money off this meal. Cooking this meal at home is more cost friendly and healthier because a full fast food meal for four people would cost more than $15 and would be unhealthier.

I am used to getting a home cooked meal everyday and I do not eat fast food that often. I believe this enables me to make healthy food choices, even though most food items nowadays are unhealthy in some way. The cost of this meal would have been reduced to about $7 since everything would be grown at home.

SELF-REFLECTION

This unit has further informed me of the flaws in our food system and the factors that contribute to it. I also learned of the prevalence of obesity and heart disease in America society. It is interesting to see the connection between the way Americans eat and the diseases are now affecting a large part of the population. The most interesting thing I learned about was food deserts and how popular they are in America. Food deserts help to contribute to high levels of obesity in low-income areas where residents do not have access to healthy foods. Based on the research we did in class about food deserts in our own communities, I found out that I actually live in a food desert. I also understand this because people in my community usually shop at corner stores and Chinese stores. This is why people of a lower socioeconomic status have higher rates of obesity.

The biggest problem with our food stem is the lack of federal regulation. Food companies have essentially bought out the government and is often lobbying to get laws passed in their favor. This makes companies feel that they are all powerful, which leads them to abuse their workers and animals. I am willing to change the way I eat but I have to think about the budget of my family. Eating healthily means more money. I am going to stop eating at much fast food, especially at McDonalds. I believe that this is something that I can achieve by eating more often at home.

Prep time: 30 minutes

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients: 

Chicken Breast

Box of Barilla Fettuccine pasta

Water

Bertolli Alfredo sauce 

Coconut Oil

Garlic Powder

Black Pepper

Procedure:

1. Boil a pot of water and place the uncooked fettuccine into the pot. Stir occasionally and leave in for up to 10 minutes or until noodles are cooked. 

2. Drain noodles and put into serving dish. Set aside. 

3. Tenderize the chicken breast. You may use a meat tenderizer or a fork. Jab the chicken on both sides and put 2 tbsp of butter into a pan. 

4. Put pan on high heat and allow coconut oil to line the pan, then place the chicken breast in and allow it to cook. 

5. Leave it on for 7 minutes and then flip. Repeat. 

6. When you finish, take out the chicken and cut in half to check and make sure there is no uncooked meat (look for pink).

7. Cut the chicken into strips and place into dish with fettuccine. 

8. Pour 1 jar of Alfredo sauce into a pot and heat until it bubbles up and pour over the chicken and fettuccine. Mix until everything is all flavorful. 

9. Sprinkle with black pepper and garlic powder for flavor. 

 Analysis:

Chicken Alfredo is a quick meal full of protein that my family makes because it is so easy and convenient. Originally, it is an Italian dish made entirely from scratch, but since it is a simple go-to meal in this case, we used a jar of Alfredo sauce and a box of Barilla pasta. 

In order to make this recipe as healthy as possible, I only used chicken breast. Chicken breast is a naturally lean meat and contains vitamins, minerals, and proteins that we need. Chicken breast is natural and has no artificial ingredients, dyes, and has been passed by the FDA. It is also a good source of iron, which is great because my mom and I are anemic (low on iron levels). Also, I cooked the chicken with coconut oil because it is a very healthy butter substitute. It does the same task as butter, but it does not cause clogged arteries.

Fettuccine pasta was used because it is the most popular type of pasta. Fettuccine contains a good source of iron and protein like the chicken. The reason pasta is our go-to meal is because it is fairly nutritious and simple. Pasta is rich in carbohydrates, Vitamin A, potassium, and folic acid. It usually helps in preventing serious anemia and itself, is fuel for your body. It keeps you energized and full without over consumption. 

I used Bertolli Alfredo sauce because if you made the sauce by hand, it would take a lot longer and cost a lot more than simply purchasing the jar. Not only will you purchase and combine multiple ingredients, but you will also have to make sure there is a good consistency. The jarred sauce is also a good source of calcium.

The reason I use garlic powder and black pepper instead of the usual salt and pepper is because garlic powder is a valid salt substitute. There is less sodium and adds much more flavor than salt itself. Also, the garlic adds flavor to the Alfredo so that there is not just one boring, creamy taste.

Our food system is relevant to anyone who eats, so it's relevant to everyone. So to sum it up, this unit has been very helpful. Even though each of us are one consumer of 7 billion, we are each a part of the larger food system. America has been known to consume a lot of fast food and to be a very obese country, but everyone knows the struggle with staying healthier and realizing that the unhealthy foods we are told to beware of are more affordable that the things we're told to eat. So I believe that is the biggest problem with our food system. We should be making heathier foods cheaper and more accessible. Our country has its priorities all jumbled up by having cheap fastfood, but also wanting the country as a whole to be more "fit." The food system is too big and those in charge are cutting all corners to make a larger profit. They cut costs and become less careful with their goods and raise the cost for consumers and everyone loses with the companies' greed and carelessness.

Some changes I could make to my food choices based on my new knowledge from this unit would be to make wiser eating decisions. I was aware of most of the diseases that could succumb from bad eating habits, but now can make sure I do my best to avoid them. Most changes I would make are to consume less unhealthy foods and to be more active. Not only is my diet important, but my physical fitness plays a huge part in my health as well. I am willing to make these changes because what I eat now could affect if  I'll live a long, healthy life whether or not I think my diet is changing anything about me. 

Just like the classic carnival games, the food industry is rigged in one way or another. Lately, corporations and investors have been practicing different methods of creating "cash cows" (ha ha, pun!) from different aspects of human life. Food is one of the biggest industry, and if you ask your Grandma or Grandpa, things were different then! Food used to be traditional and farmers were farmers, not scientists. Now it's a business.

The way the rest of the consumers and I can change this, is by investing more in locally grown food. Sure not everyone is going to go out of their way to do this, but at least research what you eat. Information is key here. Knowing what you eat, and not just accepting it for what it is makes you a healthy eater. That is how this whole system can change.