I recently saw a survey that found that 75% of meals in the United States are consumed outside of the primary residence...instead, we tend to eat in the car, the office, a restaurant, etc. Does this matter? What does it say about the U.S.? Does it change a culture?
I think this absolutely matters. When we consume food outside of our home, it is much more likely that we will consume foods that are high in fat and sugar as opposed to the balanced meals that our bodies need. On top of this, we spend more money by consuming food outside of our homes, as it costs much more to purchase premade foods than it does to buy from the grocery store and prepare our own meals. With health and the cost of food on the line, why do we continue to do this? I think that our lives have become so fast-paced and busy that we look for the easy way our when it comes to meals. I think that this statistic shows that the people of the United States are more concerned about working harder and moving forward financially than they are about really taking care of themselves and taking time to build important, healthy habits. This also changes the culture in the United States. During our last discussion on culture, most of us brought up that food was a big part of our cultures and traditions. When we stop eating meals at home, we stop eating meals with our families. When this happens, we aren't following the culture and tradition that we discussed as important factors in our families, which means that these aspects of our culture will not be passed down to the future generations.
ReplyDeleteThe statistic that says 75% of meals consumed in the U.S. are eaten outside the walls of the home is depressing at best. Nutrition aside, which is a fairly simple matter, this number can be directly linked to so many other failings in our society.
ReplyDeleteIn a society that now embraces hired help (aka daycare/nannies, etc) to rear our children, however, these numbers do not surprise me. Having a mother who came to age in the 60’s and 70’s, I grew up being fed bitter bowls of feminist ideals that told me I didn’t have to raise my own children, be a present wife, or even cook a meal every night. I could contract-out those little “interruptions” to my career. After all, “I am woman! hear me roar!”…what about MY needs, MY happiness, MY fulfillment?!
Luckily, it seems I was born with a good reflective perspective, and I recall the empty house I came home to each day, the school events my mother missed, and the flavorless microwave dinners I’d become an expert at “cooking.” Sitting alone at the scratched and flaking Formica table, numbly and joylessly filling my body with sustenance, I promised I would not be as selfish. My table would be bursting with conversation, laughter, and real meals every night.
In my home, our dinner table is not merely a piece of furniture. It is alive and breathing. It’s memories just below the scrubbed-clean oak surface that’s so familiar it’s sometimes invisible to me. It’s infused with love and laughter. Connections made, and stories told. It’s where we end our day, express our thoughts, and solidify the bond we share as a family.
As the traditional family dinner falls by the way side, so too does the conversations that happen here, time connecting with and relating to our children, and the methods we use to instill our values/morals into our familial lives. It’s quite disheartening to know that so many families aren't aware of the opportunities they are simply choosing to throw away every time they decide that dinner at home, as a family, is no longer an important aspect of their lives.
Hi Jentri, I loved what you have said. What you said about your family dinner table reminds me of mine. It really is sad that people don't take the time to have dinner as a family at home because there are so many positive things they can gain out of it, especially family time that they might not get at any other time of the day.
DeleteBut don't you think its hard nowadays to find that time to come home, make a home cooked meal (everyday) after a long day at work? Realistically, that's very difficult, especially if both parent are working. It would be more convenient to eat out. It doesn't necessarily have to be a fast food restaurants. There are many restaurants with healthier food choices out there.
DeleteAren't you both just being overly traditional? Can't Happy Meals inculcate healthy family values as well?
ReplyDeleteProfessor, I want to tell you about the time my family and I ate Christmas dinner at Carl's Jr. That year both my father and brother experienced cutbacks at work, and my head was lost in a all-consuming break up on top of being laid off indefinitely. Needless to say, none of us had the mentality or means to plan a "traditional" Christmas Dinner for the year 2009.But I tell you what, the table at Carl's Jr. became "alive and breathing", as Jentri put it. We laughed as jokes flew back and forth about "how ghetto-country" our Christmas Dinner might appear, but we did not care. Through all the wretched times life serves us, the act of just getting together is what matters most. And that is exactly what we did, spend time as a family because our love for each other is what heals us. The Infamous Carl's Jr. Christmas Dinner is part of our family history, and it makes me proud that I have a family that can turn cheeseburgers into a delectable Christmas Dinner.
DeleteNo, Dr. Schmoll, I don't believe that "Happy Meals" can instill family values. It's not simply the act of eating that is so valuable when we're talking about the family meal, it's everything else that comes from it. The planning, the preparation, the traditions, the teaching opportunities we can offer our children. It's the lingering over coffee post meal, the cooperation of clean-up, and the memories we can create.
ReplyDeleteAlthough, I agree with your ideal situation of a family meals is valuable, I find it difficult to just say no that "Happy Meals" can't instill family values. For example, a family value can be something such as Honesty, and having a pleasant dinner outside the home where the family is honest about their day or situation that they are going through is instilling them through that dinner that Honesty is always the best policy
DeleteI'm with Jentri... I do not think that happy meals instill family values. You may have a great family conversation while consuming a happy meal, but the happy meal itself is not going to instill any kind of vaules. And besides, wasn't the original question about whether or not this changes a culture? Traditions may be a part of a culture, but we are not asking if having happy meals can be a tradition or not. It may be someone's tradition to have happy meals one day a week as a family, and that is fine, but this does indeed affect a culture. I'm not saying it is wrong to eat happy meals, but how much more connection to one's culture is made when the family makes and consumes the meal together that is traditional to their culture?
DeleteI have read several studies and thesis papers about eating outside the home. Everyone should read these works so that they know that there are so many different factors. I like to stress that the situations are the main factors.
ReplyDeleteWhen you have lived a childhood like mine you actually would appreciate what was given to you. I have seen and I know what my parents endured to just feed us something at dinner time. I appreciate their hard work so much that I would gladly take the boxed meals all over again. I do not have any passed down traditions or family dishes, but that does not matter to me. My family has been broken up and lost so much through the past several generations that we make up traditions as we go along; my family is not predictable.
Most children get up in the morning, go to school, eat breakfast at school, eat lunch at school, go to an after school program (or play sports), they are allowed to eat in these programs, and then they go home around dinner time. Most kids and adults only spend a third of their day (if that) at their home so this statistic does not surprise me. This has become the norm and if you are American then it is a part of your American culture. If you are American, fast food culture is a part of your culture. If you are American, being busy and working hard is a part of your culture. American is a culture that is filled with many subcultures; we are a complex culture. It amazes me that many of us, Americans, are ashamed of what we have become, but so many people in other countries would love to be us.
I believe that you can teach the same values to your family anywhere. Just because you are in a restaurant or in the car does not mean that the time you are spending with your family is any less valuable than it would be if you were at home (most people don’t even eat at the table when home). You can still pray where ever you are, you can still have intimate conversation with each other, you can still teach them, and you can still discipline or give constructive criticism.
You can still have specific traditions and have certain expectations and still play a role in American society. I have read several thesis of eating outside the home and they do include obesity in these studies, but there are so many factors to look at.
The CDC says there are other determining factors and the parenthesis are my thoughts:
Lack of physical exercise at school (many parents don’t make their children be active while at home)
Not being able to afford healthy foods
Increasing portion sizes (not only at fast food, but parents can be blamed for serving homemade meals whose portions are too large; your traditions and culture can cause unhealthy habits)
Women not breastfeeding their children
Media consumption (letting your children sit in front of the television and/or letting your children sit in front of the television with a snack)
Obesity is a part of your culture, whether you like it or not. Eating outside of the home is part of your culture, and I have a feeling that it will be this way for a long time.
I do not think there is one simple concrete answer nor that we should look at this from one perspective. Instead, within this statistic, there exist many dilemmas and many views that could be looked at. Many people might view this change as a decline of family values. If were always eating outside of the home, then we are no longer interacting with our family and a lot of the traditions and experiences that we lived through as children are disappearing. That we are also no longer eating healthy food and leaning toward an obese ridden society is another issue.
ReplyDeleteAnother perspective we can look at, which is where my opinion lies, is that the U.S. is simply moving toward a more rapid paced time. Now-a-days, the number of women, men, and children who work out of the home and go to school are increasing. Society is always on the go, always on the run and it would make sense that it is because of this that meals are consumed outside of the home. Who is going to drive back home to eat only to have to go back out again? It's a waste of gas and time. It may be because of this opinion that I do not see how such a factor can affect our culture. Culture is made up of more than meals eaten at home.
I agree that there is not a simple answer. There are so many factors today that determine our behaviors.
Delete"Who is going to drive back home to eat only to have to go back out again? It's a waste of gas and time?"
DeleteGreat question...I have a Columbian neighbor who drives home to eat her lunch, has a ten minute nap, and heads back to the office. I also spend part of the year in Spain where we have a two hour lunch and siesta...so I guess the answer to your question is, the only ones who are going to go home to eat lunch are those for whom it is part of a culture...meaning, not very many unitedstatesians!
A 2 hour lunch and a siesta? Wow, that's amazing! In the U.S I believe lunch breaks are approximately between 30 minutes to one hour; that is not enough time to go home, eat and come back to work, especially if you live far from your work place.
DeleteSiestas are the best. I remember my mom making me take them when I started Cal State!
DeleteGrrrr. Now I want to move to Spain! Study Abroad anyone???
The current American lifestyle has definitely promoted this statistic of 75% of meals being consumed outside the primary residence. We live in a fast paced society where people are always on the go and fast food is readily available. This means eating in the car is convenient for the working person, or easy for the mom working full time and grabbing their family dinner after work. However, this also promotes apathy and has really lead us astray from the traditional family dinners at home. This is an extremely important matter that I think is overlooked by many. This not only promotes obesity by having fast food constantly on hand but I think we are also losing our values as a family. I grew up with dinner on the table every night where we were able to communicate and come together as a family. With most meals being eaten outside the home you start to lose that family closeness and time together. Our culture has definitely started to shift from a home cooked dinner on the table to picking a different restaurant every night which has now become our norm. When you look at how many people are having to work full time to make ends meat its somewhat easy to understand how our culture has been reduced to this. People are always working and don't have the time to make a healthy meal each night. Eating healthy is also difficult to do when money is an issue, as it is for most americans, and fast food tends to be easy and cheap. I think we definitely need to reevaluate the way we do things in our culture as a family and try to reincorporate family dinners back into our lifestyles. Even if it means getting food to go from a restaurant and sitting down at home together. We need to regain that family connection that we've lost as a culture.
ReplyDeleteI agree it is a fast paced country. I don't think we have lost the family connection, it's just not around the dinner table anymore. It is now in the car.
DeleteWithout knowing the specific statistics behind that 75% it is impossible to make any kind of accurate inferences. That 75% could apply to someone who cooks healthy, wholesome food at home and takes it to eat at work, then goes out with family and friends for good conversation and a tasty, healthy meal at a quiet restaurant. It could also apply to someone who eats three meals in a row at Taco Bell and McDonalds. It doesn't even distinguish between meals prepared in the home; those will be counted as meals eaten outside the home.
ReplyDeleteWhere we eat isn't nearly as important as what we eat and how we eat it. Eating healthy food that tastes good is important, and there is much to be gained by sharing mealtimes with the people we care about. The statistic about 75% of meals only suggests correlation; we should not conclude that it proves current popular ideas. A traditionalist viewpoint likes to blame the decline of morality on things like a "fast paced" society that has no time for familial activities, but this statistic isn't really saying that. One can eat well socially and in familial company without being an exception to that 75%.
good distinctions here. I have seen trainers in the gym (like you, right?) having their lunch (usually something quite healthy looking)while wandering around the gym. Maybe we are changing the nature of community itself...
DeleteI agree with you, we need to know exactly the circumstances of the 75% as this will greatly effect how we think about this number
DeleteI believe that it does matter. It is a sad thing to hear, but it is true. The survey showed that not only is the traditional dinner meal not happening in more than half of the homes in the United States, but that the concept and meaning of dinner is not being passed on to the younger generation of children. As a child, I grew up in a home where breakfast, lunch and dinner at home was a staple and where it was a time to spend with my family. We would talk about our day and just make conversation with each other in which any other part of the day we probably would not have because we would not all be together. I would hate for my daughter to not grow up without the emphasis that I have put on meals at home, which is why I try to have breakfast, lunch and dinner prepared every day rather than grabbing food from a fast food restaurant. I believe my mother always had food on the table because it was part of the culture that she grew up in and which she wanted to instill in her children. I understand that some people are busy with work, school, and other activities that they cannot have meals at home but trying to make it a priority can lead to a better lifestyle. As the result of people eating on the go, people are making unhealthy food choices which have ultimately put the United States in the top ranks of having the most overweight people. So not only are people forgetting the real meaning of what dinner is, but they are affecting their health as well. As a consequence culture is also being affected. I know that in my Mexican culture it is important to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at the table rather than at a fast food joint. You also see on TV what is depicted to be the all American family (mom, dad, and children) which is shown sitting down at the table eating dinner. The all American family is what American culture is all about and with our fast paced society now, culture is bound to change.
ReplyDeleteThe advertisements we see on TV about fast food restaurants, in general, make eating out appealing, which is also to blame for people eating outside of the primary residence. The fast food restaurants try to show healthy alternatives for the people who want to eat healthier however they are not as healthy as they make it out to be, leading people into thinking it is ok to eat on the go.
Adding advertising into the mix complicates things in a good way...how much of our new habits occur because of other alterations in the social and technological historical trajectory? Advertising on billboards, tv, online, it must all be accounted for in this dialogue.
DeleteI agree dinner around the table has been lost in this generation. But, I also understand why. During my childhood, my mom was a stay home mom until her kids reached second grade. Now in days, both parents have to work, so that means less time at home. I think most conversations with our kids occur while we shower them, drop/pick them up from school or the sitters. At least, during the weekdays, I think is where the 75% of people eat outside their home. During weekends, I think more people eat around their dinner table.
DeleteI don’t think it matters if we eat meals outside of the primary residence because if you think about we only spend a few hours at home. For instance, I find myself eating most meals while driving. I drop off my kids to school, while snacking on breakfast. I work for a few hours and then drive to my class, while snacking on lunch. In between classes, I’ll grab something to snack on. By the time I head home it’s late. I’ll pick up my kids from the sitters and eat dinner at home. That’s one meal I have at the home; it’s considered family time because of the busy schedules we have. My kids also have most of their meals outside of the home.
ReplyDeleteEven though I eat while driving, its food I prepared at home. My kids have their lunch packed and snacks taken to the sitters. I still have the decision on what my kids and I eat. Even taking family trips, I’ll make breakfast burritos and cut up fruit for the family to eat. We probably eat once a day at a restaurant when we take trips.
So, it does not matter if we eat our meals outside of the home, we still make the decision on what we eat. We live in a country where it moves fast. We have to multi-task to get a lot of things done. Many restaurants have made it easier for busy families to grab a quick snack,
that's good that you take the time to actually care for you children's health because the majority doesn't. It's easier for parents to get their kids and stop by a drive thru and grab them a kids meal because some parents are so exhausted.
DeleteThe American lifestyle definitely supports the statistic of 75% of meals in the US are consumed outside of the primary residence. This includes and is not limited to eating in the car, office, and primarily restaurants (whether dining in or taking out). This is simply due to the fact we live in a fast pace society in which we are constantly on the go, go, go. This is where “fast food” stands its meaning, because it is readily available any time of the day, seven days a week. This is also due to the fact that our society has evolved tremendously in the sense that men are not only the bread winners of a household, but indeed women are too. Therefore, majority women are not stay at home moms anymore. Many women nowadays have a work load in comparison to men, and yet still have to manage a full household that consists of not only work, but taking care of kids (which is a job in itself), laundry, bills, you name it. With this said, preparing meals is last on the to-do list, instead grabbing something quick is much easier after having a never ending day. Needless to say, this really does matter and has a huge impact on our society as a whole. Not only are we putting our health at risk for heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension (just to name a few) but we (the U.S) are living up to our name of being the unhealthiest nation. With this said, it changes the culture in the U.S. It influences our family to think it is okay not to have a home cooked meal around the dinner table. And eventually, this thought process will be passed down from generation to generation. I believe that our society as a whole needs to stop and smell the roses. I know this sounds silly, but we tend to get caught up in our crazy lives and forget the true purpose and meaning of having a meal with our families. I know this from experience, and let’s just say I value a home cooked meal at any chance I get!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I agree with you 100%. Because of how our society is, preparing a meal is indeed the last thing on the "to do" list which often results in families eating "outside" food more often.
DeleteNicole-
DeleteTotally agree with you that we live in a extremely fast pace society, its crazy! Having home cooked meals are the best because were so busy, I wish everyone could have time to block our everything and just enjoy a meal with their families at least once a week!
I agree, people's "crazy lives" really are affecting family meals, or eating at home. Which is ultimately affecting our cultures and family values.
DeleteI am not quite sure about that specific percentage but I strongly agree that individuals consume more of their meals outside of the home. Our society today is not like how it was 10, 25, or 50 years ago. It is difficult to actually find time to make a home cooked meal and have the family sit around the table, eat and share how their day went. Our society now is the total opposite. We spend more time outside the home than we do inside because we, individually, are constantly on the move. I know for some people they spend most of their time at school or at work or driving around and people do get hungry. From my experience, I've noticed at I barely eat at home; the place that I eat the most is in my car because I'm either driving to school or I am on my break at work or I even eat dinner in my car as I'm heading home from wherever I'm coming from This just proves that the U.S is always on the go. There's no time to stop or waste. You must eat as you go. It also the reason why people, nowadays are overweight or obese. We don't have the time to go home and cook; we'll rather stop at a restaurant where the food is already made for you.
ReplyDeleteDoes where a person eat matter? I believe that it can go both ways. If the person is single, with no children or who was not raised in that matter then it doesn't matter where he/she consumes their food but if eating in a home with your family is part of one's culture then yes, that matters. If a person, who's culture is all about family, eating inside the residence, all of a sudden starts having his/her meals at work, school or in the car that changes the person's culture. It alters that unique quality that he/she had.
Oh my goodness THANKS for your post!
DeleteYou are so totally right, and the worst part is that we wait until we are hungry to eat which activates fat storing. Making it even harder to lose weight!
Plus how many people actually go to the gym? No time.
I agree with you and believe our idea about this relates to the way we live and what affects our day to day lives. I have noticed how much I tend to eat in the car because I am either on my way to school or going to work. I also have no kids to come home and cook dinner for so I agree with you that this idea can go both ways.
DeleteYou made a great point, with changing of the culture. I agree totally with you when you said "If the person is single, with no children or who was not raised in that matter then it doesn't matter where he/she consumes their food but if eating in a home with your family is part of one's culture then yes, that matters. If a person, who's culture is all about family, eating inside the residence, all of a sudden starts having his/her meals at work, school or in the car that changes the person's culture. It alters that unique quality that he/she had."
DeleteThat is very true. I also eat most of my meals in the car as I am driving to school or work.
DeleteI have to agree with this completely, most of my meals are consumed in the car, at school, and on the go. It is rare that I ever sit down to enjoy a meal, unless I’m with friends, on a date, or it’s one of those lucky days and I eat alone at a restaurant.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the American way of life is becoming way too fast. I remember a time, when I had time to be in extra-curricular activities and maintain a high GPA, and also delve into what I was reading instead of rote memorizing.
Does this matter?
You bet it does, the overall population travels and communicates at a much quicker pace. Yet, there is little time to actually enjoy what one is doing.
I don’t know if anyone has noticed this but eHarmony and dating sites, are the new thing. Are people really too busy to go out and look for a date, they literally sit there in their pajamas scrolling through pictures of women or men and selecting what they want in a date! Also, I have recently been applying to jobs and I was shocked. Like, I mean I had a generation shock!
I went in applying to jobs bringing in my resume, and all these things you learn in school about job interviews and none of them applied, they simply said apply online. Out of five stores only ONE asked me for a resume.
Are all people really that busy???
The worst thing that nearly breaks my heart in two, is to see a mother paying more attention to her phone than her own child! That’s a problem.
What does it say about the U.S?
It probably says if you want to reach an American the best thing to do is get a Facebook, or text-message capable phone because, they barely have time to eat.
Does it change a culture?
Yes, it creates a distant, fast paced culture.
wow, good thoughts, really heartfelt.
Deletethat's pretty funny but i totally agree with you. There isn't enough time for a day or its that we don't appreciate or even use our time to be able to enjoy a day. Technology is a big thing that consumes our time. its addicting!
DeleteTotally Reyes I too am guilty of Facebook-ing it on my spare time, instead of going out and talking to real people.
DeleteOn a daily basis I have found that I too am part of the 75% that consumes outside of my home. From grabbing a Greek yogurt on the go this morning or going out to eat lunch and dinner, the U.S. is constantly striving for a need to socialize. Too often do we use the excuse to “catch up” with our old friends by sharing a meal or grabbing coffee before getting our days started. This much activity in the public is a sign that our society is super-fast pace. We are constantly consumed by trying to start another task without completing what we are actually doing. Looking in, other countries may perceive the U.S. as moving too fast. I’ve read several articles that criticize the U.S. by stating that we do not have time to slow down to enjoy the basic pleasures of life. This ironically is a little true when you look at how our communities are structured. It’s quite humorous to see how many drive thru locations there are just driving down the street. The way that we live our fast pace lives in the U.S. is comfortable, but in the future I hope that families will slow down and enjoy the priceless meal-times with their loves ones in the comfort of their own home.
ReplyDeletei agree we do tend to socialize in a different way as in lets get lunch when in fact it's possible to go to one's home and enjoy an actual home cook meal.
DeleteWow, I didn't even think about how we arrive for a social life can be a reason why many of us spend %75 of that time outside of our own homes. Maybe backyard BBQ's and cooking with friends and family in the comfort of your own home while spending quality time with each other would be a better substitute than eating out? I would think so :-)
DeleteI agree with the survey that 75% of meals are consumed outside our home. The main thing we tend to lack is time, with time being consumed with other daily activities like school, work and etc. most people forget or are too tired to make a meal instead they find it easier, faster and sometimes cheaper to deal with by going to a restaurant or going to the drive thru. I do believe that it does matter because Americans tend to get lazy or just be tired when it comes to making home cooked meals. It’s stressful enough to put food on a plate for the family after a long day at school or work, and it tends to be much easier to come home with take out because its much faster than preparing and actual meal at home. It relieves some of the stress with having to worry about cleaning up a dirty kitchen and also having to help the children prepare for the following day. Especially with now that there are two working parents it sometimes becomes challenging to ask their significant other to help, most would say it’s the woman’s duty to be in charge of the inside of the home. It’s somewhat of a culture change because the family will sit down and enjoy the family meal but I do not feel it will feel the same way about having some type of meaning. I feel that most families love to make a home cook meal because it comes from the heart with meaning. I think it’s a sense that they get that they are able to satisfy the family, because people get bored of eating out.
ReplyDeleteFor those lazy, tired, or what every type of people, Fresh and Easy has a great selection of already prepared to cook meals. My wife and I have used these plenty because they are very similar to home cooked food. They are especially handy when my pregnant wife doesn't want to cook and I don't how.
DeleteI don’t find it hard to believe that 75% of Americans consume meals outside of the home. This is a high statistic but like many above me have stated Americans are busy and do not have time to slow down. This is not bash the Americans type thing, but it is a true and pretty sad statistic. Americans have become so engrossed with survival, providing for the family, and extra-curricular activities that we have strayed away from the thing that was once thought to be the most important entity in one’s life besides religion. Although this trend may have started as an attempt to keep one’s family afloat in trying times, it is still harmful nonetheless. As American society has changed from agrarian, to industrial, to informational the culture has changed along with it.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to say either way whether this change is bad or good. There is always going to be people arguing yay and nay on the issue. I believe that there are those who will grab a meal outside the home but who can say that there was no quality time, teachings, constructive criticism, and traditions experienced. Yes this is one of the pathways to obesity but it is not definitely the only culprit. There are many times that I have stopped by McDonald’s and grabbed a Happy Meal for my son due to the many errands we had for the day. At times we feel like we live in our car but in the few minutes, hour or so that we have we will stop by a park. That doesn’t mean that my son doesn’t get quality time with me because we play little games like “I Spy” to keep him entertained but also learning too. Yes I have a dinner table and most nights we have a home cooked meal in the living room floor talking, laughing, sharing, and recapping the day. We also have movies with dinner on Friday.
I believe in America we can create our own culture. I can’t bash people because they must do certain things to survive. All I can say is hopefully in their fast paced lives that they will make time to spend with their families; although, in the times of the “Great Recession”, it may not be feasible. I don’t believe having dinner at a table every day of every year will make or break a person but having quality time with family will.
I completely agree quality time with the family doesn't always have to be at the dinner table. It can be in the park or in the car as long as you make the effort to communicate with each other and ask about what is going on in their busy lives.
DeleteEating healthy is not convenient. Healthy food preparation takes time and energy, and many people in America are so busy that they feel they don't have time to chop and peel vegetables and cook whole grains. It's much easier to swing through a drive-thru or pick up a frozen pizza than to prepare a wholesome meal that will be consumed in 10 minutes. However, the health issues related to food and diet in our country are staggering. Obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heartburn, and heart disease are just a few of the diet related illnesses that can easily be prevented for most people. By making changes in our diet, we can change our culture. Taking the time to prepare simple, yet nutritious meals can be easily done if one plans ahead and is intentional about their health and well-being. Also, taking time to sit around the table with your family (or even by yourself) and simply enjoy the meal can be beneficial to ones health and wellness. Studies have shown that when people watch TV or read a book while eating a meal, they will often consume more calories than they would if they were just simply eating and talking. By paying more attention to your body and the "fullness" signals it gives, you can enjoy a meal and stop when you are satisfied rather than being so distracted by your television program that you end up consuming more than you intended.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. The availability of fast food is making it hard to keep cultures or home cooked meals important in people's home.
DeleteHey Stephanie, I really like what you had to say as far as stopping when our body gives us "full signals" instead of continuing to indulge in food our body doesn't need. I find myself doing this actually where I ignore what my body says because the Chipotle burrito I'm eating tastes so good. But the truth is that when I do stop when I'm full I find myself feeling a lot healthier and much more comfortable!
DeleteI believe that this is a huge problem in the U.S. I know that my family is very guilty of this eating out life style. It seems as though more often than not, we find ourselves eating outside of our home. I believe this is a problem because it has become such a norm for people that it seems as though eating at home is becoming more of a special occasion than eating out. I think that a big contributing factor is people's life styles. I know that in my home we have such busy schedules so having "fast food" has become an easy answer to getting meals quick and easy. That includes buying lunch, not just dinner. I believe that this shows a lot about the culture in the US people take the easy way out rather than preparing meals at home and enjoying them together. This is harmful to our culture because it is causing people to miss out or loose that time they would be spending with family. Culture and tradition is being lost because less people are cooking their "favorite dish" and going out to eat instead. I think there should be a bigger push to bring that home cooked meals tradition back. It would be beneficial not only to people's health but to their culture.
ReplyDeleteHey Jackie, I completely agree with you. I feel that we live in this fast pace lifestyle that we don't always make the time to enjoy a simple meal at home with the people we love and we tend to make the unhealthy choice of eating out instead.
DeleteJackie-----
ReplyDeleteI must agree that the problem here stems from people's fast-paced lifestyles that make it difficult for them to find the time to eat at home as a family. I also agree that it is quite harmful to the family dynamic----many opportunites to connect, instill healthy habits, etc are missed when we decide to forgo the traditional family meal time. Well put!
People in the United States are now becoming more and more lazy and are wanting everything in there hands. Today many of us rather go to a fast food restaurant instead of cooking something at home. Our society isn't just becoming lazy but we have lost our ability to cook a well round dinner for our families. We are becoming obese every year because the food we eat every day is not healthy for our bodies. Not only that but we eat “junk food” which comes with tons of calories a day and we do not even go out and do any exercise. The people in the U.S. are becoming so dependent on fast food restaurants. Fast food has not only changed our culture but also our ways of eating. We have not adopted the idea that we can just go out and buy food instead of making a healthy dinner at home. Many of us are part of this cycle, I could admit that their is days in which I just much rather go out and buy something to eat because I am just to lazy to make some dinner. So we rather eat in our cars instead of eating in a dinner table. This has altered our culture drastically because we don’t have the traditional dinner table set ups and most of the people in the United States have also lost their manners. Now eat anywhere but the dinner table. I strongly agree that Americans rather eat outside of home has changed our culture dramatically.
ReplyDeleteThe obesity part is what scares me the most. My mother just brought her sugars down because she was borderline diabetic, and my father is on blood pressure medication as a result of his diet. The food we eat should not kill us, on the contrary, it is suppose to nourish our bodies(make them strong and healthy). If we can just adopt healthy eating on the go, but that challenges us everyday.
DeleteIt is the same for most people...work, school, kids. Even if you do not have kids, work and school are very consuming; now throw kid (s) in that equation, and a fast paced life emerges. The U.S. culture has changed since women decided to leave the “housewife” role and pursue a career, at least in the aspect of having home cooked meals every night. But this does not mean that families cannot change with the culture; it is possible to still come together with our families to eat.
ReplyDeleteOn many occasions my family and I have met at restaurant for families dinners, just as many other families. I do not see anything wrong with this type of “family dinners.” Though I do admit that nothing beats a home cooked meal done right.
I do attempt to cook at home at least twice a week, mostly to see the joy on my daughters' face, something that will never get old. Seeing the look of love after my family members taste my food will always be part of my culture. We may not be able to share many meals together, but when we do eat together, it is always memorable times. It does not matter that most of us eat on the go, the trick is to eat on the go with your family.
The negative side of eating on the go is unhealthy foods, hence the obesity problem in the U.S. Being known as the most over weight nation is very daunting.
75% of the meals are consumed outside the family home. I've read the majority of all the responses to this question and the issues some of us bring up range from health conscious to family upbringing to U.S. becoming a fast paced society. As Sean stated above, we truly don't know enough about this 75% to truly have an understanding of the actual issues with this number. What I can say is that I don't think that a family dinner in the home is an absolute necessity for proper upbringing for a family as mentioned in one of the early responses. I understand that family dinners are magical and are memorable. About me and my family, we have a home made dinner at least 4 times in a 7 week. We have 1 daughter and we both work. We live in Delano, and we both have to commute daily to Bakersfield for school and work while our daughter goes to school in Delano. It surely ain't easy, and we both cook dinner, as a matter of fact tonight was my day to cook dinner. Even with all this we can have a just as satisfying and conversation filled dinner outside of the home. Furthermore, we can still have little life lessons outside the home with dinner as well. A simple walk from the car to the restaurant or having dinner from a fast food place but eating at a park are all examples of eating outside the home, but seem perfectly appropriate and benefiting to a family environment. As for the culture or change of such a culture, I would say that this number is a direct result of a culture satisfied by instant gratification. I'm sure people say why waste time making a meal, when they can go to a restaurant or fast food place and have that instant gratification of a meal that they find delicious.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing to see that the statistics are really high. Our generation should make an effort to start cooking home meals at home to change the future generation’s statistics.
DeleteI would have to say this asolutely matters. For one, if people are eating 75% of their outside of home that means you might be way to busy. I feel now a days that America is in a rush and always on the go to achieve success. This hinders a family life and quality time that either cooking or eating with the people you choose too goves you. I for one, have just started to cook all my meals to keep my health in check and in peak performance. This has allowed me to take time out of my day for myself, and catch up on my culinary skills (which I feel is a dying skill) and enjoy the food with the people I care about. This allows me to keep my family and friends close and stay up to date with each others lives. Then I'm able to carry on with my day to be as productive as possible. I feel without taking time out of your day for yourself and the people your closest with, you end up living a more meaningful life.
ReplyDeleteI think this changes culture because it usually means you're away from your home most of your life. Your home is supposed to be your sanctuary and if you spend most of your time outside of sanctuary then you miss out on family bonds and a healthy lifestyle. I feel America is in such a rush all the time and it leads to a high stress lifestyle. I think by slowing life down a little and eating at least 75% of you're meals at home allows you to live a less stressful and higher quality life.
The statistic is pretty high, but I can understand why it is. I myself am part of the statistic. However, I usually don’t buy fast food. Instead I make my breakfast and lunch and eat in my car as I am driving to school or work. Although I would like to have a sit down meal sometimes, my schedule just doesn’t allow it. I am usually up at 5:45 making lunch for my dad. As soon as I am done with his lunch, I get on the treadmill and run for about 30 minutes. Then I have to get in the shower and get ready for school. I usually make a quick breakfast before I leave and take with me. If I am running late then I try to eat on the way, but if I have a few minutes to spare I eat in the parking lot while I wait for class to start. After I am done with classes for the day I go home and get ready for work. Then I make my lunch and usually take it to work and eat there. A lot of my coworkers do the same thing because we all go to school and have to be at work right after. However, I’ve noticed that we are all very health conscious. Almost all of us bring healthy meals, with the exception of two or three people. The only time I actually get to have a meal at home is after work. I think the reason that many people don’t eat at home is for the same reason I don’t eat at home. Their schedule is just too busy. When you’re living such a fast-paced lifestyle it is easier to just eat in the car or sometimes just go through a drive thru. It is just more convenient that way. Another factor of this may be that more mothers are stepping outside the home to take on jobs. In our economy this has become a necessity for many families to survive. Mothers give up the housewife role either by choice or because their family is in need. Due to their job, they don’t have the same time or energy they did before to make a home cooked meal so they pick up something fast and easy. I do think its affected our culture because it has changed our idea of eating meals at home to finding something quick to eat on the way to school or work.
ReplyDeleteWhile I read this question it made me wonder where I had my last meal and the answer was this morning when I had breakfast at my kitchen table. I however, do not think it is hard to imagine that 75% percent of our meals are consumed outside of our homes. Thinking back throughout my college career I do not know how many times I either ate my homemade sandwich in my car or ate fast food. I think the fact that people are not eating at home does matter, because we are not slowing down and taking the time to sit down and have a meal, we instead are just rushing to eat for the most part in order to have more time to do other things. The culture in the U.S. has evolved because of this, we are always rushing to get somewhere, whether it be to work or to class, it seems that we only have a short time frame during the day to eat. I know that I am not the only one that has felt this pain of eating in a rush, because I remember some professors mentioning how they can’t talk after class because they want to get a quick bite to eat before they have their next class. Feeling too busy to sit down and truly enjoy a meal is not always the case, but I feel it is the new norm of our culture because if we work go to school or occupied doing other things we do not have the choice of what time we get to eat and when we are given the chance to eat we are aware that we are on a time frame.
ReplyDeletewow i didnt think about the time frame, but now that i read your post I agree. We dont have enough time throughout the day to eat at times and we tend to think more about other things that need to be done. Many times we rush to get a snack or the fastest thing available us in order to satisfy our hunger and move on making this a daily routine.
DeleteYes, I believe it does matter and it says a lot about the U.S for we are living a fast life. By not sitting down and eating at our home table with our families we are losing communication with them. Along with this we are also losing unity among our family values where family dinners are meant for eating and discussing each individuals daily lives. By eating outside of the house we tend to lose what unites a family together, and sadly many do not see this for it has become a popular thing to do. Society has accepted this behavior because many are alone throughout the day and find it easy to order out and eat in their cars or at their offices.
ReplyDeleteFor the most part it has become a new culture for the U.S that has broken the old, but is being accepted where many do not sit down and think of it as a bad issue to society. I believe this can harm many, especially because it can cause obesity. To conclude, I believe the U.S does not have room to talk about obesity when this new culture is taking affect and is being accepted in its country.
Nice write up but I'm not so sure I agree with you. The professor only gave us one statistic and not two. We need to have a statistic from the past to make decisions on what we can deduct from the 75% stat. Also we don't have any parameters of how the samples were pulled and who the test was run against. What if the professor told you that this was a sample test of college students between the ages of 18 and 24 attending college? Do you think most people would change their blogs? Its amazing what we all assume given such little information.
DeleteI agree with you, wholeheartedly. Dinner time at home used to be the quality communication time to find out what has really been happening with the other family members during the day. Also, we used to recieved valuable civics and life lessons at the dinner table for a very wide range of issues. We used to learn also about the rest of the world and learn quite a lot of new words to add to our vocabulary, all from the dinnertable.
DeleteThe fact that 75% of meals in the US are consumed outside the primary residence does not matter unless you would like to change the statistic. I believe that these people are doing what they want to do. They are exercising their freedom of choice. They chose to eat elsewhere and not at home. If they get fat, become unhealthy, or not, the choice is up to them on what and where they eat.
ReplyDeleteThinking of what it says about the US leads me to believe a few things. I see this as an indicator of how the restaurant business has grown and changed. Food is now prepared faster and easier to get than before. I also believe how much people value their Time and money is less than that of food. Each time someone pays for food they are expressing which they value more than the other. Exchanges are only made if its a better deal.
This statistic doesn't really change much about culture. If anything I believe that it keeps us inline with culture or show us that we are continuing in the same direction. Since the beginning of time we have been trying to make the process getting and eating food, faster and easier. With this statistic it looks like we can get food easier and faster if we go outside of our homes to eat. I'm just not sure if this also means that the time saved is spent changing or making new cultures.
This point the professor has brought up is a very serious pet peeve of mine. I have noticed over the years (10-20), that many couples and familys for that matter do not eat regularly everyday at home meals prepared by either their Mother, Father or older siblings. I strongly believe that our culture here in the United States has greatly changed by not only the availability of fast food restaurants, but also the decline in the price of the menus at many of these establishments. What is alarming is that familys will go out 3 or 4 times per week to bring home meals prepared by these fast food chains and call this dinner. Quite a few young ladies and young men for that matter have repeatedly told me that they do not know how to cook a home cooked meal. This is alarming and may be the reason for our nation's obesity problem.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree. Its very crazy to see that sometimes we might think we are the only ones seeing this problem, but in fact we all are. Its a culture now obviously. its a part of most all of our lives here in America.
DeleteThis absolutely says something about American culture. The fact that 75% of Americans are eating meals outside of the primary residence reflects the fact that we are a very fast paced and "do whatever is more efficient" culture. It is easier to eat at a restaurant than to cook a meal at home and it's more efficient to go through a drive-through window instead of sitting with others and eating. The unfortunate thing about this is that although we are much more time efficient, we often reprioritize time spent with others (whether it be friends or family) further back. I think this contributes to very superficial relationships instead of intentional intimate relationships.
ReplyDeleteI HAVE BECOME A HUGE CONTRIBUTER TO THIS IDEA. I DO IT ALL DAY AND EVERYDAY. I NEVER EAT AT HOME AND I HATE IT. I WISH I COULD BUT IM TOO BUSSY. I HAVE TO BE PLACES AT CERTAIN TIMES AND FAILURE TO SATISFY DEPRESSES ME. THEREFORE, I DO NOT ALLOW MYSELF TO MISS A MEAL SO THAT I CAN STAY HEALTHY, SO I HAVE TO GO OUT AND EAT SO THAT I WONT BE LATE KBECAUSE I HAD TO GO ALL THE WAY HOME (WHICH IS USUALLY TWENTY MINUTES AWAY FROM WHERE I NEED TO GO) TO EAT. Does eating in the car, the office, a restaurant, etc. matter? I SAY IT DOES MATTER HEALTH WISE, TIME WISE, AND PLEASURE WISE. ONCE EATING OUT IS A DAILY TASK ITS LIKE A NORM AND EATING AT HOME IS LIKE THE RESTRAUNT I WISH I CAN GO TO. What does it say about the U.S.? THAT PEOPLE ARE HERE TO BE BUSSY AND USE TIME WISELY. I THINK THE ONLY REASON WHY THIS EVEN HAPPENED WAS BECAUSE TIME NEEDS TO BE SPENT DOING SOMETHING BETTER LIKE SOME OTHERS HAVE SAID. Does it change a culture? ALOT! I THINK THIS CAN EVEN BE THE CAUSE OF OBESITY AND THE GREATE OUTCOME OF FASTFOOD RESTROUNTS AND HIGHER FOOD PRICES. THEY KNOW WE WILL COME. IM LUCKY THOUGH, SOME DONT EAT AT ALL AND THAT LEADS TO BULIMIA SOMETIMES AND DEPRESSION (WELL BOTH CAN). NOT ONLY THAT BUT WOW WE CAN JUST KEEP GOING. WE USUALLY END UP LEAVING ALL OF THAT TRASH IN OUR DESKS OR CARS AND IF EVERYONES LIKE ME, WE WOULNDT EVEN TAKE IT OUT UNTIL THE NEXT MONTH.
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