(the following were taken from real phone conversations between Ryann and myself)
R: Chicken from Wal-Mart, still in the bag, thawed out for two days in the fridge. What do you think?
K: Does it smell ok?
R: Yes.
K: Go for it.
K: Yogurt, expired three days ago, unopened? Still good?
R: Definitely. I have eaten it a week after it has expired.
K: Chicken, unopened, three days 'til it goes bad, but it smells really weird. Do you think its bad or just the packaging picked up some funky odors?
R: Toss it. No doubt about it. Why risk it?
This dialogue could go on and on. It seems that every week, one of us is calling the other with some question about the healthfulness of food that deep down we understand is unsafe. Sausage, roast, eggs, hamburger meat- nothing is exempt. Why do we push the issue? On one hand, we realize that those that label food have to be extra precautious concerning the general masses of Americans purchasing food. I mean, they have reason to worry. Tomato farmers are fixing to sue the powers that be over that salmonella scare earlier this summer. So I feel that sometimes, the dates are guidelines that will keep us safe if followed, but its a proceed at your own risk if they are disregarded.
For Ryann and I, I really think that not respecting the food authorities is not the issue at all. I think that we--I will proceed on my own from here on out-- I think that I am just really lazy and procrastinate too much. I procrastinate cooking the meals I planned until they are of a questionable smell, color, expiration date. Then laziness takes over and I refuse to go to the store to remedy my situation, choosing a possible food-borne illness to venturing out into the world in search of safe meals. I also want to point out that this has nothing to do with me being frugal and not wanting to waste food. I am actually fine to throw out 3 unopened containers of cottage cheese that expired before the fourth of July, and not think twice about the cost.
So the sum of it all is that I will feed my family food that is of questionable nutritional value and associated with potential health risks. Normal? Not sure. But that uncertainty is not enough to make me more label conscious, or un-lazy.
4 comments:
From Suzer Puze - "It's 'ignorant' to keep buying food when you already have a fridge that's full of food. It's just wasting money. And I don't believe that the children's digestive systems deserve to be treated the same as you would a dog. So it's not normal."
From your aunt (the one who is trusting her children's lives to you soon) I fed Seth and myself some moldy cheese recently. It was grated in a bag and well...I didn't see the green bacteria that was hidden in the far reaches. After a few bites, we realized it was not the taste we were anticipating.
I thought of you as I was making myself lunch today. I had some questionable chicken in my fridge and I said, "Hey, Katie and Ryann would eat it." So, I ate it too. I didn't make abby eat it though.
Looks like your questionable food practices are spreading via your blog.
skater..i think this happens to everyone..even suzer puze. i myself at some suspicious looking cheese today, just tore off the 'bad' part and ate on. don't feel bad about it either. rock on. the kids will be fine.
This post makes me smile. I would say you were speaking for both of us--completely. Perhaps another goal...use the food I buy on the night I planned. Too much? Organization, getting skinny, AND follow through...What would people do with THAT kind of Ryann??
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