"Meanwhile, Professor Pollan, eat all the "plants" you like -- but don't try to pry me from my Haagan-Dazs dark chocolate ice cream. I bought it at Safeway, and it's sitting on my IKEA kitchen table."
... so states Charlotte Allen in her Los Angeles Times OpEd that was published in Sunday's paper.
Here's the link to the entire opinion piece:
Keep your self-righteous fingers off my processed food
Truthfully I feel conflicted about Ms. Allen's piece, an opinion piece that critically evaluates a new book by Ellen Ruppel Shell. Shell's book "Cheap" (which I have not read, or actually even heard of until today) explores America's constant pursuit of the cheap commodity and the damages it causes to our society and environment.
Anyway, the piece is critical of the sustainable/local food movements and how these movements to some degree take for granted the availability of inexpensive food and commodities . I must say I do appreciate the availability of choice in our marketplace today (including my much loved and appreciated IKEA bookshelf and my closet full of Target and H&M wardrobe pieces) and though I can't say I fully agree with Charlotte Allen's point of view, I do think that it is a great way to continue the conversation about the way in which the sustainable/local/green food and commodity movement must learn to move beyond white middle and upper class America in order to be successful.
Isn't Haagan-Dazs one of the most expensive ice cream pops out there?! She's not a very good saver. Anyways, thanks for the article! I enjoy reading the "other side" of the foodie arguement because I feel I am still in the middle of it all. I can't shop at Whole Foods, buy artisan cheese or bread when I like and I also can't buy Haagan-Dazs either. It isn't expensive to eat local when you grow your own food though. What I find exciting in San Diego is the surge of new organizations promoting and helping others start their own garden or be a part of a new community garden. I think that is the right way to go about eating local and fresh foods for the lower and middle class individuals.
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