With the holidays approaching and a week away from here to look forward to, I thought it best not to leave my fridge stocked with all manner of gross and nearly-unidentifiable things. As I started to tackle the task, grimacing at the fuzzy leftover lasagna from Elizabeth's Pizza from weeks ago and a package of hotdogs whose origin cannot be traced, I wondered why it is that I cannot simply throw things away when the time comes. I've known for some time that those hot dogs were mouldering in the "crisper", but I've been unable to dispose of them until now - when they are truly toxic.
And then I realized it comes from those words, spoken by mothers across the nation attempting to force compliance with broccoli or spinach or some other offending vegetable: "There are starving children in China." It's not like I think about it when I'm considering whether to toss now or put off til later, but subconciously, I think that I can't let it go until I am certain that the food is truly beyond the pale.
This could also explain my need to clean my plate in restaurants. Aside from the fact that I'm paying for the food, I feel that it's wasteful to have ordered it and not eaten it. At a business luncheon on Thursday, several of the other ladies demurely pushed the remnants of their chocolate mousse cup toward the center of the table, unfinished. I ate every bit of mine - including the garnishing raspberries - even as I felt myself getting uncomfortably full because I could not stand the thought of it going to waste. (And maybe in that case, it had something to do with it being chocolate as well.)
Don't worry, though. Not even the starving children could make me eat the hot dogs. They'll be curbside tomorrow.
Saturday, December 16, 2006
There are Starving Children in China
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6 cat calls:
You and I suffer from the same no-throwing-away policy when it comes to food. But mine is more akin to Pee-Wee trying to save all the animals at the pet store in "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure"-- he has to save the snakes for last, because they're the grossest.
I have the same problem, and was just thinking I need to tackle our fridge and its hidden Tupperware horrors. In particular, there's some Rotel/Velveeta cheese dip I just don't want to think about... although, I have hopes that "cheese food" doesn't mold as quickly as actual cheese, so I might be spared?
It's wishful thinking, I know. But if it's still good, I could FedEx it over to China...
I also have issues with wasting food, and for the longest time I was a total freak about cleaning my plate. I read a great article one time, though, that has helped me a little bit. It was an article about healthy eating, and the author was saying that a lot of people eat more than they should because they don't want food to go to "waste." And then the author pointed out that if all that extra food is just dangling off your thighs or adding to your waistline, it's still being wasted. So that has helped me a little, even though I still feel a bit of guilt every time I don't clean my plate. And I always feel terrible every time I let food go to waste in the fridge. . . it's a total tragedy to me every time it happens.
Actually, I'd venture to say that we don't have to go all the way to China or SE Asia or Africa, for that matter, for us to see starving children. It's rather unfair for our parents (or their generation) to have created difference by separating "us" from "them"... Maybe I would have eaten my vegetables if I'd been reminded that my neighbors and not some un-named, un-recognizable children elsewhere on the globe, were also hungry. Playing the "privilege" card between me and the "other" wasn't effective then, so maybe something different is needed...? Besides, I don't know if any of my fridge stuffs would be fitting for panda consumption...
yeahhhhhh, what up, ladies. (sorry, it was a little too girly in here).
what about the starving children here in australia?? (dDONT MEAN TO SOUND RUDE) but the kids here in australia arent getting anything/help like the kids over seas. for the kids over seas we have the 40 hour famine but what do we have for the kids here in australia nothing. and it isnt fair i say. i have the same problem i hate throwing food out and that is why a couple days before my foods date runs out i take it to a homeless shelter and they eat it so then my food isnt going to waste
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