Eggo Panic
I was sitting over my breakfast in the cafeteria the other day when I spotted this article in the Star Tribune. Apparently, there is a “nationwide shortage” of Eggo frozen waffles due to “interruptions in production at two of the four plants that make them.” Bloggers and news sources alike have been following the story in hordes, some in seriousness, as does the Star Tribune, and others with just a hint of sarcasm, as Stephen Colbert does in this clip.
Believe it or not, these “vintage waffles” have already hit the virtual shelves of Ebay, selling for $49.99 for two boxes. It’s true: A nationwide emergency is on hand! What do people EAT for breakfast if not Eggo waffles???
Actually, there are quite a few other options. But Eggos are just one of the many processed breakfast foods that many people — especially kids — eat on a daily basis. Even if they were generally healthy for you — see the not-so-nutritious facts here — Eggos would still perpetuate the industrial agricultural model that dominates the food system by using processed and enriched grain products.
To combat these issues, try eating fresh, local fruit for breakfast, if it’s in season. Or you could even make your own waffles, using as many local or organic ingredients as you can find. If you’re concerned about the time it takes to cook in the morning, make a big batch on the weekend and then freeze them for the week. It’s like eating frozen Eggos — except more delicious.
But there’s a problem here: the cost. Eggos usually cost somewhere around $2 for a box. If you want to buy fresh fruit or fresh ingredients for waffles, you have to spend more money. This brings up one of the major issues with the local and organic food movements: How are people supposed to support the movement if they can’t afford it? Eating well shouldn’t be a class issue, as a comment on my last post noted. It’s easy to understand why less-privileged consumers wouldn’t want to spend money on expensive local food if they are struggling to eat.
Luckily, there are many organizations already trying to remedy this problem. Here’s a video — produced in part by a fellow Ole, Jensen Power — from Growing Gardens, an organization in Portland, Oregon. This organization plants urban gardens for low-income households to promote food security as well as healthy, local eating.
I’d love to hear your thoughts about Eggos, breakfast, or the cost of food.
