Why my mom thinks I’m a freak for making homemade guac and other food differences between CA and OH
by HeatherMy mom has been visiting from Ohio lately and there were some really awesome things about having her around: Holden loves her, she seems to like to do our laundry, she’s funny and kind, and she likes to pay for things when she visits.
But there’s one favor that I can’t ask her to do… or well, I can ask, and I have asked, but I almost always regret it. I can’t ask her to shop for our groceries (unattended).
On Sunday, I took a badly-needed nap and she volunteered to go the grocery store for the “essentials” and the list looked something like this:
- Organic, Clover milk 1% (green cap)
- Alfaro’s 6 grain bread (green label)
- green bananas
“How funny, everything’s green… do you want to look in my fridge to familiarize yourself with the packaging?” No, she didn’t and she set off for the store.
I napped.
I awoke to her coming in the door with bags brimming with stuff including:
- green bananas - check!
- Alvarado 7 grain bread (also green label as she showed me but otherwise all different)
- not so organic milk
- assorted impulse buys like cherry pie (we like apple) and cookies
While I was so appreciative that she had spared me a trip AND helped me get a nap, I was also pretty frustrated that my very specific list was pretty much ignored. And it struck me that the kinds of things I find Healthy are almost the exact opposite as what my mom finds Healthy.
For instance, I try to feed my family organic when it’s practical and I focus on whole foods and stuff without a lot of ingredients. Mom is thoroughly flummoxed every time I poo-poo the low-fat muffin she picked out for me or the “Now with artificial sweetener” diet cookie she thought for sure I’d want.
Is this a generational thing? A geographical thing? A just my-family-thing?
If you want to read about finding the cheapest, freshest, localest food around, check out this old post on getrichslowly. I find this kind of thing fascinating and helpful.
If you think I’m a total ingrate whose both forgotten my roots and become a Berkeley freak, tell me off in the comments (gently please, I’ve just undergone a long weekend of that already).
Stumble it!
March 19th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
You are a Berkeley Freak! Ha, we just joined the Full Belly Farm CSA (www.fullbellyfarm.com). I made a Rutabaga Carrot Soup tonight and as I ate it I wondered what my parents would think! I mean, where’s the meat?!!
Also, check out this blog:
http://www.healthylunchbox.blogspot.com/
March 20th, 2008 at 9:01 am
I think it is a matter of questioning our traditions. Your mom was probably raised that way and minimally (if at all) questions what is in the food (ingredients, pesticides, etc), where as you probably question these things and are more aware of “green” (ha ha) eating and its benefits. Just my thoughts. I know where you are coming from… my family basically called me a tree-hugger for eating organic, etc. Whatever.
March 20th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
I shop like you and so does my mom, but my mil would do that. She just doesn’t get it, but sh tries!
March 24th, 2008 at 6:12 am
Coke is my battlefield. Apparently, I’m the meanest mommy ever because I don’t allow Coke!
March 26th, 2008 at 5:50 am
my mil scoffs at our organic foodstuffs “your husband didnt eat organic and he is fine” yes but he also could live on hotdogs alone..my own mom (who bought cookies and sugar cereal for us growing up) will go out of her way to get organic stuff for her grandchildren, but i think it is only because she likes to go to the farmers market!
March 30th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
oh this is a tricky one isn’t it…i wonder how much i can criticize the choices my mom makes when she’s getting on a bus to come here and watch my daughter so i can go to the dermatologist! but then again, turn your back on her and she’ll have cut your kid’s hair, you know? course my mom won’t touch guac with a ten foot pole. homemade or otherwise. and she loves the caffeine free diet coke. which i have a bit of a weakness for myself i must admit. anyhoo, i think her only problem with organic is that it costs more and that just violates everything she believes in. though she’s on board with it in principle. i think she’s just glad she didn’t have to buy it when i was young.