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A review by sunshine608
The American Way of Eating: Undercover at Walmart, Applebee's, Farm Fields and the Dinner Table by Tracie McMillan
I really enjoy reading foodie type books. I love Marion Nestle and Michael Pollan and the like that I even have a label for these type of books. Upon seeing this, I was immediately intrigued but after finishing it I'm left wondering what I was supposed to get out of this.
This book is like Nickle and Dimed meets Michael Pollan or Marion Nestle. A journalist goes undercover to follow the produce chain. She starts by working in the fields of California picking garlic,grapes and other American produce staples. She then "follows" the produce to Walmart's in Michigan where she goes undercover to the Walmart world. The book ends with her undercover at Applebees in NYC.
I'm not sure there was anything that was groundbreaking for me. The weakest part of the book for me was Applebees which I just couldn't get into as much as the other two section. I wondered why she choose Apple bees in NYC instead of in staying in Michigan or Middle America. I did enjoy her statements in that section of how Applebes and most causal dining restraints like are pretty much just fancy, marked up Hamburger Helper.
I found the Walmart portion the most interesting and sometimes I lost site that this was supposed to be about produce. The Walmart culture could have been a book in itself. I struggled at times keeping it all together because sometimes it felt like parts didn't flow together seamlessly.
Overall, this provides a very brief overview. It might be good for those newly interested on the subject of American Food Culture mainly because it pretty straight forward in depicting some staples of America- Walmart and Applebes. There was some interesting points and I learned a lot about Walmart's culture and just how many of the farm workers that help feed us are taken advantage of. Very eye opening on those aspects, the rest just reinforced the sad state of American food culture. Regardless, Its a struggle and I'm glad that Ms McMillian portrayed what its like to have to choose between healthy food and food that fits a certain lifestyles ( i.e. based on budget or time concern).
This book is like Nickle and Dimed meets Michael Pollan or Marion Nestle. A journalist goes undercover to follow the produce chain. She starts by working in the fields of California picking garlic,grapes and other American produce staples. She then "follows" the produce to Walmart's in Michigan where she goes undercover to the Walmart world. The book ends with her undercover at Applebees in NYC.
I'm not sure there was anything that was groundbreaking for me. The weakest part of the book for me was Applebees which I just couldn't get into as much as the other two section. I wondered why she choose Apple bees in NYC instead of in staying in Michigan or Middle America. I did enjoy her statements in that section of how Applebes and most causal dining restraints like are pretty much just fancy, marked up Hamburger Helper.
I found the Walmart portion the most interesting and sometimes I lost site that this was supposed to be about produce. The Walmart culture could have been a book in itself. I struggled at times keeping it all together because sometimes it felt like parts didn't flow together seamlessly.
Overall, this provides a very brief overview. It might be good for those newly interested on the subject of American Food Culture mainly because it pretty straight forward in depicting some staples of America- Walmart and Applebes. There was some interesting points and I learned a lot about Walmart's culture and just how many of the farm workers that help feed us are taken advantage of. Very eye opening on those aspects, the rest just reinforced the sad state of American food culture. Regardless, Its a struggle and I'm glad that Ms McMillian portrayed what its like to have to choose between healthy food and food that fits a certain lifestyles ( i.e. based on budget or time concern).