Feeling righteous indignation about eating competitions? Maybe you shouldn't.
(I include myself too, because heaven knows I'm no stranger to righteous indignation!)
I'm getting a bit ahead here, though, and you're probably wondering what in the world I'm talking about.
Every Fourth of July here in the USA, there's a hot-dog-eating content held in New York and people manage to eat 60+ hot dogs in 10 minutes in order to win prizes (the 1st place is $10,000!)
Even if you like to eat hot dogs, the spectacle is sort of disgusting. Sixty hot dogs and buns is just crazy.
And if you're passionate about things like world hunger or food waste, watching someone down dozens of hot dogs can make you feel a bit righteously indignant.
Why would you wastefully stuff yourself with unnecessary food when people around the planet are starving?
Isn't this the opposite of compassion?
Pretty much every year, someone, somewhere has something disparaging to say about America's values, based on the hot dog eating contest.
I'm not exempt from this...competitive eating is kind of gross to me. And watching competitive eating shows is sort of like watching trashy reality TV: the behavior is so unusual and beyond our comprehension, it makes us feel self-righteous and we look down on the people we're watching.
But what I realized this year is that competitive eating is just as easy a target as reality TV stars. None of us are going to walk around orange-skinned, half-naked in spike heels and have knock-down, drag-out fights in public. And none of us are going to eat 60 hot dogs in a day.
So, it's easy to look at that sort of thing and condemn it.
But in doing that, I think we give ourselves a free pass...when we're busy condemning someone else, sometimes we forget to turn an eye on our own behavior.
Could the starving people of the world have used those hots dogs and buns? Certainly.
Do competitive eaters need the food they're consuming? Nope.
But I don't think those are the questions we ought to be asking ourselves. I think we should look a little closer to home.
How many of us have bought food we didn't need?
How many of us regularly eat more food than we need?
How often do we buy food and let it rot?
Just how bad is our food waste problem?
The average American throws away 1.5 pounds of food every day.
And we waste 25% of the food we bring into our homes.
I don't know many pounds of food are consumed by competitive eaters in a year, but it surely must be negligible when compared to the amount American households waste on a regular basis.
That's sobering, isn't it?
But sobering is good, because if we realize our behavior is more reprehensible than that of competitive eaters, we might be inspired to do something about it.
Instead of wasting energy fretting about competitive eating, which we can do little about, let's pour that energy into being more responsible food consumers ourselves.
Need some help getting started?
These are my top ten ways to stop wasting food.
Also, here's how I manage to keep my food waste low while still buying plenty of produce.
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Well said, thank you!
thank you for the reality check. i , too, am one of the self-rightious people you were talking about . i, too, have bought and wasted food . not nearly as much since i have been foloowing your blog.
i just never compared the two before. thank you .
You're right that it's so much easier to point at other people than to try to be serious and humble about our own mistakes. Thanks for this.
I have one more somewhat-kooky way of avoiding food waste. I fill up water jugs and stick them at the back of the fridge. (On the lower shelves, I have to turn them sideways to fit them in, but it's worth it). This way, not only do I always have extra water on hand in case of emergencies, but food can't slip to the back of the fridge and get lost there. All the food stays at the front where my family can see and remember to eat it.
It's humbling when you catch yourself doing it, isn't it? (speaking from experience here)
It's ridiculously easy to see what other people are doing wrong and not so easy to see what I'm doing wrong. I wish it were the other way around!
Very good post! I am OH SO Guilty! I have heard it said that it is so much easier to get the toothpick out of your neighbor's eye than the log in your own eye. I was hit and convicted on the part where you said eating more than you really need. Ouch:)!
ooooo, I'm really really guilty about the head of lettuce turning to slime in my fridge. In my defense, my family was taken with a horrible stomach bug that lasted several days right when I bought the lettuce, and no one feels up to trying something so.....fibrous, shall we say....at the moment.
Don't stress out about that! A single rotten head of lettuce and a stomach bug aren't everyday occurrences for you, I'm sure. Just get better and then you can worry about eating up all the food in your fridge. : )
I so agree with you about watching that hot dog eating contest. Totally grosses me out! Makes me sick to my stomach.
Gosh, I've never fretted about competitive eating -- until now. Thanks Kristen:) 😉
Ha! Well, try not to think about it. =P
I think restuarants, grocery stores and other food serving institutions must be counted in that 1 1/2 lbs food wasted daily. There is no way average people throw away that much each. Thats 42 lbs a week for a family of 4 of real food waste.
Averages (which we usually use to refer to the sum divided by the count) are only one way of telling a story and can hide skew within a set of observations. So, yes, 1.5 lbs per person per day might seem ridiculous but it hides that some people waste very little and others waste quite a lot. We can't tell from the average what the distribution of food waste poundage looks like across all the people/families of America.
But to be honest, how can they even figure out an average? I mean, okay, they can average how much food people buy based on grocery stores, etc. Hard to figure what people grow themselves and even harder to figure out how much of that is wasted. IE they aren't going through the trash and separating out the food waste are they? They aren't spying in our backyards to see what goes in a compost pile? They aren't straining all the water we send down the garbage disposal and weighing the food waste. How can they really decide how much is wasted? And from the stats I have seen, more is wasted in the production of food and getting to our tables probably than on our tables and in our refrigerators.
I agree with you on this. I believe that most "statistics" are made up. Even taking a sample behavior from 100 people will have inaccurate results. Besides, people would just guess at how much food they waste (or whatever) because very few people actually track things like this.
I do think it's safe to say that we probably waste a lot in America.
It truly depends on the study, and I think it is dangerous to dismiss statistics as made up, it allows people to dismiss anything that doesn't fit with their previous ideas/knowledge. It is better to research the parameters of the study to understand how they came to their numbers. Depending on the study, it could be that they asked families to put all food related waste in a certain receptacle for a certain number of weeks and weighed it at the end of each week. The validity of the study would be based on them controlling all portions of the study so that they were truly measuring food waste.
I never thought about it like that... thanks for opening my eyes.
I agree with you for the most part, but I also think there is a HUGE difference between actively trying to prevent food waste at home (and failing at times) and purposely gorging yourself/wasting food in an eating competition.
You're right, though - fretting about and/or judging others for what they're doing/not doing isn't going to fix a much larger problem. Taking responsibility for what we can control is, as usual, the best way to spend our energy and time.
"be the change you want to see in the world....."
Oh yes, I would agree with you.
But a large number of American households aren't actively trying to prevent waste.
I have noticed lately whenever and where ever I go food shopping that the QUALITY of the food has now become questionable. At times, rather than throw out the food, I lug it back to the food store and request and get a refund. But how much gas and human energy am I wasting in the first place?
Last night I opened up a package of freshly bought chicken and it was rancid! Also, the watermelon I bought had a rotten edge and was inedible. This was from a top-notch, local gourmet shop!!!!
Also, this is not the first time happening. It seems to becoming the norm that the quality of our foods have been deteriorating. Other than raising my own chickens and turning my backyard into a farmland, I don't know what to do? Accept it?
Have others experienced this lately? I think our current economic crisis has squeezed everyone and everything.
I also detest food contests. It's revolting.
I've pretty much given up buying fresh fruit at regular grocery stores because I never seem to get good-tasting, quality stuff regardless of the price I pay. And I feel no qualms about testing a blueberry or grape from a bunch because I'm tired of buying so much bad stuff! Too bad it's not possible for oranges, melons, and other large fruits... THAT's the kind of waste that makes me saddest, because I can't do anything about it without ruining my diet.
Is there a study somewhere that links American foodwaste to a problem in worldwide hunger? Otherwise, American's not throwing out food doesn't prevent anyone else from going hungry does it? Unless someone took the savings they had from not wasting food and regularly donated it to foreign food relief or infrastructure solutions for the food chains in areas where food is scarce?
That's a good question and I know of no strong studies either way.
What is known that the most significant cause of hunger in the world is war, second most significant cause is bad politics. It's been decades since bad harvests have been severe and widespread enough to be the cause of famine. We harvest enough calories.
That's more true of worldwide hunger than it is in countries like ours, correct?
American Wasteland talked a lot about how we grow enough food to feed everyone, we just have a lot of problems distributing it.
In developing countries, the bulk of the waste happens in the field and in transport/storage. Disease, drought and critters destroy crops in the field for lack of irrigation and pest control. Food molds, becomes infected, or gets eaten by critters before it becomes a meal for lack of refrigerated transport, sealed storage, and inefficient food processing (such as tossing grain in the open air to winnow it).
In developed countries, more of the waste happens in the grocery store and in the home. I, too, would like to know where restaurant and food hall waste falls - makes sense it'd be included in the 1.5 lb. figure. I waste very little food at home but when on the road - ouch, it hurts!
In the past couple of months I saw a chart that showed food waste by region (N America, South Asia, etc) and by type (field, transport, table). It was either The Economist or WastedFood.com, but I can't find it at either.
I can't remember if he addresses that specifically but you might like Jonathan Blooms book American Wasteland about food waste. It really changed the way I deal with food in my house. I think I found it because of Kristen, or maybe it was Katy at nonconsumeradvocate.com. He also has a web site, wastedfood.com.
Yeah, that's the only way I personally feel they're connected...if you buy wisely and use your food, you'll save money, and you could donate that money to a responsible organization that works to help people access water and food.
But typically, the unhappy responses I see to competitive eating mention world hunger, as in, "How can we eat food like this when there are people who are starving??" So, that's why I mentioned it.
I think it's totally knee-jerk and not a thought out response, which is, to be fair, what a lot of people do when they hear about things initially. Upon further investigation things are not so clear cut as many would like to think, and there are more layers to many issues than individuals can always know. It's hard to be able to come to firm decisions about how best to effect things you want to.
I think the larger point that you make that you cut down on food waste because it's good for your families bottom-line is something clear cut, and it can keep you mindful for ways to pass on things to others.
Yes! And I totally understand the reaction, because it was mine initially as well. It's only as I've pondered this more that I've had a little change in focus.
I have seen little in the way of studies that link how much one eats or wastes in the first world really affecting the third world. IE we could argue that if grocery store sells less, then in time they buy less and maybe farmers grow something else that is more profitable, but I doubt they are shipping it to third world nations no matter what my eating and wasting habits are. But I should still minimize my waste, as it saves me money, does make the economy more efficient, etc. But I don't think it really helps the third world. Even though, maybe it does, if we extend it out far enough into the future, but don't really know.
I definitely agree that we often need to take a more critical eye to our own behaviors rather than laying judgment on everyone else.
Another area, though, that was left out is consumption habits in the first place. Not only are we over-buying, but we are also generally over-eating. Both reducing our waste and amounts we eat would be beneficial in numerous ways!
Yup, I mentioned that by asking how many of us eat more food than we need. : ) We might not be eating 60 hot dogs, but a lot of us in industrialized countries consume more food than is necessary.
It's a very good point! About a year ago I read a book called "Lose Weight Without Dieting - The Animal Kingdom Way." (free on Kindle)
The author's point was that the main cause of obesity is overconsumption! It really changed the way I think about food.
Once again, you've written a meaningful and thought-provoking post. I've lately become irritated with the number of bloggers that post stuff that is GARBAGE (incorrect information, poorly written, sub-par content, etc.). Yours is one of the few that I look forward to every day! Thank you for so eloquently writing this reflective post.
Fantastic post! This is sobering for sure! While my husband and I work *very* hard to not waste food, we still do. I have been embarrased a time or two on the amount of trash we put out for trash pick-up.
Like you, Kristen, we try to make a game of not having any food waste. Whomever is cooking that night is challenged to creatively use as much of our leftovers as possible to make an entirely new meal. It's quite the compliment to hear, "Wow, excellent use of leftovers!". What can I say, we're a bit cheesy sometimes.
There's a show on in the UK imported from the US called Man V Food. I didn't know what it was, so watched it. I won't be watching again - just didn't get it at all. People were cheering as he made his way through mountains of chilli. It all seemed rather pointless to me.
When it comes to reducing waste, eating for the sake of it isn't the best solution as we know. What I've done here is I've reduced the amount of groceries that we have to hand so that we eat for the coming week (with a few dry emergency goods). It is working for us. Portion sizes have reduced and we have minimal waste each week (although not always entirely eliminated). To reduce food waste, reduce the amount of food purchased. My grocery spend is 50% what is was this time last year, and no-one is going hungry.
The wastage stats in the UK on 'on average' £600 worth of wasted food per family - which when you consider this is post-tax - you'd need to earn substantially more than that to cover the wasted food cost. This could easily equate to the cost of a family holiday in the UK for a week. (It'd rain though whilst you were there ;-))
Well said! I would love, love, love to visit the UK. Living in New Mexico, USA, rain would be a wonderful change!
Another great post, Kristen. Makes us think. Personally, I still rank food contests just below putting two guys in a ring and having them punch each other silly.
Ah, yes. I've never quite gotten the point of that myself.
Hi Kristen,
According to a U.N. study last year, we actually waste 33% of all food. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13364178.
Crazy huh?
This is a topic I feel strongly about too and I've written about it on my website. Maybe we should do a food waste collaboration some day or coordinate an event bringing more awareness (and hopefully action) to this serious problem?
Excellent, very thought-provoking article! Thank you~
I love this! I have found that whenever I feel righteous indignation, it's usually a pretty good indicator that I need to take a closer look at my OWN life.
Is eating 60 hot dogs at once wasteful? Well, sure. But you could argue that so is, say, a fireworks display (think of all the children that could have been fed for that amount of money!). Or a house in which each child gets his own bedroom. Or having more of *anything* than we truly need. We all have a lot of self-examining to do, and at least competitive eating is so "other" that everyone seems to understand it's only in fun and not 'normal' behavior. While lots of what we consider 'normal' is probably a lot more damaging overall.
What strikes me is that food-eating competitions are a fringe activity. It is easy to focus on the "fringe" of any movement or society as they are so unusual or shocking.
As Kristen points out much more waste - be it overeating or thrown-out food - occurs in the normal, day-to-day way most Americans live.
Sigh - I need to admit to being part of the overeating crowd.
Another thought-provoking post Kristen - thanks.
I look at those reality shows, overeating shows, and girl-cat-fight shows and think of one thing--fifth, sixth, and seventh-grade boys, and a main audience who wants to reach that inner boy-child, for a half-hour or so! I rib my guys all the time about that, and about the giant male soap-operas, Mad Men and The Sopranos.
I don't watch them; they don't appeal to me, but I DO love watching cooking shows. The fancier the better! And you wonder about all the uneccesary food that's used up to make the perfect dinner, at home or out? How much is spent on expensive, resource-intensive foods to make our every meal a flavorful feast? How many resources could be saved if we all learned to eat more simply every day instead of making so many fancy dinners, and lunches with all the trimmings? I'm excluding holidays and family celebrations; just thinking about the everday.
I am trying to go as "from the farm" as I can, living in the middle of a big city in the middle of a desert. The fresh food--raw meats and veggies--at Wal-Mart take up the outside walls. All the rest of the store is stuff I love--rich, flavorful, lots of extras--the kinds of food that are not good for my diet now nor my health in a decade. All those cooking shows, advertisements, and restaurants around have, unfortunately, raised my expectations of what a good meal is all about, probably well above what it should be.
So I think we have excess all over the place here. I agree with Kristen's point about moderation in all things! BJ
The quickest way to stop wasting food at home is to start a compost bin and start raising chickens. Give the scraps that are good for the hens to them and the rest goes in the compost bin.
Great Post!
This year my family made a significant move and due to odd circumstances we ended up living in a hotel room (no kitchen) for 3 months. At first we ate out quite a bit, but the amount of food waste that I was contributing at restaurants caused me to make-do with a crock pot and park grills. We rarely had more than we needed for the day since we had no storage space. Now that we're back in a house with a normal kitchen I've struggled with food purchases because we buy more and have more varied options than we need. Finding balance--a healthy varied diet but having only what is necessary--is hard!
I totally agree. When I find myself in that judgemental frame of mind I try to remember the Ghandi quote "Be the change you want to see in this world".
Very important point raised by you Kristen! I think this craziness also has got to do with the term 'being a foodie'. Usually, when someone says 'I am a foodie, and I love food', it means 'I love food and I stuff myself with it till I am completely out of breath!'. So if someone says they love cakes they will stuff themselves up. So love for food is equated with 'quantity that you eat' and not how you savor even a small bite or small portion.
Even I find such competitions so idiotic because it is humanly impossible to consume humongous amount of food, (and that too fast food).
I had heard about a case of a college student who took part in a competition to drink aerated drinks and had to be hospitalized for drinking more than 2 litres of soda. It's crazy!
Well, I must say that just thinking about eating competitions and over-eating in general makes my stomach hurt. Not that I never do it, mind you - I think I went a muffin too far just today!
But I mainly want to applaud you for calling us all on the carpet about our self-righteous indignation - it's our national sport as far as I can tell, and I'm just as guilty as the next person. But you are so right, people in glass houses should not throw stones or else you end up where we so often are in this country - walking around on shards of glass! And I'm righteously indignant about it! Oy.
I'm finding it hard to afford food at the moment so as you can imagine I find this kinda thing appalling. I am so sick of walking past KFC,Macdonalds etc and seeing the amount of food wasted. People if you are not that hungry dont buy so much or buy at all. Last night at my book club I saw someone spend the equivalent of my currently weekly shopping budget on a plate with three teeny pots of varieties of houmous, toasted pitta triangles and a few leaves and leave half the pittas, the leaves and 2 of the types of houmous.. meanwhile I was sitting there hungry and embarrassed cos the group had remarked I didnt buy myself a drink.
Eating competitions disgust me. I think if more people who are disgusted by this kind of thing spoke out, there might be less of this glorified gluttony. There is also the fact that silence implies consent, and consent encourages more of the same behavior.
I also think it's important for all of us to look at our own bad habits and work on changing them. That's positive action that we can take, and feel good about.
What would speaking out against a hobby do? Do you think those people are really glorified in any real sense of the word? Their bodies are theirs to do with as they choose, you don't have to approve, obviously, but what will censure really do in terms of any real world effect to anyone beyond that person, who probably doesn't care what people not in the competitive food world thinks?
No, the people are not glorified - the gluttony is. If speaking out about things like this influences even one person, then it's worth it. I don't mean yelling, screaming, or picketing, but discussing or commenting on it as the situation calls for. Even more so if the people you're talking to are your children.