this post was submitted on 20 Sep 2023
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Please, do!
Happy to. This is very US centric and not applicable to many other countries.
Back in the 70s the big bois of processed foods started advertising processed foods. Their marketing guys realised that convenience, in many cases, wins when it comes to perceptions. This is one reason why cornflakes took off. After they stopped advertising it as an anti masturbation food. They found that especially on sundays wives had to wake up way earlier to make food for their families before they all had to go to church. So they started advertising it towards women. Some adopted it because it just meant that they could now sleep longer or be less stressed on sundays. Eventually there was more stuff that was relatively quick. Cornflakes, canned beans, canned something. Premade things that you just had to warm up. And they all had something in common. They werent really nutritious and a bit expensive. But the convenience of them paid off. And if many people adopt something as the new normal it becomes normal. Now it was a normal thing to eat something quick in the morning, like cornflakes or premade sandwiches. Or the new cool thing that was even more convenient. But the things being advertised and slowly adopted were shit. Nutrition and price eventually succumbed to the promise of time savings. How much time does it take to eat rice and veggies in the morning? Lets say you made it all the day before. 10 minutes of plate > warm up> sit down > eat > clean up.
But this isnt enough. You are used to 10 minutes already. Your boss now wants you to come in at 8. You wake up at 6 and you will be in traffic for an hour to 1 1/2. You have 30 minutes. Now 10 minutes isnt enough anymore. But now nestle has an idea. Just eat a poptart. Its got real fruit inside, tastes sweet and you just have to pop it in the toaster.
Boom, new normal. Ads are everywhere. And who are you to say no to saved time.
And that's how a whole country grows up on trash processed foods and nobody cooks anymore. Because the media, brands, your supermarkets and society tells you that a good breakfast consists of poptarts and a glass of orange juice. And dont even think of offbrands to save money! Theyre disgusting. Only eat poptarts!
Thank you for taking the time to explain, I appreciate it!
This is very different to where I live. Here our (literally communist /s) laws prevent something as ludicrous as at-will employment. Working hours and mandatory rest periods between them are regulated by laws. They cannot be circumvented by employment contracts, not even if the employee themselves wishes it. The law is the law. And I won't even talk about a minimum of a month of mandatory paid holidays per year or six months of mandatory minimum paid maternity leave.
What people eat has gone to shit here a bit as well for two similar reasons: convenience and the change in gender roles. In the past women were forced to cook at home. Now they are - finally - a bit freer. The problem is that some men refuse to cook elaborate meals instead of the women, so easy meals it is. But easy meals for us means spaghetti with homemade tomato sauce, that can be cooked in 20 mins. Or some piece of meat with some easy to prepare vegtables on the side, like frozen broccoli. Or dump whatever vegetables into a broth, boom, soup, to be eaten with whole grain bread. I don't think something like pop tarts would sell here. Even if they were they'd be considered candy, not a breakfast replacement.
I think a big difference is the quality of foods. A sandwich in the US might mean white toast 10% sugar by volume, made of bleached white wheat, with lots of 80% sugar by volume jam and maybe peanut butter (which is 5% sugar and 40% cheap oils instead of 100% peanuts). For us a sandwich might mean whole grain rye or spelt or wheat with various seeds, zero added sugar bread, with tomatoes, mozzarella, pesto, and cress inside. (And that is not something super special you'd only get in one specific out of the way store, but at a random train station take away.)