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So true but sadly a lot of Americans can not spend that much on a product. They need to buy as cheaply as possible to just put food on the table for their families.
A lot of Americans choose to spend ther money on frivolous things instead of quality food. We tend to drive cars we can't afford, consider amenities like cell phones and cable tv "necessities" and then try to save on the food bill. I suppose to each his own, but it has been studied and ascertained that Americans spend less of a percentage of their income on their food than their European counterparts. It's all about quality over quantity in my book.
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Originally Posted by Jaxson
When I pop open one of my home canned jars of tomatoes it spells just like when they came out of the garden. When I open a metal can processed for the grocery stores it doesn't have that strong of tomato smell.
I am blessed with a mom who home cans tomatoes that I grow in my backyard - they are picked at their peak ripeness and canned right away. The end product is so flavorful, that no salt, sugar or other seasonings are needed when we use them to make tomato soup. I know of what you speak.
Point well taken DontH8Me-I have seen people spend useless money on packaged crap when with a little thought and ingenuity they could be eating quality produce,etc.
I was just thinking about that contamination scare earlier today. The media created a sort of panic. Did they compensate the people who they damaged after? Did they cover the story about their error as much as the original BS? Of course not.
I don't usually buy tomatoes in the winter, because here in the northeast any winter tomatoes are "hot house" tomatoes, or they are shipped in from other areas. The taste just isn't the same. I usually wait until the summer, then buy them when local Farmer's Markets open. I did just find some delicious cherry tomatoes called Santa's Sweets recently, though. My six year old and I have been eating them like candy. They're from Mexico. I also grow tomatoes in the summer, but they aren't ready until August.
I'm the same way. I'm learning to cook (and eat) "in season".
I keep decent quality (not great) canned organic tomatoes on hand in the winter months. Since I am using them in soups and sauces, they are cooked and heavily seasoned (olive oil, garlic, peppers etc) so taste is not such an issue.
I've become very creative at making Fall and Winter salads that do not use tomatoes. Apples, citrus fruits, roasted root vegetables....all make nice additons to winter salads.
In the summer I grow (a few) of my own, or hit the local farmers' markets.
I am blessed with a mom who home cans tomatoes that I grow in my backyard - they are picked at their peak ripeness and canned right away. The end product is so flavorful, that no salt, sugar or other seasonings are needed when we use them to make tomato soup. I know of what you speak.
You ARE blessed!
Someday when all of our home renovations are done and I finally have permanent garden space....I'll grow oodles of tomatoes and can them.
For now, I'm happy with the few plants I keep in pots.
A lot of Americans choose to spend ther money on frivolous things instead of quality food. We tend to drive cars we can't afford, consider amenities like cell phones and cable tv "necessities" and then try to save on the food bill. I suppose to each his own, but it has been studied and ascertained that Americans spend less of a percentage of their income on their food than their European counterparts. It's all about quality over quantity in my book.
Totally agree I taught a canning and frugal course at a women's shelter a few years ago. Now mind you they were there to try to get back up on their feet on their own. Had to go on 2 shopping trips with the class I was shocked what they were putting into their carts even after taking the classes. So much packaged foods etc. then a few of them wanted to know how they were going to get their cable turned on when they left the shelter. Some times you can't teach the unteachables but some times you can reach families that truly understand food on the table is top priority. I'll help those families out as long as I am able.
I remember one lady was around 30 had 4 kids of her own and had never in her life had homemade mac & cheese. Always from the box with fake powdered cheese. Some didn't understand about batch cooking like spaghetti sauce either. Use it tonight on your pasta then freeze the rest for later. When I showed them how to make cake from scratch and how they weren't putting the preservatives into their bodies they all were amazed how easy it was. Their children had only had store bought bday cakes loaded with sugar icing.
I could go on and on but bottom line we all need to learn food prices, origins, read labels and buy as fresh to the plant as possible. Nothing is more important that feeding your family I want mine to taste the best it can.
I think that MOST people would find that spending $10/lb on tomatoes as pretty frivilous actually. As much as I like quality produce, there are plenty of substitutions when tomatoes go out of season.
The real myth of this decade is that you have to spend an enormous amount of money to produce a healthy, well rounded menu. You don't.
I was just thinking about that contamination scare earlier today. The media created a sort of panic. Did they compensate the people who they damaged after? Did they cover the story about their error as much as the original BS? Of course not.
Um, the media just reported the warnings issued by the FDA. But yeah, maybe the media shouldn't pass along this news.
And I do believe they used words like "suspected the source of contamination was..." as they tried to pin down the causes.
I was just thinking about that contamination scare earlier today. The media created a sort of panic. Did they compensate the people who they damaged after? Did they cover the story about their error as much as the original BS? Of course not.
No.
I don't even think the media is told the truth about some of these scares. Then we have the situation in which the profession of journalism is not what it used to be and there is next to no truly invesigative reporting done any more. Reporters just relay what they are told and are happy to have a job.
Without an informed electorate, how can a democracy survive?
That Salinas Valley contamination of E.Coli - they said it was animal waste runoff in the soil, trying to blame it on nearby ranches, but I saw no report on the workers in the Valley and the availability of port-a-johns and supervision to make sure the farm hands used those things.
Practices that are regularly done in farming south of the border make Americans ill.
I also don't remember reports of closing this most productive area of California farming and hauling in new soil - or whatever needs to be done to mitigate the situation.
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Some times you can't teach the unteachables but some times you can reach families that truly understand food on the table is top priority. I'll help those families out as long as I am able. 
