la·zy food

Peeledpotatoes la·zy food (noun): Prepared vegetables -- such as peeled potatoes, chopped carrots, or diced onions -- sold as a culinary shortcut for harried home cooks.

A March 17, 2010 article on the BBC News website described the rise in UK supermarket sales of "'lazy food' and cooking 'cheat' ingredients" such as peeled potatoes, diced onions, and other partially prepared vegetables that eliminate a step or two in the cooking process."

The article raised concerns about the cultural impact of reliance on "lazy foods," as well the environmental cost of marketing packaged produce:

"Lazy food" conforms to one of the classic socioeconomic categories of modern times - the people who are cash-rich but time-poor. But there are some people who rue the decline of chopping and peeling.

Lesley Ball, a Wiltshire-based home economist who teaches children about healthy eating and food provenance, says ready-prepared ingredients distort our perception of food and where it comes from.

"I work with children a lot and some of them think milk comes from a tiger or a chicken. Some products, such as ready-prepared mango, melon or passionfruit are great for giving to children to introduce them to new tastes without having to buy a whole one, but they then don't have a clue what a whole mango looks like.

"This happens even with something as simple as an orange. They associate food not with something that's grown, but with a shop."


 
Posted by Josh Friedland on Jul 27, 2010 in Dictionary of Modern Gastronomy, What's Fresh | Link | | Print this page | Share This



 

Comments

Jan 20, 2011 7:07:56 PM
Posted By: Taylor

I wouldn't use the term "lazy" to describe these foods. Yes, they provide a shortcut to everyday hassles...but on the flip side, partially prepared foods save time especially for big meals. For instance, my mom prepares a whole Thanksgiving meal for one side of my family. She uses pre-prepared stuffing mix, pre-cut frozen green beans and a pre-cooked ham (my family likes it better than turkey) just to name a few....and even with extra time, she STILL ends up cooking all day. And what about the single mom who works 40 hours a week while keeping up with a hectic life full of kids? Shouldn't she be able to use partially prepared foods rather than stopping at the local fast food restaurant without criticism?

While I agree that children need to be educated about what they're eating and what actually makes up the food they're eating, that knowledge can be taught. In fact, it's 100% cheaper to teach a child something rather than spending the extra cash on buying something fresh (rather than pre-packaged) at the supermarket.

 

Mar 21, 2011 10:01:21 AM
Posted By: essay online

lazy food for lazy people))) mmmm... that is exactly for me) i am lazy) and i hate cooking) so there is nothing better for me) exept for just restaurants i guess)

 

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