I could talk about yellow labels for hours – the stickers which are given to food that is due to expire that day, so is discounted by up to 90 per cent to reduce wastage. Supermarkets will also mark down their dry goods when packaging is damaged or when they’re clearing a shelf line – regardless of its best before date. Friends, family and my Instagram will tell you that I speak of little else and I have even been known to show off the contents of my fridge freezer as if I’m on MTV Cribs. However, this was certainly not always the case!
Growing up, there were considerable financial pressures within our family home, which unavoidably impacts on food choices and accessibility. I was ignorant to the financial strain, as I was spoilt. For the most part, I was raised on processed foods, which was not necessarily uncommon in the 80s. It was in stark contrast to my Russian mother’s upbringing, where processing foods would have referred to making pickles and jams to prepare for harsh climates. Undoubtedly, she thought that she was affording me with privileges that she didn’t have. If I wanted ice cream before dinner so be it, fast food was okay. There was also the challenge that as a child, and up until my midtwenties, I was an extremely fussy eater.
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July 2019
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