Horwitz begins her argument by talking about how the times
are changing. Things are speeding up
with the invention of almost instantaneous communication and quick travel
methods. This change is effecting how we
choose to eat our meals. She uses soup
as one of her first examples. It used to
be that someone would prepare the soup and clean all the dishes. Today soup has evolved into single serving
prepackaged containers that require no extra dishes and no preparation. This is all playing into how our society is
becoming more efficient with our time.
Horwitz
then explains what possibly started this trend of efficiency while eating. The TV dinner is what most likely caused this
shift. It caught on quickly because it
was “cool and modern.” Even the author fell for this type of advertising, she says, "Like many other baby boomers, I recall being dazzled by the tv dinner on a tray table." (Horwitz, Jamie. Eating at the Edge page 44) The simple
consistent meal that it contained broke down a major component of dining. While before the most important person at the
table would have the best meal, now with the uniform meal trays there is no
variation in quality. This throws off
the normal table hierarchy and causes a shift in what was once normality at the
table.
I am
able to relate to this shift as a college student. Like what I wrote in the most recent short
essay, our lives are all about budgeting time well. If a meal can be eaten while getting other
work done at the same time, that’s an ideal situation. With soup cups, TV dinners, and other
convenient prepared foods that only require heating and next to no dishes it
makes life easier to get work done and eat.
I do enjoy going back home and
having a long sit-down dinner with my family.
The break from obligations to get things done is great. But the reality of it is that at college there
is too much going on to spend over an hour just eating food and enjoying the
company of your friends three times a day every day.
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