Research Paper Prompts

Here are the prompts for you research paper due December 15th:

School Lunches

In recent years, a spotlight has been turned on the nation’s school lunches. Many have pointed to lax dietary standards, budgetary issues, and the prevalence of processed foods, as indications that kids’ school lunches are routinely nutritionally shortchanged. Indeed, standards for student meals haven’t been updated since the Carter Administration. What is the state of the American school lunch and what is now being done to ensure the nutritional needs of school children are being met?

Endangered Foods

A byproduct of the climate change debate has been the emergence of so-called “endangered foods.” Due to everything from overharvesting and depleted environments to drought and disease, foods as diverse as cocoa beans, salmon, and bananas, may be threatened in the coming decades. For example, in North America, sugar maples (a major source of maple syrup) are now considered one of many threatened native species. What would be the impact of losing some of these foods? Profile three threatened foods (plant or animal), examining both the cause for their decline, as well as efforts to save them.

Food Customs and Rituals

For many, it’s unthinkable to mark a birthday without a cake or to propose a toast without champagne. In fact, many of our country’s customs and rituals are entrenched in food. For example, what would Halloween be without candy, or tailgating without BBQ? Examine three food-based American customs or traditions, and explore how they evolved to have eating as a key component.

The American Dieting Industry

Americans are said to spend upwards of 30 billion dollars a year on weight-loss products. This is not surprising given our society’s obsession with appearance, but it is a staggering figure nonetheless. What is the lure of the dieting industry? And how have they positioned themselves to command so much influence? Investigate the American dieting industry, including their techniques for recruiting new clients and sway in public policy.

Slow Food

Beginning in Italy in the 1980s, the Slow Food movement has sought to redefine modern eating. From preserving regional cuisines to educating the public on the dangers of the fast food industry, slow food proponents believe that much of the future of food lies in the past. With an emphasis on organic and local foods and a rejection of multinational agribusiness, the potential implications of a growing Slow Food movement could be great. Investigate the Slow Food movement, from its roots to its future goals. What would our supermarkets, restaurants, and dinner tables, look like if they achieved their objectives?

Make Your Own Prompt

1. Choose a relevant food-related topic

2. Fashion it into a prompt using those above as models

3. Via email, submit it for consideration by midnight on Sunday the 20th

Your Morning Meal Makes a Difference

Breakfast combos can make or break your day.

By Julie Deardorff, Chicago Tribune
September 14, 2009

Breakfast comes at a terrible time of day to make a rational decision. We're rushed. We're groggy. And we're famished.

We know it's good for us -- 90 percent of Americans think it's the most important meal -- yet fewer than half of consumers eat it regularly, according to the International Food Information Council.

Unlike other meals, however, breakfast is unique in that it can set the tone for your entire day -- for better or for worse. The trick is knowing how to eat it.

There is no perfect morning meal because the best breakfast depends on your body and individual nutritional needs, but you can't go wrong by eating "a moderate meal of mixed foods," said Richard Mattes, a professor of food and nutrition at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind.. Start experimenting, using our guide below to see how common breakfast combos will affect your day.

BAD, BAD, BAD: No breakfast at all
Some people say they're not hungry when they wake up, but because you've fasted all night, your metabolism -- and fat-burning ability -- slows down. Those who skip breakfast are also more likely to be overweight and eat more fat and calories the rest of the day, said Susan Biali, a physician who specializes in dietetics in Vancouver. Bypassing breakfast also makes you less productive and less likely to excel at school or work.

BAD, BAD: Coffee or tea only
A daily cup of coffee or tea can give you some hydration and a jolt of caffeine. Research has also linked both drinks to a variety of health benefits. But though it might hold you over until lunch, "it's only the hot liquid that is filling your stomach, tricking you into feeling satisfied," said Janel Ovrut, a Boston-based registered dietitian. "You likely wind up overeating come lunch, when you're famished." To jump start your metabolism, add a piece of fruit, suggested Ovrut.

BAD: Coffee or tea, plus a doughnut
It's quick, easy and yummy, but you'll pay a steep price for the 90-minute sugar high. Doughnuts are a famously high-calorie, high-fat, high-carbohydrate breakfast that will leave you feeling "stuffed, sluggish and even sleepy," said New York registered dietitian Constance Brown-Riggs. . A breakfast bar and orange juice might seem healthier, but "it's not much better than eating a candy bar and sugar cubes," said John La Puma, a physician, chef and author of "ChefMD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine" (Crown, $24.95). Avoid sugary foods in the morning altogether. If you're going to eat a breakfast bar, try to sit down and eat it slowly, La Puma said.

BETTER: A bowl of low-sugar, high-fiber cereal with no- or low-fat milk, banana, whole wheat toast and jam and coffee
Choose cereals that have at least 3 grams of fiber and less than 10 grams of sugar. Still, although this breakfast provides a little fiber, some protein and some vitamins from the fruit and cereal, it's high in processed sugar, wheat and caffeine, said registered dietitian and weight-loss coach Ilona Fordham. "It won't provide long-term energy, and by midmorning a person will want more caffeine," Fordham said. By lunch you'll be hungry and may feel like overeating all day long.

BEST: A hard-boiled egg and a bowl of slow-cooking oatmeal topped with berries, walnuts, raisins, flax seeds or sunflower seeds -- with coffee or tea
This meal is a nutritional powerhouse and easy to pull off if you make the oatmeal and the eggs the night before. Fiber and protein help slow down the digestive process, making you feel full longer and keeping your blood sugar steady. "The protein from the milk and nuts, combined with the healthy carbohydrates, will eliminate any sugar crashes for at least three hours," said Melissa Hawthorne, a Houston-based registered dietitian. To make this meal even better, add good fats by spreading peanut butter or avocado on whole grain toast or an English Muffin.

Is it OK to eat a big Sunday brunch?
Cold cereal is the most popular breakfast food during the week, but on leisurely weekends, we love to let loose. We devour traditional breakfast foods such as eggs, bacon, sausage and pancakes, according to the market research company Mintel.

Fortunately, the weekend binge isn't likely to have a huge negative effect because "eating healthy is all about balance," said Timothy Harlan, a professor of medicine at the Tulane University School of Medicine, who produces the nutritional Web site drgourmet.com. "Sure, you can eat perfectly 21 meals a week and be healthier, but at what price?"

Sunday brunch is a special part of countless family rituals, said Harlan. That alone can have health benefits. "Having a large, friendly meal works for all of us on a social level that transcends the perfect diet," he said.

Week 3 Agenda

Caramel Croissant Pudding from Nigella Lawson's Nigella Express (BBC Two, UK)

Week 3

Tu 9.15
Read: OD—pg. 120-225
In-Class: Book discussion; Presentations; Research topic sign-ups

Th 9.17
Read: OD—pg. 226-286
In-Class: Autobiographical essay (Diagnostic)

UPCOMING:

Week 4

Tu 9.22
Read: OD—pg. 287-333
In-Class: Lecture—“Food on Film: Ratatouille, When Harry Met Sally…, Mystic Pizza, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Chocolat, and others”
Journal 2 Prompt: Often, dishes tell the story of a family history better than anything else. Whether it’s grandma's cookie recipe or the Thanksgiving dinner tradition no one can remember having started, food plays an integral role in defining who we are as families. Using This American Life’s episode entitled “You Gonna Eat That?” (eR; choose “Full Episode” to hear) as a basis, write about a significant food-related family experience or tradition.
Due: Journal 2

Th 9.24
Read: OD—pg. 334-363
In-Class: Book discussion; Presentations