Leftovers Signs of Affluence

Leftovers are a statement of wealth.

They mean we have more than enough to eat, because we have money to buy extra. Because we have more food, we put more on plates. We don’t finish it so it ends up in containers we store in refrigerators. Worse still, we throw the food in the thrash can under the sink.

This blog was triggered by the government. They called about some survey and they had questions about food.  Have I ever felt that I didn’t have enough money to buy food? Another question was about not buying healthy food due to money shortage.

I understand the first question because there are millions out there who can’t even afford one meal a day. They rely on water but water hurts if the stomach is empty.

They either don’t have the money to buy food or the harvest has failed. Farmers grow crops to sell and also to eat. That’s why there’s no food if there’s a drought.

I don’t understand the second question about having no money to buy healthy food. That is usually a personal choice. We might be addicted to pizza, which is not cheap. We might belong to the legion of parents that take kids to the hamburger joint three times a week.

We might not eat healthy because we don’t know how to cook. If we don’t, it means vegetables are seldom on the plate. Those unhealthy food choices easily end up as left-overs, and possible candidates for the thrash can.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.