Feeding your kids toxic Chinese made food.

HardDrive · 10-10-2009, 10:59 PM

Ya know, my wife and I are not koolaid drinking vegan food nuts. Once in a while the kid and I sneak off to McDonalds. I love a nice tasty burger from one of the many local joints (Blue Moon Burgers if you happen to be in Seattle, yum). But on the whole, we make great efforts of buy local produce and meat, we buy organic when it makes sense.

But I have to say, how can Americans feed their kids so much Chinese made toxic crap? I mean, when I was a kid, eating junk food meant eating a chocolate bar....a chocolate bar made in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Or a potato chip made in Plano, Texas.

But that isn't how it is anymore. Not by a mile. And it really....I dunno, makes me both sad and angry that Americans choose to feed their kids stuff that is likely poison. Do your kids drink apple juice? Do you know where that apple juice came from? Well if its in a drink box, about 99% of the time, it started off as dry powder, made in some unsanitary hell hole in China.

F-it. I could go on and on, you'll zone out, no one cares.

So many tough talking Americans beat their chests and rail against the Chinese, then turn right around, and buy their kids product after product made by Chinese slave labor. It has nothing to do with liberal/conservative, Democrat/Republican. It is a sickness of the American soul, one that perplexes me to no end.

Why don't people care? Its so obvious, can't you see it, that giant ***** white elephant in the room?

911pcars · 10-10-2009, 11:45 PM

That sounds like a blanket indictment of all food products produced in China. Is that really the case with all Chinese-made products? (not that I'd put it past some companies to do it).

I hesitate to automatically accept as fact whenever the words, "all", "never", and "always" are used. BTW, be careful of the soy sauce.

Hmmm, is an Oscar Mayer hot dog that much better for you?

Sherwood

Bill Douglas · 10-11-2009, 12:18 AM

I don't want to go changing the subject here but I've just watched a documentary on clothing manufactured in China and India.

It doesn't matter how much you paid for it or how respectable the shop is, you MUST wash a new garmet before you wear it - probably even shoes. Especially for kids. I always knew Chinese fabrics contain PCPs (or something like that), but there are lots of really evil chemicals on all Chinese made clothing.

pksystems · pksystems's Garage

you might want to think twice about organic food......... alot of it is from China <-- that's the other bad thing about some of it

HardDrive · 10-11-2009, 02:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pksystems

you might want to think twice about organic food......... alot of it is from China <-- that's the another bad thing about some of it

Here in Seattle its easy to get locally produced organic veg.

But you are correct. The 'organic' label means little at this point. Especially the official green 'USDA organic' label. You could make a product that is 96% organic cornmeal, and 4% Dioxin, and it would still technically qualify as USDA organic.

Schumi · 10-11-2009, 03:13 AM

There's a Chinese food place here in town called Lucky House Chinese (2 lights down Kingshighway off exit 184 on highway 44 in Rolla, MO if you're ever travelling- write that down)...

It's your typical california-style chinese. This isn't food made in China- it's made right there in that building.. so this isn't making a point against you're argument- it's just paralleling a profile.

I've ate there at least twice a week for the past two years, sometime more. I'm known by name and never have to order, they know what I have whenever I walk in...

I eat the same MSG-infused General Tsos chicken ever goddamned time and I never leave less than happy. If it kills me, then god bless it. I'd rather eat what I consider royal tasting cuisine (which, in early history times, this would be royalty-only food, based on the spices used) than die a slightly longer, yet less fulfilling culinary life.

yes, I've had a few tonight (this morning) and no, I'm not an obese fat-ass. I just enjoy good food regarless of the health factors behind this.

As far as food goes (which what this really isn't about, is it-)
As long as you don't allow you kids to start down the road of becoming fat - asses, enjoy the cake. It's not worth worrying over and more worth enjoying.

Edit: here's the good stuff:

And if you're worried about the fact that things you buy may be made using cheap/absusive labor in mainland China.... then try going to China and doing something about that there, not here. Until then, take it for what it's worth. Which is less than what it costs to make here. . I at least have an appreciation for what Chinese goods have done with the balance of our own. Without, things would be a lot different. And, contrary to the deep-right-belief ... probably not for the better.

PARF it up!

onewhippedpuppy · 10-11-2009, 03:30 AM

How is that American car treating you? Oh wait........

Toxic? Poison? For those of us that don't know what the hell a dioxin is, please explain how we are killing our children. Because quite frankly, I think "organic" has about as much substance as "going green".

tabs · 10-11-2009, 04:01 AM

If you ever walked into a Grocery Store Warehouse you would exclaim where the fk does it all come from...and then you realize that is only one warehouse in the US......the food producers have to use so many chemicals to turn out that kind of volume of food that each one of you has a little label that has your expiration date on it.

Chocaholic · 10-11-2009, 04:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HardDrive

Ya know, my wife and I are not koolaid drinking vegan food nuts. Once in a while the kid and I sneak off to McDonalds. I love a nice tasty burger from one of the many local joints (Blue Moon Burgers if you happen to be in Seattle, yum). But on the whole, we make great efforts of buy local produce and meat, we buy organic when it makes sense.

But I have to say, how can Americans feed their kids so much Chinese made toxic crap? I mean, when I was a kid, eating junk food meant eating a chocolate bar....a chocolate bar made in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Or a potato chip made in Plano, Texas.

But that isn't how it is anymore. Not by a mile. And it really....I dunno, makes me both sad and angry that Americans choose to feed their kids stuff that is likely poison. Do your kids drink apple juice? Do you know where that apple juice came from? Well if its in a drink box, about 99% of the time, it started off as dry powder, made in some unsanitary hell hole in China.

F-it. I could go on and on, you'll zone out, no one cares.

So many tough talking Americans beat their chests and rail against the Chinese, then turn right around, and buy their kids product after product made by Chinese slave labor. It has nothing to do with liberal/conservative, Democrat/Republican. It is a sickness of the American soul, one that perplexes me to no end.

Why don't people care? Its so obvious, can't you see it, that giant ***** white elephant in the room?

My 80 year old dad has a saying: "When an idea gets into an empty head, it has the time of it's life".

widgeon13 · 10-11-2009, 05:44 AM

I always eat healthy because it's what my wife likes to serve me.

Eat right, exercise, die anyway!

Dottore · 10-11-2009, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schumi

T
I eat the same MSG-infused General Tsos chicken ever goddamned time and I never leave less than happy. If it kills me, then god bless it. I'd rather eat what I consider royal tasting cuisine (which, in early history times, this would be royalty-only food, based on the spices used) than die a slightly longer, yet less fulfilling culinary life.

I hate to tell you this, but so called "taste" of General Tso's Chicken comes almost exclusively from the sugar that's dumped into this dish.

Most Chinese foodies I know laugh at people who order this dish. It's the junk-food of Chinese cuisine.

Dottore · 10-11-2009, 06:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HardDrive

Y
Why don't people care? Its so obvious, can't you see it, that giant ***** white elephant in the room?

I have to agree with you about Chinese food. The lack of standards, and the inability to enforce standards make buying food from China a crap shoot. Also the Chinese are notorious for their use of toxic pesticides etc. to increase crop returns etc.

I was at a prawn farm on Hunan Island some years ago where they had perfected a method for getting their prawns to get fatter in a shorter period of time by feeding them pig hormones of some kind. Thats the sort of crap now being sold in north american supermarkets

I always make a point of looking where anything I eat comes from—and if it says "China" on the label it goes back on the shelf.

Of course, as others have pointed out there's also a lot of toxic crap produced right here. We make every effort to buy only food from organic sources that we know about.

We just don't want to ingest pig hormones and insecticides etc. Sorry life is too short, and "your body is a temple" and all that.

turbo6bar · 10-11-2009, 06:08 AM

Haha. General Tso's Chicken is "royal tasting cuisine." Haha. Lay off the MSG, bro. It has ruined your sense of taste.

I think the hardone has somewhat made a point. We want is easy and cheap. We're willing to sell out our country for individual gain. The Chinese are merely enabling our actions.

widgeon13 · 10-11-2009, 06:26 AM

I used to like Chinese food on occasion. Then one day while consuming my sweet and sour pork, I found a BIG f----- toenail clipping in my food, no more Chinese for me, EVER!

You know those rumors about cats disappearing and dogs as well, I believe them.

I now stick to the standards, cereal and fruit for breakfast, deli meat sandwiches for lunch and meat, veg and potatoes for dinner washed down with Coke, O'Doul's or milk.

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

Guys, the topic is food made in China, not "Chinese Cusine".

And I need to understand, where did you find out that juce box juice is made from powdered apple juice from China? I don't drink it myself, but a statement/accusation is being made with nothing more than a rant behind it.

alf · 10-11-2009, 07:23 AM

Our own US food source is not exactly great either.

And if the Apple Juice is from Chinese powder, it is not up to the US Brand that sells it (and makes most of the money on it) to ensure it is safe? Same for clothing and other stuff from China, India or Arizona.

If your car Toyota breaks down, you go to Toyota to get it fixed. You would not blame the country that provided the steel to make the bolts would you?

Scuba Steve · 10-11-2009, 07:27 AM

I've only eaten food from China once as far as I can tell. Some haloween candy a coworker had out in a bowl on their desk. It was a Spongebob branded gummi bear knockoff and tasted more like wax than anything else. Worst tasting candy I've had in my life.

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

I agree with the O.P. that the problem here is the culture of cheap-azzness that we've created for ourselves. We've gotten to a point where nobody (well, virtually nobody) gives a damn about anything other than price. Quality, longevity, country of origin - none matter. Only lowest price. As such, manufacturers and businesses respond by engaging in a "race to the bottom" where nothing else matters other than being able to sell at the lowest price, meaning trying to undercut the other guy's operating/production costs by any means possible.

We are our own worst enemies. Until we change our consumption habits and priorities, demanding better (rather than just cheaper), this will continue.

FWIW I agree 100% with Dottore - I'm one of the few "weirdos" out there who will actually pay more for (and goes out of his way to look for) stuff either "Made in the USA" or at the very least, not made in China. Including food.

HardDrive · 10-11-2009, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alf

You would not blame the country that provided the steel to make the bolts would you?

To be clear, I am not blaming the Chinese, I am questioning the American public.

HardDrive · 10-11-2009, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

FWIW I agree 100% with Dottore - I'm one of the few "weirdos" out there who will actually pay more for (and goes out of his way to look for) stuff either "Made in the USA" or at the very least, not made in China. Including food.

Weirdo? Whats weird about taking the time to buy quality food/products? In my mind, thats how sane people act.

Ya know, this post really isn't about the Chinese. Its about Americans spending their money on absolute junk (yes, frequently made in china these days), and deluding themselves into thinking they are getting a bargain.

This site is full of car guys. We have discussions about quality all the time. Lots of German car fans here. Why? Because you guys can discern that there is something beyond cost considerations. When you get into an old 911, you can read the engineers mind, you can see that it was created with purpose, undiluted (well, somewhat....) by bean counters. If one simply wants to go fast, then there are oceans of choices that make more sense than old Porsches/BMWs. And yet here we are.

I don't know is that I am enough of a writer to properly connect the issue of car quality, and food quality, but there is a connection there. If a guy takes the time to car about the quality of his car, the tools he buys, how his home is constructed, why wouldn't he care about what he is feeding his kids? That, I do not understand.