I only eat Woolworths food!
Jun
17
Written by:
2009/06/17 09:29 AM
Can we be choosey about what we eat, where we buy our food and what we spend in this economic climate. We would all like to have the best, but like my wife says, “I want doesn’t get”. So when you offer somebody homemade food, and they turn you down, you have to wonder, what's up with that?
We had opportunity to go to the USA vs. Italy Confederations Cup game on Monday. Some of us were unsure as to what would be allowed into the stadium. We were pretty sure that the cost of buying eats and drinks were going to be high. So we all took some “Pad Kos” (Food for the road for the foreigners) with.
Going to the stadium we had to pass through various check points. Police and officials checking for valid tickets, contra-band, weapons, etc. One of the things that weren’t allowed into the stadium was eats and drinks. We were told that we would have to eat and drink everything finished or throw it into the dustbin before we proceed further.
Fortunately I had finished both my homemade burgers and only had 1/4 bottle water left. So it was no great loss for me. Unfortunately a friend of mine had a bunch of scrumptious homemade chicken-‘n-mayonnaise rolls. So not wanting to waste he offered the rolls to one of the officials.
The official promptly turned him down citing that he only ate Woolworths food. We were so taken back that we just stood there with our mouths gaping wide open, not moving for about 30 seconds.
Two things came to mind. With so many people starving, you have the audacity to turndown perfectly good food. But not because you are full, but because you only eat Woolworths food. Secondly, how much money must that policeman be earning that he can be selective as to where he buys his food.
I don’t know about you, but in the current economic climate, I am looking at where I can find the best deals, and that includes shopping around for the cheapest groceries.
As we stood there, we saw others throwing away perfectly good food. Why don’t the officials just put aside a container, collect the food, and then later distribute it to the needy. There are so many people out there that are starving. They don’t have the luxury of shopping at Woolworths. In fact they probably don’t have the luxury of shopping at all!
The 2010 World Cup and this Confederations Cup brings great opportunity to South Africa. Maybe small things like collecting unwanted or discarded food will bring it closer to the people and make it more meaningful to those whose biggest worry is what will I have to eat today as apposed to who will win today's game.
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16 comment(s) so far...
Re: I only eat Woolworths food!
I totally agree, maybe we need to suggest this to some NPO's who may be willing to look into this for future games. I hate wasted food and I am not a fan of Woolworths :/
By Bryan on
2009/06/17 10:11 AM
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Re: I only eat Woolworths food!
The same applies at the airports now - so much water gets binned with the new 100ML rule. I was at London Airport at the weekend and there were huge containers with hundreds of bottles of water in them. I asked what was done with them and the answer was "They're thown away" It's such a waste when water is an issue in so many places.
Interesting about Woolworths. The European one went bust, but they didn't do food anyway, so I guess the SA one is an upmarket food store?
By Mike CJ on
2009/06/17 10:43 AM
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Re: I only eat Woolworths food!
Bryan,
Yes, I hate wasted food as well. I mean, in our house, we often eat left overs. But to just throw good food away. Even at the stadium, there were charity organisations who had comp tickets. Surely they could have benefited from the discarded food.
By Robert Bravery on
2009/06/17 10:54 AM
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Re: I only eat Woolworths food!
Mike,
Yes Woolworths food is considered slightly upmarket. I would think it is equivalent or in the same category as Marks & Spencer in the UK.
There are so many starving people in SA, but equally there are so many people just wasting food.
By Robert Bravery on
2009/06/17 10:57 AM
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Re: I only eat Woolworths food!
You must be a very patient and friendly person. I would have given the person a lecture and education for free. Some people do grasp the economic situation we are in. Bad news is that food and water will become very scarce commodities in the years ahead.
I love Woolworths and do shop there when I am home. Home cooking is still king.
By Rustig on
2009/06/17 12:12 PM
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Re: I only eat Woolworths food!
I am actually quite astonished. The idea about putting a container is very noble and will certainly elevate the burden for some charities in the vicinity. One does not have ti wait to long to distribute the food. The wastage is unimaginable.
"I only eat Woolworths food." Bah - imagine. Sad.
By Emil on
2009/06/17 12:16 PM
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Re: I only eat Woolworths food!
Rustig
I am generally a patient person, try to see the good in others. I had second thoughts of going back and giving the guy a piece of my mind. But had second thoughts as I might have been arrested for abusing a police man
By Robert Bravery on
2009/06/17 12:21 PM
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Re: I only eat Woolworths food!
Emil,
You are right it won't take long to distribute the food. I am sure that if asked, the charities would jump at the chance to get involved.
I wonder if we should start a site, "2010 World Cup Food relief" Or "Confed Cup Food relief. But It might be too late for confed cup.
By Robert Bravery on
2009/06/17 12:23 PM
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Re: I only eat Woolworths food!
Well, the guards don't HAVE to eat your food just because they probably earn less than you.
I think the issue here is that one cannot take food into the stadium. I can understand alcohol, etc, but not allowing outside food to be brought in is shameful.
What is the reasoning? Probably so stadium vendors will sell more, or to reduce the amount of outside branding... We're talking food here! SHAMEFUL!
By Hungry. on
2009/06/17 12:47 PM
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Re: I only eat Woolworths food!
I have to agree with Hungry that it's just shameful that you can't take your own food into the stadium. There are good reasons for not taking alcohol, or glass bottles into a stadium, but food?? Come on. Besides, I only eat food I grow myself, so how would I get anything to eat in there.
By Tracy on
2009/06/17 02:48 PM
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Re: I only eat Woolworths food!
There is a well known cinema here in Edinburgh who stop people bringing in their own snacks, bought for a fraction of the price at a nearby supermarket, the reason is obvious, they want people to purchase over the top priced refreshments in the cinema complex,---nothing to do with security. My answer is, boycott the matches and watch them on TV instead!
By colin syme on
2009/06/17 04:16 PM
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Re: I only eat Woolworths food!
If I'm ever hungry, I will go hang out by the stadium and get the goodies from the bin, hehe!
By zucchini breath on
2009/06/17 06:24 PM
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Re: I only eat Woolworths food!
zucchini breath,
You crack me up. Hey that's a good idea
By Robert Bravery on
2009/06/17 07:21 PM
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Re: I only eat Woolworths food!
Tracy,
You make a very valid point. What if you do have special eating requirements.
Also as Colin points out, I think it's a big scam to rob you of your well earned money.
By Robert Bravery on
2009/06/17 07:23 PM
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Re: I only eat Woolworths food!
Hungry,
I bet it's got all to do with branding and sales. The prices are three or four times higher than anywhere else, and only certain brands are sold.
For instance I have heard that at other Fifa World cups, that companies like coke got all hot and bothered when fans smuggled in Pepsi. A camera man focused on one of the fans with the Pepsi. Wow what a stinker.
Hey these stupid tickets are expensive enough with out being restricted to what you can buy and what you can eat.
Free Press, I think we should have free diet.
By Robert Bravery on
2009/06/17 07:27 PM
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Re: I only eat Woolworths food!
Colin,
We have the same situation here with our cinemas. You can buy a weeks worth of popcorn for the same price. Fortunately my wife has a large handbag, and they can't search that.
By Robert Bravery on
2009/06/17 07:29 PM
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