TIL that in the 1980s the USDA distributed government cheese to low income neighborhoods
TIL that in the 1980s the USDA distributed government cheese to low income neighborhoods
My old partner and I used to travel to rural areas in our rv, to work on low income ppl's houses, as part of a different government program, and our clients often gave us some of their commodities. That cheese made some mighty good tacos. I used to make them directly on the propane flame to melt the cheese and toast the tortilla. We'd stuff them with avocado and alfalfa sprouts because we were hippy weirdos. The honey was great, too.
I still remember how both of those things taste exactly. We also had freeze dried steaks from the Vietnam War.
The USDA distributed the what?
Government cheese inspired many amazing dishes in my household.
I remember going with my great granny to the distribution center. Cheese, butter, maybe peanut butter but that could be faulty memory. The butter and cheese got us to eat our vegetables without complaining.
And powdered milk!
We had both in my house and referred to the powdered milk as “backup milk.”
We had government cheese in the late 90s and early 00s. Honestly, it was good. I don't know wtf the difference between gubment cheese and American cheese was, but it was so much better than regular American cheese.
Government cheese had a shit ton of oil and less "cheese" im pretty sure. Delicious, and calorie dense for sure.
Honest to goodness, it was freaking good. I'm sure the Europeans would absolutely die if they tried it, they'd be so offended we call it cheese, but it was good .
The government cheese was created because the Carter admin miscalculated and encouraged dairy farmers to overproduce. They actually still have cheese in caves in Missouri.
Not just the 80s, I had some in the early 2000s. It was delicious
Government cheese, government butter, we even got government HONEY one time.
I'm sure my parents were embarrassed to even qualify for government aid, but I loved it and didn't think about it. I loved that little apartment, and I'm glad to see it's still there on satellite.
My grandma used to get free government cheese (Velveeta-like block) that was out of date.
That stuff didn't melt no matter how hot you got it.
I worked at a food bank a couple years ago and we regularly received pallets of government cheese through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). They were massive blocks of orange cheddar with almost no text on the label. We also received pallets of government pistachios and dried cherries that were as good as any you'd buy in a store.
From the Repo Man (in which this sort of shit was depicted) soundtrack:
Circle Jerks - When The Shit Hits The Fan (acoustic)
"I can't believe I used to like these guys."
Let's go get sushi and not pay.
I ate a ton of that cheese.
They gave out two huge blocks right before Christmas break at my Catholic high school every year. Delicious. We were pretty poor then, so it did help.
Distributing a lactose-based food as charity to low-income neighbourhoods, when people of colour, who are most overrepresented amongst the poor, are also most likely to be lactose intolerant, has a certain energy.
Not much lactose in hard cheeses, the sugars end up in the whey.
Does race have much to do with lactose tolerance? I know that some cultures are largely lactose-intolerant (much of Asia, for example), but I believe that has more to do with cultural dietary choices than genetics, as all humans are technically lactose-intolerant after infancy.
Some populations have evolved permanent lactase production after infancy.
Lactase persistence does not require you to continue drinking milk after childhood. If you have it, you have it.
Also it’s not just some cultures, most of the world is lactose intolerant.
Cheese isn't so bad for some reason.
