The Doughnut Dilemma

Views: 143
Added: Tue Oct 2nd 5:38pm
Posted in: Health

• » print
• » report
• » email

Recently, a group of angry people picketed outside their senior home in Mahopac, New York. They carried signs, chanted and drew national attention to their plight. So what had these 70 year olds so upset? Pastry abuse!
You see, they were used to getting deliveries of doughnuts and other sweet treats. The pastries came from bakeries and stores, looking to unload their day-old food. The stores would give the treats to senior centers like the one in Mahopac - sometimes, 16 cases a day! The seniors saw it as a win-win. The county saw it as a health threat, so officials put a stop to the deliveries.
The Associated Press quotes one protester who called the decision a "lack of respect." The man says the officials implied that they were too senile to make healthy choices. The coordinator of nutritional services for the county's Office for the Aging says health is just part of it. He reported that some of the food was moldy by the time it got to the senior center, and that some volunteers stored the pastries in their cars overnight, making it unsafe and unsanitary for the seniors to eat them.
But I have to say - I side with the residents! As a junk food addict, I know I would be pretty upset if someone tried to take my treats away. As you can see from my profile, I am partial to chocolate. But any sweet will do - I love a good apple pie, or a bowl full of tiramisu. I always keep mints or gum handy, and am happy in front of a bowl of chips and salsa.
I guess it comes down to personal choice. Despite the previous paragraph, I don't eat everything that I want. I've recently made some major changes in my life, including a better diet and more exercise. That means chocolate is okay - some of the time. And salsa and chips are fine - just not the entire bowl. I have learned to say "no," and it seems like that's all the seniors want, too. They want to have their cake … and eat it - or not eat it - too. So in the end, this protest is more about freedom than a baked goods battle.