Turning Love into Food: the Daily Challenge of Low-Income Mothers

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2014-12
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Indiana University South Bend
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Society portrays mothers as the providers of food for their families, and says that they show love for their family by the type of food they serve. But women from low income households (defined as a family of 4 whose yearly income is less than $23,850 (USHHS.gov)) who depend on food pantries to feed their families have less control over the meals they produce and the quality of the food in them. It does not mean they love their families less, but it seems that the world must be judging them and I finding them wanting. In a society that equates the strength of love with the quality of food a mother serves, how do low income mothers feel about the food they serve their families? Do they even buy into this myth of love equals food? To answer these questions, I interviewed 23 women from various area food pantries and a women's shelter to learn their feelings about food. They all struggled to get enough food each month for their families and had to resort to various strategies to keep their families fed, from shopping certain stores and knowing the stocking patterns of the food pantries to relying on family and friends. Rather than feel ashamed of the food they provided though, the women were very proud of their accomplishments. They viewed each meal as a victory and, even if they wished they could make healthier choices, they felt they were doing good to produce meals their family liked and that they could share as a family each evening. They showed their love for their families, not by the "specialness" of the food, but by the struggle they endure to get it.
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Thesis (M.Lib.St.) Indiana University South Bend, 2014
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