Markets and Food Quality in Germany

 Studying abroad has made me truly realize the huge difference between visiting a country as a tourist and living there as a local. A city can only offer so much to a tourist. Actually living there for long periods makes one consider certain aspects that may not come to mind immediately, but are nevertheless very important. As simple and trivial as it may sound, living in Freiburg has made me consider the differences between produce and grocery in Germany and the US.

Last Wednesday, I visited the Vauban Market, a weekly food market very close to my apartment. Several stalls were set up around a square next to a park, and it was quite lively. Despite the rainy weather, there were quite a lot of people at the market. It was just like a Farmers' Market in the US, except for the fact that people over here seemed to rely on it as a regular source for their food. In the US, Farmers' Markets are a more expensive and niche option that people visit quite rarely. However, the Vauban Market, like many other food markets in Freiburg, is an alternative to grocery stores for many people. All the food that I saw was cheap and fresh. I tried a Franzbrötchen (cinnamon bread), and it was delicious!

Germany and the rest of the EU have very strict food quality standards. There are all kinds of certifications that food products need to achieve in order to be sold. Food packages found in grocery stores often have Nutri-Scores from A to E, which tell the consumer how healthy the food is. There are also several environmental standards that food products need to achieve. As a result, food in Germany is fresher, healthier and more sustainably sourced than food in the US. However, the government is not the only entity responsible for higher food quality; the consumers play a massive role as well. I have observed that my German roommates are very particular about the quality of food we buy for our apartment. They religiously scan food packaging for various environmental and health standards. The reason why the food markets around the city are so active is because there is a huge demand for them.

On the contrary, food in the US seems more factory produced and less natural. There are a lot of added preservatives and the food and environmental standards are not that strict. Moreover, Americans prefer to buy food from massive supermarkets rather than small and local businesses. 

Therefore, I find it quite impressive how Germany has managed to ensure that the food that is sold is healthy, sustainable and supports the interests of local farmers and businesses.









Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Deposit-Refund Scheme in Germany (Pfand)

Image
 The longer I live in Freiburg, the more I learn about Germany's success in environmental policies and initiatives. I would not be doing justice to Germany's progress in sustainability without mentioning the "Pfand" (deposit) scheme. I learned about it for the first time when I was walking on the streets of Freiburg with an empty bottle of juice in my hand, and a homeless man approached me. I expected him to ask for money but instead, he just pointed to the bottle in my hand. Slightly confused, I handed it to him. Later, I learned that that empty bottle was actually worth 25 cents. As I learned in my Environmental Policy class last week, the Pfand scheme is an example of a deposit-refund scheme. Under this system, consumers pay an added deposit on drinks packaged in plastic or glass bottles at the time of purchase. Upon returning these bottles through special machines which can be found at most grocery stores, the deposit is refunded to the consumers. The bottles are ...
Read more

SC Freiburg Football Club

Image
 One of the most memorable experiences of my semester in Freiburg came in the last few weeks. I decided to go watch Freiburg's soccer club, SC Freiburg, play a Europa League game. It was my first time watching live soccer, so it was a surreal experience. As a tennis player, I have watched many tennis matches before, but their atmosphere is the complete opposite of soccer. In tennis, spectators are expected to remain silent and seated during points, and to be respectful and responsible. In soccer on the other hand, all hell breaks loose! Freiburg fans were shouting and chanting all around the stadium and everyone was loud, rowdy and crazy. And I loved it! It seemed more like a party than a soccer game. Everyone was there to have a good time, and at many points I found myself paying more attention to the chanting fans than the game itself! My favorite part of the experience was the SC Freiburg song, which was played at the beginning and at the end of the game. That song has now becom...
Read more

Weinachtsmarkt und Auf Wiedersehen

Image
 Christmas in Europe is truly one of a kind. Come mid-November and markets are propped up all over cities. These markets, which offer food, drinks and all kinds of Christmas gifts, are called Christmas Markets or "Weinachtsmarkt" in German. Over the last month, I have been to Christmas markets in Germany, France, Switzerland and Portugal. While they were all different, all Christmas markets have delicious crepes, churros and waffles, as well as a hundred different kinds of cheese and chocolate. However, what is really unique about these markets is the hot wine, or "Glühwein" in German. It is prepared by heating wine up and adding spices to it. While I have enjoyed the food and drinks at Weinachtsmarkt, what I love the most about them are the lights and atmosphere. Once the lights are turned on after sunset, Christmas Markets look absolutely gorgeous! That is also when they get the most crowded, but it's still worth it. There are also a lot of talented live perfo...
Read more