Sense of Belonging

While working at H-E-B, I have encountered numerous people with different backgrounds and culture.  I have noticed that each person has different tastes in foods and it is typically related to their upbringing. I have come to associate their culture with the types of food they eat. The food choices that we make on a daily basis are used as a means of belonging to a particular society, culture, or community.

I had the opportunity to experience this sense of belonging while working at H-E-B. A typical day at work for me includes stocking shelves and working through the stuff that the overnight guys were unable to put on the shelf the previous night. So, as time passed, I began to form a relationship with the guys that consistently worked overnight. I also noticed that a majority of them were of Mexican decent and were not exactly accustomed to the lifestyle that people on the north side of San Antonio are used to living. I was also not accustomed to the lifestyle in which they lived either. When they would come to work, they brought their heritage and choices in food along with them. When on the job, I tend to try to eat cheap, as I do not like to spend an excessive amount of money on food. One common food choice of mine is the fruit that the produce guys mark down. They will reduce the price on containers of fruit that are going to expire the next day in order to sell through the old stuff and make room for the new. So, I can generally get a $4.99 container of fruit for 99¢. This is a savings of 80% and I am all about saving money. One evening, I found some pineapple that our produce department had already marked down. I was getting hungry and was about to take a break, so I decided to purchase a container of pineapple. However, these containers are relatively large and I knew it was going to be too much for me to eat. So, I convinced my friend, who has worked overnight for about 4 years, to sit down and share some pineapple with me. He reluctantly agreed and I went to purchase the container of pineapple. Meanwhile, he went and picked out some chile powder that is used on many citrus fruits and vegetables as a complementary flavor. H-E-B carries a brand of chile powder for fruits and vegetables called Trechas. We smothered our pineapple in this chile powder and devoured the whole container in less than 15 minutes. I found this new “topping” to be absolutely delicious and I have continued to use is on my fruits ever since.

The Trechas chile powder gave me a sense of belonging to the “overnight” community. I have always fought for acceptance into their way of life and culture, but had been unsuccessful. They are all great guys, but it was extremely difficult for me to relate to them because they do not share the same work schedule or outlook on life as me. This Trechas chile powder provided me a way to relate to their culture and community.