My wife and I spent 3 days in Victoria B.C. I love it there, the city is beautiful, the people are beautiful, the food is tasty BUT...... everytime we would go to eat no matter how hungry we were we would eat three bites and then feel like someone punched us in the gut! I can't understand it? A few other americans that we ran into at a bar also were experiancing the same thing. Is your food just much more nourishing so you cant eat as much?? Maybe Im use to all the drugs in american food?? The other thought I had was the water, I dont know were they source it from on the island. Other thn that it was a wounderful trip. I would love to buy a house there. The parliment building is truely something all Canadians should be proud of. They seem to hold it in high regard and I think thats something to be admired.
To my Canadian friends whats with your food??
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As someone who works in the food service industry I can tell you our government has a lot of bans on additives, preservatives and certain kinds of harmful fats like Trans-Fats. We also have bands on certain things that can be fed to animals prior to them being slaughtered.
We also do not allow the use of certain hormones/antibiotics at all or without a gestation period before human consumption.
Some very good things that I think lead to better quality meats/cheese etc. that are more filling and healthier for you compared to what is allowed south of the border.
Some of what I hear is allowed in the US is very scary and I'm kinda glad we have our beef/poultry/fish/dairy boards who we pay royalties to in the form of higher costs of goods. This ultimately ensures safe quality products for human consumption.
I work for an American restaurant chain that has locations up here and so I talk regularly with our US counter parts and both our Canadian/US sides are shocked at what the differences are between the two countries.
I think this might be why you are experiencing what you are experiencing... Just more "real", "better for you" food that might be "more filling".
We also do not allow the use of certain hormones/antibiotics at all or without a gestation period before human consumption.
Some very good things that I think lead to better quality meats/cheese etc. that are more filling and healthier for you compared to what is allowed south of the border.
Some of what I hear is allowed in the US is very scary and I'm kinda glad we have our beef/poultry/fish/dairy boards who we pay royalties to in the form of higher costs of goods. This ultimately ensures safe quality products for human consumption.
I work for an American restaurant chain that has locations up here and so I talk regularly with our US counter parts and both our Canadian/US sides are shocked at what the differences are between the two countries.
I think this might be why you are experiencing what you are experiencing... Just more "real", "better for you" food that might be "more filling".
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Your probably right. I need to move to Canada I guess lol. I love your system of government so much more than the U.S.
Originally Posted By: ryland
Your probably right. I need to move to Canada I guess lol. I love your system of government so much more than the U.S.
It depends on what you look at. All countries have their woes and I like many things in the US compared to here, but we do have some great stuff that the US doesn't. I guess it is just a matter of whats the best fit for you.
I love my country but sometimes wish for more flexibility like the US system seems to offer. But I wouldn't trade my socialized health care for the world. (Different issue, and I don't want to start a war)
Your probably right. I need to move to Canada I guess lol. I love your system of government so much more than the U.S.
It depends on what you look at. All countries have their woes and I like many things in the US compared to here, but we do have some great stuff that the US doesn't. I guess it is just a matter of whats the best fit for you.
I love my country but sometimes wish for more flexibility like the US system seems to offer. But I wouldn't trade my socialized health care for the world. (Different issue, and I don't want to start a war)
I lived in Vancouver for a while and didn't notice any difference in the way I felt after eating. I did experience nausea on occasion during conversations with certain acquaintances, but it had nothing to do with the food.
Canadian ketchup tastes better for some reason, my guess is it uses real sugar instead of corn syrup maybe???
PS: great "Gentlemen Clubs" up there too!!!!
PS: great "Gentlemen Clubs" up there too!!!!
ketchup potato chips up there are good! Dident see any clubs with the wife but all the girls who worked at the hotel were very good looking (I'm a sucker for a girl with an accent)
In Canada, food is generally more heavily sweetened but often uses sugar instead of HFCS. Ketchup is sweeter, Pepsi is sweeter, chocolate is sweeter, etc.
We cook much more with canola than soybean/corn oils, as well.
Beef is grass fed and finished on barley or feed wheat rather than corn and soybeans.
We cook much more with canola than soybean/corn oils, as well.
Beef is grass fed and finished on barley or feed wheat rather than corn and soybeans.
We's different... No Doot-a-boot-it!
fried with motor oil - dino, instead of synthetic. you're probably just not used to the excellent 5w20 that if frequently served.
Originally Posted By: Captain_Klink
fried with motor oil - dino, instead of synthetic. you're probably just not used to the excellent 5w20 that if frequently served.
fried with motor oil - dino, instead of synthetic. you're probably just not used to the excellent 5w20 that if frequently served.
I've been down to the US several times recently and I didn't notice the food quality being much different. Maybe I'm eating at the wrong/right places?
Come back anytime!
Come back anytime!
No offense to my Canadian friends, but the CFIA is way behind on control of listeria monocytogenes and other pathogenic bacteria in the food supply chains. Not only is the microbial sampling a lot lighter for the food processors, but the overall plant oversight is pretty weak as well from an auditing standpoint. Many validated listeria inhibitors that are safe for use in almost every other major market are illegal to use in Canada. The maple leaf incident was a tell tale sign of the larger issues present with the food regulations. All and all though you guys kick the heck out of Mexico's food sanitation and safety practices! I still eat Canadian food without restrictions when I'm working across the various provinces. FYI if your guts roll from eating Canadian foods don't even think about dining in Juarez!
I will agree with you on the Food Safety issues and the CFIA
The CFRA (Canadian Franchise Restaurant Association) has been pushing the government for stricter controls and some of them are coming very soon.
Also most municipalities have or are implementing Food Safety Certifications for all restaurant owners and a certain percentage of the staff to ensure that certified food safety handlers are on shift all the time and are the ones responsible for keeping things safe.
This is creating a real nightmare for Franchise head offices like the company I work for because we as the District Manager must all be trained as certified trainers so that we can train and certify our owners and it's not an easy program to go through. They want you to memorize a bunch of useless acronyms instead of teaching fundamentals.
Then I have to certify the owners, managers and a certain percentage of the shifts. Submit their tests to have certificates issued to them. Follow up with the owners at each visit to make sure staff haven't left or they don't need to train new people. Extra work I don't really need.
Anyways... Not to bore the crowd here, but there are stricter standards for restaurants coming, and for food processing facilities.
I'm happy they are coming because IMO, you can never take food safety seriously enough, but I just hate having to be the one to certify people.
The CFRA (Canadian Franchise Restaurant Association) has been pushing the government for stricter controls and some of them are coming very soon.
Also most municipalities have or are implementing Food Safety Certifications for all restaurant owners and a certain percentage of the staff to ensure that certified food safety handlers are on shift all the time and are the ones responsible for keeping things safe.
This is creating a real nightmare for Franchise head offices like the company I work for because we as the District Manager must all be trained as certified trainers so that we can train and certify our owners and it's not an easy program to go through. They want you to memorize a bunch of useless acronyms instead of teaching fundamentals.
Then I have to certify the owners, managers and a certain percentage of the shifts. Submit their tests to have certificates issued to them. Follow up with the owners at each visit to make sure staff haven't left or they don't need to train new people. Extra work I don't really need.
Anyways... Not to bore the crowd here, but there are stricter standards for restaurants coming, and for food processing facilities.
I'm happy they are coming because IMO, you can never take food safety seriously enough, but I just hate having to be the one to certify people.
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Oh man sounds like you guys are in for a "treat" Stevie! Just make sure the buggers understand temperature controls, cross contamination and wash their stinking hands often! Thank goodness for hot fryer oil huh LOL! They aren't making you guys do HACCP at retail yet are they? CFIA HACCP is so prescriptive that it actually isn't very effective...becomes a cut copy paste thing for most processors. I wish you luck on holding down the fort up there!
Oh you aren't kidding...
I was always a stickler for Food Safety when I do my audits and when just visiting restaurants. I have been known to ask owners/managers to have food made again if I don't see them wash their hands before putting on gloves or going from accepting cash, cleaning or some other task to food preparation without washing their hands.
I have also thrown out an entire fridge worth of prepared product because they couldn't provide preparation sheets showing that the dates on the containers were accurate and not just re-dated older than allowed product.
They know that I have absolutely no "Grey Area" in that area of my expectations... It's a do it my way or else.
I haven't had any Food Bourne Illness claims in my region of stores ever, and I intend on keeping it that way.
I also have never had to default a restaurant for not doing required temperature checks / sanitation logs either.
I think that should make life easier to teach food safety in my region at least.
I take this part of my job very seriously as I feel that I'm upholding safety standards so that the public who eats in my region of restaurants can enjoy a meal without fearing that they may become sick, or someone with a weekend immune system possibly dying.
I was always a stickler for Food Safety when I do my audits and when just visiting restaurants. I have been known to ask owners/managers to have food made again if I don't see them wash their hands before putting on gloves or going from accepting cash, cleaning or some other task to food preparation without washing their hands.
I have also thrown out an entire fridge worth of prepared product because they couldn't provide preparation sheets showing that the dates on the containers were accurate and not just re-dated older than allowed product.
They know that I have absolutely no "Grey Area" in that area of my expectations... It's a do it my way or else.
I haven't had any Food Bourne Illness claims in my region of stores ever, and I intend on keeping it that way.
I also have never had to default a restaurant for not doing required temperature checks / sanitation logs either.
I think that should make life easier to teach food safety in my region at least.
I take this part of my job very seriously as I feel that I'm upholding safety standards so that the public who eats in my region of restaurants can enjoy a meal without fearing that they may become sick, or someone with a weekend immune system possibly dying.
It's the management folks that let critical controls and prerequisites become shades of "grey" in front of the staff that get people sick. Keep towing the line and educating the masses good Sir!
That I am... I work with my owners on all other areas and allow them baby-steps to move standards forward because hitting them over the head and pointing out all the things wrong in one visit never gets results.
The only exception to this is Food Safety. If it's not right, then it's fixed then/there or I will close the restaurant. (Not a fun thing to do) I have done this in other regions while covering for someone who was on vacation and I have been spit at, and had things thrown at me.
Doesn't matter... Better that then making someone sick IMO, and giving our brand a bad name.
The only exception to this is Food Safety. If it's not right, then it's fixed then/there or I will close the restaurant. (Not a fun thing to do) I have done this in other regions while covering for someone who was on vacation and I have been spit at, and had things thrown at me.
Doesn't matter... Better that then making someone sick IMO, and giving our brand a bad name.
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