Pop quiz.
What do you think is the most stolen item in the world?
Drugs?
Cars?
Bread?
Bread was the first thing that came to my mind perhaps because I love the book and the musical Les Miserables‘. Who can forget Jean Valjean going to prison for stealing bread to feed his sister’s children?
All of those answers are wrong!
Would you believe that after surveying nearly 1200 retailers representing 250,000 retail outlets all across the world, the UK’s Center for Retail Research discovered that the most stolen item is none other than:
CHEESE!
Believe it or not, nearly 4% of cheese is stolen each and every year.
Dr. Joshua Banfield, Director of the Center for Retail Research, says that with the price of healthy cheese such as authentic Gouda rising, much of the theft is for resale into other markets or to restaurants.
Other frequently stolen items making the high risk list include meat, chocolate, alcohol, and seafood including caviar.
I find it interesting that three out of the top five most stolen items are animal foods considered by Traditional Societies to be essential for vibrant health.
It seems that when desperation sets in at the level which compels a person to become a criminal, the misguided mantra of conventional nutritionists and government agencies to avoid meat and foods high in saturated fat like cheese quickly goes out the window.
Perhaps there is more going on here than small time criminals trying to make a quick buck on the black market. Â Could many of these people stealing cheese, meat, or seafood simply be extremely hungry during these tumultuous economic times and instinctively favoring those foods that will give them the most nutrition and ability to survive?
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Source: World Dairy Diary
You know, when you think about it, it makes sense! Cheese is delicious, healthy (if it’s good quality cheese, anyway), doesn’t go bad easily, and would be fairly easy to hide. My first thought was bread, too, but cheese will keep you fuller, longer!
Cheese also has those pesky addictive opioids, so it’s just another drug heist in disguise.
I wonder if soaking the potato chunks would release the lectins and other toxins?
I actually have a story about that. As a penniless hungry hippie teenager , many long years ago. I shoplifted cheese and got caught. Unfortunately for me, I had put it in my friend’s purse which she had given to me that I didn’t know had pot in it !
That’s funny.
LOL. Classic
Wow, cheese?! Would have never guessed!
In the amazing film Central do Brasil the grandmother (or some such character) instructs the young hero of the movie to always steal sausage…. again, most bang for you buck.
I apologize. I have a question and it has nothing to do with the post. I’ve made your fermented mash potatoes and there are good. But I was wondering if I could sprout potatoes (cut them into pieces and let each piece sprout.) It would help break down the lectins if they were sprouted. I do realize that people say not to eat sprouted potatoes because they are bad for us but I don’t know if I really believe that. Your thoughts would be appreciated. If I could sprout the potatoes then I could use them to make different types of potatoes (ie hashbrowns, french fries etc.) Thank you, Tina
No, potatoes should be cooked not sprouted.
If you are concerned with the sugars/starches in potatoes, you could always soak them in salted water for a few hours after slicing them. This is what I do and I end up with amazing potatoes!!! 🙂
I’m surprised it’s cheese, though not surprised it’s food.
So, mice had it right all along. Go figure.
Ciao, Pavil.
I was thinking the same thing! 🙂 Glad you mentioned it!
FASCinating!