７月２９日（金曜日）２０２２
アメリカと日本の違いは数え上げたらキリがありませんが、皆がよく言うのはサイズと量と種類でしょう。全てが大きく量が多く色々あるのがアメリカです。ミルクも皆がよく買うのは１ガロン（約3.8リットル）。1/2ガロンや1/4ガロンも売られていますが、手に取りやすい場所にズラリと並ぶのは大きいミルク。種類も色々。Whole Milk（全乳）, 2% Milk, 1% Milk, Skim Milkと脂肪分の割合で分けられ、Homogenized Milk (成分が分離しないように処理したもの）、Lactose Free Milk (乳糖（Lactose)を分解する酵素が含まれ「お腹を壊しにくい牛乳」）、rBST Free Milk (成長ホルモンの入っていない牛乳）、他殺菌温度によって分けられた牛乳、オーガニック（無農薬）、ビタミン入り、カルシウム入り、いろいろな味入り豆乳。前はあまり目立たなかったけど結構な存在感で棚に並んでいたのはアーモンドミルクです。ココナツミルク、カシューナッツミルクなどもありました。我が家の冷蔵庫には全乳と2%牛乳があります。2%が定番だったのにどうして全乳があるのかと買った本人に聞くと、ヨーグルト作りには脂肪分の多いのが良いのだそうです。アメリカのオレンジジュースは果汁100%で美味しいのですが、これも各社１ガロンのものを多く並べていました。
最近のアメリカの物価の高騰ぶりは凄まじいようですが、久しぶりに覗いた大型スーパーは品物で溢れ圧倒されました。皆それなりに財布の紐を締めながら買い物をしているのでしょうが、コロナよりも経済を優先するアメリカの雰囲気は確かにここにもありました。
If you count up the difference between US vs JPN, there is no end, but many people often point to the size, amount and kinds of things. Indeed most products in the US are big, sold in large amounts and are of various kinds. For example, many people buy 1 gallon milk. You can also get 1/2 gallon or 1/4 gallon but large ones are located in a place where people could pick easily.
I will list some of the various kinds of milk. Whole Milk, 2% Milk, 1% Milk, Skim Milk, Homogenized Milk, Lactose Free Milk, rBST Free Milk, different pasteurizing temperature of Milk, Organic Milk, Vitamin added Milk, Calcium added Milk, different taste of Soy Milk, etc. I was surprised that many kinds of Almond Milk were on the shelf. Coconut Milk, Cashew nuts Milk and more and more.
There are two kinds of milk, whole and 2% milk in my refrigerator. I wonder why whole milk is there because we used to drink 2% milk every day, so I asked the reason to the person who chose it. He said that he can make better homemade yogurt with whole milk rather than less fat product.
I also would like to mention about orange juice in the US. It is so good because it is 100% juice. I saw 1 gallon orange juice produced by several companies.
It seems that the prices are increasing rapidly in the US but I was overwhelmed by all the products in a big American supermarket. I guess people are buying their necessities by controlling their tough budget but still I felt that the US government put more economic priority than preventing Covid-19.
