High cost of food - Mary gets on a soap box

yoginimary

Last week a mfp member (I think it was big dane) mentioned how much more money health food cost than crap food. An apple costs more than a ding dong. I'm reading the "Omnivore's Dilemma" and found two interesting quotes on the subject:

"It's true that cheap industrial food is heavily subsidized in many ways such that its price in the supermarket does not reflect its real cost." (p. 243) - why is this? why are we subsidizing HFCS?

quote 2: " As a society we Americans spend only a fraction of our disposable income feeding ourselves - about a tenth, down from a fifth in the 1950s. Americans today spend less on food, as a percentage of disposable income, than any other industrialized nation, and probably less than any people in the history of the world. This suggest that there are many of us who could spend more on food if we chose to. After all, it isn't only the elite who in recent years have found an extra fifty or one hundred dollars each month to spend on cell phones...or television, which close to 90 percent of all U.S. households now pay for. Another formally free good that more than half of us happily pay for today is water. So is the unwillingness to pay more for food really a matter of affordability or priority?" (p. 243)

While I think it is very wrong to subsidize junk food (think corn/soy products) and mass produce meat, I also think we need to re-examine our attitudes towards cheap food. I am not blaming the victim - but even the victim needs to examine why we order our junk food to go from our cell phone while sitting in our car.

I would like to hear everyone's response to this. Free and candid.

Oh, and I'm not disagreeing with bigdane...

yoginimary

Last week a mfp member (I think it was big dane) mentioned how much more money health food cost than crap food. An apple costs more than a ding dong. I'm reading the "Omnivore's Dilemma" and found two interesting quotes on the subject:

"It's true that cheap industrial food is heavily subsidized in many ways such that its price in the supermarket does not reflect its real cost." (p. 243) - why is this? why are we subsidizing HFCS?

quote 2: " As a society we Americans spend only a fraction of our disposable income feeding ourselves - about a tenth, down from a fifth in the 1950s. Americans today spend less on food, as a percentage of disposable income, than any other industrialized nation, and probably less than any people in the history of the world. This suggest that there are many of us who could spend more on food if we chose to. After all, it isn't only the elite who in recent years have found an extra fifty or one hundred dollars each month to spend on cell phones...or television, which close to 90 percent of all U.S. households now pay for. Another formally free good that more than half of us happily pay for today is water. So is the unwillingness to pay more for food really a matter of affordability or priority?" (p. 243)

While I think it is very wrong to subsidize junk food (think corn/soy products) and mass produce meat, I also think we need to re-examine our attitudes towards cheap food. I am not blaming the victim - but even the victim needs to examine why we order our junk food to go from our cell phone while sitting in our car.

I would like to hear everyone's response to this. Free and candid.

Oh, and I'm not disagreeing with bigdane...

diannholland1965

I am with you on this Mary.
We are so used to paying big money on luxuries that we think that our food should be cheap.
And in comparison to other nations it is still EVEN if we went to Whole foods everyday and bought only the organic foods there, we would still have a much smaller bill then that of say your basic German.
We are also Gas spoiled.
We grump about gas being over 3 dollars but our friends in Europe are paying 6 to 7 dollars a gallon for their gas, and if you look at a map, THEY ARE CLOSER TO IT THEN WE ARE! Yes I know politics.
There is another reason that people in Europe also do not have as many problems with being over weight as Americans do. They WALK EVERYWHERE! Hey if gas was 6.00 a gallon here I would walk to work every morning too.
But I digress. When Spring and Summer roll around, go find a local Farmers Market, get freash food cheap, and enjoy the goodness of unprocessed fruits and veggies. Find a butcher shop and get the best meats you have ever had, free range and chimical free.
If you can, grow your own, Learn how to can, If you want to buy big ticket items skip the 4th TV and buy a deep freeze. Freeze fresh Fruit and Veggies and enjoy them through the winter months.
Yeah a twinkie is cheaper then an apple but a funeral is more expensive then an orange. or salad!
--Diann...

AtlantaSara

I just moved to Nashville (Brentwood) and because of my zip code, prices at the grocery store are higher (translate, I live in a wealthy zip code).

I found a phenomenal international market - with REAL butchers, live fish, etc. Produce to DIE for -- the fresh herbs I was paying 2.49 for at the local national chain, I get for .50. Bannanas are 3lbs for $1.00 and much tastier. There are exotic fruits and veggies galore that I cannot wait to work with.

The meat and fish is about 40% less expensive and it looks much better. Not to mention the offer octopus and other exotic fish -- and you can purchase live fish as well. (I know its not everyone's cup of tea -- but I happen to love occtopus)

And for the canned goods, beans etc are all considerably cheaper and here was the thing that really "got me" -- I cook with Chipolte chiles in adobe sauce a lot. One can at Kroger is 4.29 the same exact can, brand, size, etc. at the international market -- are you ready for this, $1.19!

This is a bit off topic on your discussion, but my point is that eliminate the middle man, the advertising, etc. and you can eat healthy and inexpensively by shopping at international markets and farmer's markets. Of course, there are still a few things I need to get at the "regular" grocery store, but the more I explore with these produce items the less I see myself running into Kroger.

diannholland1965

Right On Sara!
Oh and BTW!
I AM GREEN WITH ENVY!
That sounds like a GREAT PLACE! I go through on the way to Florida about every other month, Where is this place??!!?? I WANNA GO THERE!!!!!!!
--Diann...

wollstonecraft

I am personally offended by the price of Chicken.... boneless, skinless used to run about $5 for a package with 3-4.... last night at the store I noticed it is all around 9-10$!!!!!!!! HOLY COW!

yoginimary

Oooh, I know what you mean by international markets. Cheap stuff at our Asian markets here. In Texas we have a great grocery store called HEB, that has good produce for a decent price. This is also where Whole Foods started and we have a wonderful year-round farmer's market (going this weekend) - but I'm still complaining :laugh:

MiaEllie

I've read "Omnivore's Dilemma" and have recommended it previously on this site. Everyone should read this book! The media, government, and main stream food industry are out to make money. They don't give a damn about anyone's health so it is up to each person to seek the knowledge and truth about what is good for his or her body and the earth. This is a good book to start with.:flowerforyou:

diannholland1965

That IS a good book and along with that one check out Fast Food Nation, You may NEVER be able to think of what you eat the same way again.
--Diann...

lotusfromthemud

My philosophy is. . .

I used to take 10 pills a day.

I now take zero pills. (OK, I take a multivitamin)

I'm sure that the extra money I spend on food. . . is still cheaper than those pills and those side effects.

"Let food be your medicine" (Hippocrates, 400 B.C.) is my favorite quote.

:flowerforyou: