Poor and fat in the US?

firstsip

I have found that eating healthy does cost more money. For my lunch at work, it's much cheaper to get a slice of pizza and a small bag of chips than it is to get a salad with a grilled chicken breast.

However, for everything else I find it evens out. I AM spending more money at the grocery store, but I'm saving money by not eating out.

ARE you spending more at a grocery store, though?

Your one example was eating out vs. eating out. If you get, at the cheapest I can think of, $1.50 for a pizza and chips, not counting tax (if your state has that), you can easily get a BAG of good lettuce (romaine, spinach, arugala, etc.) for $1-2, and even a can of cooked chicken for $1. The salad could be divided into MULTIPLE salads, while the can could be one or two. So then that's $3-5... for more than one meal. If you think, conservatively, three days worth, you're spending $1 or less per salad (that you've made yourself). If you want even fresher, buying a pound of chicken breasts for maybe $10 at the most could yield over 10 different salads.

ahamm002

According to the article, it is alot cheaper for people to buy unhealthy food.. Apparantly they cant afford to eat healthy!

If money is so tight, why are "poor" people buying so much more food than their body requires? If money was the issue, you wouldn't see "poor" people eating twice as many calories per day as necessary. Obviously they have plenty of money to spend on food. And please don't tell me that apples are too expensive . . . right.

AnnaMC1977

Are any of you from the deep south? It's a whole different world down here...organic? Most people don't eve know what that is.

Gramps251

Are any of you from the deep south? It's a whole different world down here...organic? Most people don't eve know what that is.

I believe the conversation is discussing cost difference between eating processed food and non-processed food. (It's more expensive to eat healthy)

You don't need organic to eat healthy and in most cases organic food is more expensive.

mrykyldy2

As others have mentioned getting meat on sale is a big help. My husband and I recently had to go to a fixed income so buying things on sale is a huge help to us. I often find Boneless Skinless Chicken breast on sale for 1.88 a lb. and tend to stock up on that. I also try to get the less expensive cuts of meat on sale that I can also use in a crock pot as I am in school and the crock pot provides a much easier approach to cooking. THe major advantage is that there is one pot, four plates/bowls, and four forks/spoons to clean up that evening. It is appreciated by the person washing dishes in the evening. I am not so sure about buying protein powders if your friend is short on money to begin with. They are better off sticking to meats, eggs, and cheese for protein.

RNTanya

If your friend is looking for a protein heavy diet for working out then he is best off buying meats since they are rather cheap here in North America, such as beef, fish, pork and eggs are all rather cheap. Also post workout protein shakes are pretty cheap depending on the brand, up here in Canada you can get 2KG for ~$40, that could last you for about 2 months at one shake a day.

That *might* be true in Canada, where you live, but in the US beef and fish are among the MOST expensive items sold in supermarkets.

I'm currently eating on a limited budget and have struggled with this issue myself. I have learned that for US residents, the easiest and most affordable way to eat a healthier diet is:

1) Avoid eating animal flesh & animal fat (lard, butter, etc.)
2) Avoid heavily processed foods
3) Avoid fried foods
4) Eat more non-meat items: beans, legumes (pulses) and unprocessed grains (rice, quinoa, oats, etc.)
5) Eat more fruits and vegetables. Fresh fruit & vegetables tend to be quite costly in many places, but the frozen varieties are equally nutritious and MUCH cheaper.
6) Eat peanut butter. It is widely available, very nutritious and very much affordable. Just avoid the brands that add lots of sugar & salt to the peanuts.

Average price of chicken breast in Canada is $8 a lb, I have friends in philly who won't pay more then $2.5. Sorry mate, Canada is waaaaaay more expensive then USA.

Yep, having lived in Ireland, Alberta and now California, I can tell you that most things are cheaper here in the US including food.

Ge0rgiana

Tuna. Really cheap.

Advaya

I know for myself that I don't just buy food with my food budget. Household items, pet stuff, hairspray/makeup, and even the occasional work shirt will fall into the food budget category. As a student and low income worker, the food budget is the only place where my money is flexible. There is nowhere left to cut. And yes, I have to have the internet since I'm a student and I'm starting my own business. I usually only spend $50-60 a week for two people and not just for our food. It doesn't leave a whole lot of room for meat. Here ground beef is $8 or more a pound and that's at the cheap store in town. Let's just say, I eat beans for 1/2 the week or more. This may be why some of the poor are having a hard time. They aren't using their food budgets just for food. It's all their supplies too. Just a thought.

Very good point.

Exactly, a budget problem If she really is trying to get out of debt send her on to Dave Ramsey's website to create a budget and plan to get out of the mess. It works. If she needs to budget for clothes budget for clothes, fi she needs to budget for food budget for food...if there's not enough for both I think we all know which one has to wait.

Yeah, maybe if she was buying clothes..... She buys like one pair of scrubs at the goodwill when she runs a hole in her others... I realize the issue is with her though. But it goes well beyond just any one topic. She is in debt, she is depressed, she doesn't qualify for food stamps because she is in debt with a decent paying job. She has worked two jobs most of the time I was growing up, now she works just the one but it really leaves no time for another. Plus, working in an adult day care with mentally retarded adults all day doesn't leave much stamina left for another job. I don't know, it's tough. I wish she would eat better, but it goes beyond being able to afford it. It also has a LOT to do with how far away we are from grocery stores. The price of gas. It gets very overwhelming, and rather depressing. But I see lots of privilege here to an extent. I grew up eating mayonnaise sandwiches on white bread. I would not say I'm glad I grew up so poor (my father is actually wealthy and they had split custody, so I've seen both sides), but I know what its like to be very poor and defeated. I also know what its like to work your way out of that, but not everyone can, at least quickly. I'm 26 and I'm still working out of it. Poverty is a huge issue. For all of us. But I've been there long enough to know there isn't an easy answer, nor a quick fix for everyone. My mother was always too proud to take from food banks when I was growing up, but my best friend's parents used a food bank and I found the food they supplied to be appalling. I worked with a woman who used to be homeless and she doesn't even LIKE sweets anymore because the only thing people would donate to the food bank were candy and cakes. I guess because they are cheaper and last longer than fresh stuff. Again, no easy answer.

126siany

I see this with my mother everyday. It hurts to see it too. We live in a town 45 minutes from the nearest grocery store. We have Dollar General stores and one general store, not even really any convenience stores. My mother buys 99% of her food at the dollar store. Boxed crap, all of it. Boxed crap and liquid calories. She wants to lose weight, and I try to tell her to keep track of calories and sometimes I think she gets it, but as soon as she steps into the store I see her buy all this crap. What do I do? If i point it out, she gets pissed off. Its a no win situation. If I had money I could buy her food for her, but I'm a college student and my boyfriend's parents buy ALL of our stuff as my boyfriend has been laid off from work for a while (we both work seasonal jobs in a greenhouse but I'm there year round since she keeps me weekends only on the off season).

I don't think it's a money issue necessarily. I am far more poor than my mother and I do not eat boxed crap at all. I realize that produce and dried beans and even fresh meat are both more cost effective RIGHT now but also in medical costs down the road. The difference is that I'm a college student going to school 45 minutes away 4 times a week and can get groceries with my boyfriend's parents money. Certainly not ideal for anyone, but I truly worry about my mother. She is obese and eats all this crap. *sigh*

Food deserts definitely exist. I've grown up in one. And whats really weird, 40 years ago everyone grew their own food here. Now that we don't have time to grow (or the skills, I guess) we have nothing.

My mom doesn't shop at the dollar store, but she is heavy enough that she can't stand long enough to cook. I've started bringing her samples of things I make myself and that I can freeze. When she likes something, I make more of it to bring on the next visit. Her issue isn't financial, it's her love of carbs, sweets and "convenience" foods. She actually is willing to eat better if someone else does all the work of shopping for it and preparing it (time on feet). I'm trying to get my siblings to do this as well, as we could probably keep her pretty well-stocked as a group.