Poverty and Poor Nutrition
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I always shop like I am poor alloting only a certain amount of money every trip, clipping coupons, and making sure to get the paper on wednesdays and sundays for ads and coupons. It is just as cheap to eat healthy. You can get a 1 lb bag of beans for under 2 dollars. Same for rice. Frozen veggies are cheap. Dairy is not out of control I can get a doz eggs for under 2 dollars shredded cheese or blocked cheese for under 2 dollars. Yogurt is 50 cents for the reg one and 1 buck for greek unless I buy in packs then they are cheaper.
Being poor is no excuse to be fat or make bad choices when shopping. Being stupid is a whole different topic. I see plenty of MF'ers pulling out foodstamp cards with their nicely done 30 dollar nail job, while they talk on thier 200 dollar IPhone, fumbling with all the "bling" they have on. Then when they get to the parking lot and load all those groceries I just paid for into their Cadillac and drive off as I look at my cart of enough to get me to next payday after all my hard work of clipping and finding coupons as I get into my 2003 Toyota Tundra and look at the gas light to make sure I have enough to get home.
Being what America considers poor doesnt make ppl fat. Greedy,disgusting ppl that do not do a damn thing to contribute to soceity and live off it and make bad choices are whats ppl fat. They dont give a damn how disgusting they are you think they care what they put in their body. IT"S FREE! They aint paying for it.
This pisses me off just as bad as it does you. Im a single mom, hard working....fukin struggling my *kitten* off and I dont qualify for any programs because I make too much. Leave it to the mothers that keep having baby after baby and like you say, rollin up to the store in their dam mercedes collecting a welfare check and buying groceries with food stamps. THAT seriously erks my nerves man. Ugh.
Granted not everyone on assistance takes advantage of the system and some people really do need it....but when I see *kitten* like this, I can help but wanna shake a motha fker! (and take their food card and use it!)0 -
I have been on both sides of that coin. I was once a struggling single mom of two living at poverty level. We ate healthy. I clipped coupons and we ate a lot of homemade soup, pasta, peanut butter (LOTS of peanut butter), apples (always cheap in my area). Fish was canned tuna or frozen pollock. Cheap cuts of meat, lots of beans and frozen vegetables. Store bought desserts and fast food were treats because we couldn't afford them on a regular basis. Real restaurants were only for birthdays. Pizzas were homemade because we couldn't afford frozen or delivery.
Now, the kids are grown and gone, My husband and I both have well paying jobs. We still eat healthy We eat out more and order pizza out more, but most meals are still at home. We pretty much eat whatever we want now.
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I have a list of about 40 meals we like to eat. And I have a "grocery list" that goes with each meal. I know the portions, I know the calories, and I know how much each meal costs, like a restaurant does. When we go shopping every other week we pick out 14 dinners we're going to have, and a lot of those ingredients intermingle so I can buy larger, cheaper, quantities. Sometimes I make two of one dinner at a time and freeze the other half for future use. It saves money, time, and headache. I spend less than 200 a month for the two of us doing that.
If there is a great sale I buy up a lot more and freeze it.
Part of that poverty mentality is that mind frame of "buying 4 rolls of toilet paper instead of 6 keeps $2 in my pocket today" But the reality is it robs you of $4 down the line. I always buy the larger item because I know it lasts and it saves a lot throughout the year.
If I were financially unstable I'd look for more sales and pare down on the ingredients on my lists. But poor or middle class, I believe in saving money on food as much as possible so I can buy stuff I want!
I'm not a health nut, I don't seek out organic beef or free range carrots, but so far, being on a diet, has cut my food expenses in half because I'm quite literally eating half as much to not go over my calories. I don't understand why it's seen so expensive.0 -
Someone help me with my grocery bills please then. I get $20 MAX a week to spend on a family of 3, that includes a gallon of milk every week and diapers if I need them. I "make too much" by my gross income to get state aid of any sort yet I'm below poverty level after you take out my health and dental insurance. My $20 will soon be going lower as they are about to raise the rates of my insurance yet again. It's not a matter of convenience (although when you leave at 6 am and don't get home until 7pm the last thing you want to do is cook all night), it's a matter of I can buy a box of mac and cheese and feed 3 of us 1 meal for $1. Oh, and food trucks and food banks are usually only open during the day, not later at night when I could get to one.0
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As a result of this discussion I am going to take some bags food over to the Food Pantry this week.
You can't criticize and then not try to help fix the problem (even if it's just a drop in the bucket).0 -
There are so many variables in these situations. It's completely ignorant for people to say "poverty is NO excuse". You're seriously saying...that EVERY. SINGLE. poor person in the world should be able to eat healthy?
You have no idea what every little aspect of every single impoverished person's life is like. Open your minds people...just a little.
Geesh. I think I'm done with this topic....too many "I am right because I'm right" going on for my tastes. We are put on this earth to expand eachother's minds just a little. Not the opposite.
I agree that most people living in poverty could eat in a healthy manner, however, we must acknowledge that there ARE situations where it just might be out of that person's control.
Enjoy the rest of your discussion...have a great weekend to all!
BS! If you can get to McDonalds you can get to a grocery store
It's all about access. Maybe she didn't have a car to drive to the grocery store, or public transportation to get her there. Or maybe she couldn't afford the gas and there was a McDonalds around the corner. You don't know anyone else's specific situation.
Maybe instead of arguing on here, we could go ask people who are actually living it. Then maybe we could come up with ways to help the situation.0 -
Some of the answers are still missing the point. Macaroni and cheese fills a child's stomach and lasts longer than the head of lettuce for the same price. Yes, one has to be wise about what they are feeding their families. Education is necessary. How many of you working parents feel like coming home and spending the rest of your evening cooking and cleaning up?And it is even worse if it is a single parent with 2 jobs. How many peeps on here go on and on about beans when someone in the family hates beans? No one family fits into the same mold. I feel making and baking from scratch is more cost effective. However, some parents are just plain tired not lazy. Just like the TV show Wife Swap some folks on here need to live a month in poverty or near poverty and then post. One last disclaimer: I agree if you can go to McD's you can afford to eat healthier, too.0
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I believe the kind of "poverty" that is being discussed here is a bit different then what you all are talking about. Sure there is "we can't afford Sarah's baby shower gift, so wish her our best, but we will be unable to attend brunch" and clipping coupons to feed the family, and then there is "looks like we can't eat today, but if I can find some change in the couch cushion, we can buy a package of Ramen noodles for $1.
A few months ago...I had to buy a package of Ramen noodles...and five double cheeseburgers from McDonalds...cut them into half, and split the food. For five dollars...I made over ten meals. You just can't do that with fresh produce. Thankfully, I am in a better position now...and while still technically "in poverty", I am eating very healthy. I think the studies are just talking about the extreme situations.
For those extreme situations...it IS hard to eat healthy. Mac and Cheese at Aldi's...35 cents. Ramen noodles...25 cents....cheeseburger....a dollar....
That's the congruency that I see...
But it's so much easier to just call people lazy.
People who have never been there don't realize that people choose to feed their families Ramen (12 packages for $1 in my area) because they can't afford the $1.50 head of lettuce because it won't go as far. In rural areas (I am in West Virginia) there aren't a lot of fresh veggies to choose from and what is available is expensive compared to the cheap frozen or packaged options. $3 will buy you three frozen dinners or one head of cabbage. It is expensive to feed my three person family healthy food. It's not like these are people living off the government either. These are people who work for a living, but the cost of living has gone up while their income hasn't and they are making the tough choices.
3 dollars will also buy you a 1lb bag of beans and some rice.....choices ppl better choices. BTW that will go ALOT further than 3 1 dollar tv dinners and is WAY more filling.
There will always be a better/healthier choice. There is just an entire lack of understanding for these people's mindsets. Empathy is non existent judgments abound.0 -
Someone help me with my grocery bills please then. I get $20 MAX a week to spend on a family of 3, that includes a gallon of milk every week and diapers if I need them. I "make too much" by my gross income to get state aid of any sort yet I'm below poverty level after you take out my health and dental insurance. My $20 will soon be going lower as they are about to raise the rates of my insurance yet again. It's not a matter of convenience (although when you leave at 6 am and don't get home until 7pm the last thing you want to do is cook all night), it's a matter of I can buy a box of mac and cheese and feed 3 of us 1 meal for $1. Oh, and food trucks and food banks are usually only open during the day, not later at night when I could get to one.
How about getting rid of an extra phone or cable or internet so you can properly feed you and your family?
Ah but I have a pay monthly phone. $30/month and it's my only phone. I have an antenna on my tv and no internet. I turn off the lights when I can and unplug every appliance that isn't in use to save on my electric bill.0 -
There are so many variables in these situations. It's completely ignorant for people to say "poverty is NO excuse". You're seriously saying...that EVERY. SINGLE. poor person in the world should be able to eat healthy?
You have no idea what every little aspect of every single impoverished person's life is like. Open your minds people...just a little.
Geesh. I think I'm done with this topic....too many "I am right because I'm right" going on for my tastes. We are put on this earth to expand eachother's minds just a little. Not the opposite.
I agree that most people living in poverty could eat in a healthy manner, however, we must acknowledge that there ARE situations where it just might be out of that person's control.
Enjoy the rest of your discussion...have a great weekend to all!
Exactly. It is better to agree to disagree because people who have never been poor just won't get it. Just like other issues those with a low SES face.0 -
Someone help me with my grocery bills please then. I get $20 MAX a week to spend on a family of 3, that includes a gallon of milk every week and diapers if I need them. I "make too much" by my gross income to get state aid of any sort yet I'm below poverty level after you take out my health and dental insurance. My $20 will soon be going lower as they are about to raise the rates of my insurance yet again. It's not a matter of convenience (although when you leave at 6 am and don't get home until 7pm the last thing you want to do is cook all night), it's a matter of I can buy a box of mac and cheese and feed 3 of us 1 meal for $1. Oh, and food trucks and food banks are usually only open during the day, not later at night when I could get to one.
How about getting rid of an extra phone or cable or internet so you can properly feed you and your family?
You ASSume they have these things. They could be using mfp at work or the library.0 -
Someone help me with my grocery bills please then. I get $20 MAX a week to spend on a family of 3, that includes a gallon of milk every week and diapers if I need them. I "make too much" by my gross income to get state aid of any sort yet I'm below poverty level after you take out my health and dental insurance. My $20 will soon be going lower as they are about to raise the rates of my insurance yet again. It's not a matter of convenience (although when you leave at 6 am and don't get home until 7pm the last thing you want to do is cook all night), it's a matter of I can buy a box of mac and cheese and feed 3 of us 1 meal for $1. Oh, and food trucks and food banks are usually only open during the day, not later at night when I could get to one.
How about getting rid of an extra phone or cable or internet so you can properly feed you and your family?
I'm in a similar situation (except no insurance for us). One phone. No cable. Internet needed for work (and it's the cheapest, most basic internet available). What else would you cut?0 -
Someone help me with my grocery bills please then. I get $20 MAX a week to spend on a family of 3, that includes a gallon of milk every week and diapers if I need them. I "make too much" by my gross income to get state aid of any sort yet I'm below poverty level after you take out my health and dental insurance. My $20 will soon be going lower as they are about to raise the rates of my insurance yet again. It's not a matter of convenience (although when you leave at 6 am and don't get home until 7pm the last thing you want to do is cook all night), it's a matter of I can buy a box of mac and cheese and feed 3 of us 1 meal for $1. Oh, and food trucks and food banks are usually only open during the day, not later at night when I could get to one.
How about getting rid of an extra phone or cable or internet so you can properly feed you and your family?
Ah but I have a pay monthly phone. $30/month and it's my only phone. I have an antenna on my tv and no internet. I turn off the lights when I can and unplug every appliance that isn't in use to save on my electric bill.
Are you in America?
I am. I'm in Michigan.0 -
When it comes to grocery shopping I have to write a list. Once my list is complete I hightlight the most important items that I can't do without. Normally those highlighted items are ingredients that can be used to make a wide range of meals. When I get to the store it's all about the best price, not always the lowest, and sales sales sales.I might have chicken on my list but if pork is on sale for 99 cents a pound I'll buy the pork instead of the chicken. I also normally shop at Aldi's which tends to have food a lot cheaper than other places. If I have any money left over out of my grocery shopping budget I move on to the un-highlighted items. I end up getting a lot of nutritious ingredients that can be cooked into many different items and less, if any, of the pre-made items. That normally means I spend a good couple of hours in my kitchen on Sundays cooking/baking various things for the week but it's much easier on my budget to make everything from scratch then to buy things pre-made.
I do the prioritized list thing too. I also try to add everything up as I put it in the cart, but I generally end up making two rounds of the grocery store - one to get the things on my list and then one to put back the items I don't absolutely have to have in order to get my total where it needs to be. I also can't eat as many fruits/vegetables as I'd like and it makes me sad. Losing weight was easy when we had money because I could could have fruit for breakfast, salads for lunch, and veggies with my dinner. I was full and happy and satisfied. This time it's considerably more difficult.
And, Acg67, I don't understand why you're trying to argue this. There are numerous studies that show a correlation between poverty and poor nutrition and/or obesity. It isn't an opinion. It simply IS.
Phew a correlation? That answers it then, case closed
Same with global warming
I'm sorry, what?:huh:0 -
I'm not impoverished, but I'm not even close to scrapping by either. For instance, there was NO money after bills this paycheck for grocery shopping. So my choices consist of whatever is still in the cabinets/fridge/freezer. That translates to lots of pasta, some frozen pizza, and some English muffins...there might be some eggs in there too. Unfortunately, proteins and fruits/veggies are too expensive for me to purchase a lot of times. I KNOW they're worth the purchase, but I have to shop as cheaply as possible, and I need foods that will last a long time.
It's frustrating, especially after losing almost 50 pounds between May and August of last year and putting at least half of that back on because financial situations have changed. Sadly, none of it is getting any better!0 -
I do believe a lot of it boils down to education and knowledge about healthy foods. But I also believe it has a lot to do with the lazy attitude that is prevalent in our society.
THANK YOU!!0 -
For $2.00 I can get a 1lb box of spaghetti and a can of sauce. That is dinner for a week, and I can likely find coupons so it would be even less. Apples, on sale, are $1.69 lb, squash is $1.99 lb. Bananas($0.59), beans($0.98), and a few other starchy type items are reasonable, but if I still had to make this choice (fortunately I don’t anymore) I would still choose spaghetti for a week. Most of it is taste, I won’t get as tired of eating pasta and tomato sauce as I will bananas and beans. Another part is not wanting to be hungry, so forget the lettuce and cabbage.
Another large part of the obesity issue, though is how sedentary our society has become. The kids are not outside running around all afternoon; in poorer areas it is too dangerous and in richer areas there are too many video games. Even 30 years ago you had kids (and adults) running around a lot more. Society has changed not only through the abundance of processed foods, but also through our activity levels and both of these issues should be taken into account.0 -
I think I need to speak out for all those low income familys out there- since I AM one of them. My mother,sister and I get food stamps. around 370 every month. That may sound like alot bit it really isnt. I would LOVE to eat healthy every singel day but its jsut not possible. So yeah I think being poor and unable to afford good foods is major reason for being unhealthy. I cant tell you how many times iv walked past the produce aile and looked with longing, at most only able to afford a few apples and mybe bannanas or only the frozen veggies. (IF even that) most family's really only can afford ramen noodles and frozen pizza and processed food. Its a shame really. If healthy food was more affordable i really think america would'nt be so obese0
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I think that was a very interesting study.
There is certainly a correlation between obesity and poverty but it is a complex subject based on multiple factors - it has been described as "food poverty" here in the UK.
It seems people living in poverty are more susceptible to an obesogenic environment which is far more prevalent than it was in the past - the proliferation of highly calorific, highly palatable food which is cheaper, in general, than fresh produce in general. Why this may be is down to many issues including lack of basic life skills, like home cooking as well as education on nutrition.
It also goes to show how influential diet is on obesity rather than physical activity given poorer people tend to hold manual jobs and therefore should, in theory, be more active than their white collar counterparts.0 -
I always shop like I am poor alloting only a certain amount of money every trip, clipping coupons, and making sure to get the paper on wednesdays and sundays for ads and coupons. It is just as cheap to eat healthy. You can get a 1 lb bag of beans for under 2 dollars. Same for rice. Frozen veggies are cheap. Dairy is not out of control I can get a doz eggs for under 2 dollars shredded cheese or blocked cheese for under 2 dollars. Yogurt is 50 cents for the reg one and 1 buck for greek unless I buy in packs then they are cheaper.
Being poor is no excuse to be fat or make bad choices when shopping. Being stupid is a whole different topic. I see plenty of MF'ers pulling out foodstamp cards with their nicely done 30 dollar nail job, while they talk on thier 200 dollar IPhone, fumbling with all the "bling" they have on. Then when they get to the parking lot and load all those groceries I just paid for into their Cadillac and drive off as I look at my cart of enough to get me to next payday after all my hard work of clipping and finding coupons as I get into my 2003 Toyota Tundra and look at the gas light to make sure I have enough to get home.
Being what America considers poor doesnt make ppl fat. Greedy,disgusting ppl that do not do a damn thing to contribute to soceity and live off it and make bad choices are whats ppl fat. They dont give a damn how disgusting they are you think they care what they put in their body. IT"S FREE! They aint paying for it.
This pisses me off just as bad as it does you. Im a single mom, hard working....fukin struggling my *kitten* off and I dont qualify for any programs because I make too much. Leave it to the mothers that keep having baby after baby and like you say, rollin up to the store in their dam mercedes collecting a welfare check and buying groceries with food stamps. THAT seriously erks my nerves man. Ugh.
Granted not everyone on assistance takes advantage of the system and some people really do need it....but when I see *kitten* like this, I can help but wanna shake a motha fker! (and take their food card and use it!)
Agreed. Clearly not everyone on assistance does this and there are plenty of people who do their best to eat healthy, but having gone to school in an inner city area i've seen my share of individuals purchase name brand cereal, chips, soda and steak with food stamps (while talking on a smart phone, meanwhile I still have a dumb phone because i can't afford a smart phone) while i buy store brand chick peas.0
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