Poverty and Poor Nutrition
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I recently had some money issues (still do but not so extreme as before). My daughter who paid part of the bills lost her job. We are both morbidly obese, and we have a lot of not so good things around the house, but normally we eat those rarely. As a general rule we eat healthfully, but I believe our obesity stems from inactivity, side effect of medication and quantity of food rather than quality.
Having said that, I was in a serious panic because of the loss of income. We literally had NO money for food at all, so we had to make do with what was in the house. What an eye opener that was! Within 5 days, since most of what we had around was processed wheat products, I had gained 40 lbs. I had never been so hungry in my entire life, and I very quickly realized I had a sensitivity (or perhaps an allergy to wheat).
I then had to figure out a way to get us some proper food in a hurry. Let me tell ya, it isn't easy to be healthy when you don't have an income. Kraft dinner and weiners is a $5 meal for 2 in a pinch.....but to get all the fixings for a proper chicken meal, with veggies and rice, you;re looking at at least double that.
What I DID learn however, is that I waste a LOT of food, so I'm buying smaller portions more often. I also realized that the healthy meal, even if it were triple the cost, is worth it.
In reality, we are so wasteful. My daughter and I found ways to save a bit of money here and there, and by implementing our new shopping plan, we are saving tons of money and have enough to eat better now.
Having said that, when I was actually classified as low income, we didn't have the luxury of buying anything perishable. There just wasn't enough to do so.0 -
There is a documentary on Netflix that discusses poverty and obesity. I wish I could remember the name.
A head of lettuce? It's gone in one night with a family of four. A bag of rice will feed them a lot longer.
Fruits and veggies rot very quickly. For a mother without transporation having to "bus jump" with several kids in tow, that means hours spent riding public transport with a crying infant and probably at least one older sibling she has to keep her eye on. Boxed food means she can make less trips because the food will last indefinitely. Less trips mean less money needed for bus fares.
Then, how many bags can she carry with an infant in her arms? What weighs less? A bag of produce or a bag of hamburger helper boxes?
What if she needs, or can only afford, one or two items? If the grocery store is too far, she'll probably settle on the nearest convenience store. Especially if it's within walking distance, because then her method of transport is FREE. Produce at a Quickie-Marts (if they even have produce) is usually 2-3 times more expensive than the grocery store.
Food Donations: Even if the mother resorts to obtaining food from her local church, all of it is prepackaged. Most churches have the stipulation that it has to be non-perishable. Again, she's stuck with boxed food and canned veggies loaded with sodium.
I haven't read the comments here, but from my own personal observation, society's view seems to be that the poor need to be protected from their own bad choices, because they aren't smart enough or educated enough to make good nutritional choices.
But that isn't limited to just the poor. Fat people in general are seen that way too. Case in point: New York trying to ban fat people from eating at restaurants. It's as if society is saying, "Well, I can see you aren't capable of thinking for yourself. Here, let me think for you, because I know better." Maybe the fat person has a medical condition. Doesn't matter. Society will still view them as slow, unproductive, stupid, and in need of protection from themselves.
A lot of us have been broke before. Many might be struggling to pay bills. But, unless you've had the dire sort of food insecurity of 0 money, no transportation, and no one in your life that can bail you out.... it's very difficult for someone to actually relate with the life and death decisions of the single mom with kids scenario. Balanced nutrition is not necessary to sustain life. That mother is just going to fill the family's bellies any way she can....for as long as she can.0 -
It's also an issue of access. In some areas there just aren't proper grocery stores where you can get fresh produce and healthy foods. And if those type of foods are available in the corner stores, they're much more expensive than the processed foods. It also may be difficult for people to get to the grocery stores because of time or financial constraints, so they just stick with the convenience/fast foods in their area.
^^^this. I find it more than a "coincidence" that in the inner city of my area, there are more billboard advertisements for our casino, the lottery, and alcohol/beer than you will see in the middle class suburb where I live. And, there are fewer quality grocery stores, leaving the inner city residents to rely more on convenience marts and fast food restaurants.
This argument cheeses me off to no end.
I have watched grocery store after grocery store close in my middle class neighborhood for LACK OF CUSTOMERS.
Yet the casinos are full and the liquor stores do brisk business.
Gotta wonder where people are spending their money.
This is the result of personal spending choices over a long period of time.
Do not blame the store that can't keep it's doors open where there aren't enough customers to cover operating costs.
It isn't an argument, it is fact based. Here are some links:
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2010/05/few-healthy-food-choices-in-urban-food-deserts/#.UXHdrMU9iSo
http://www.policylink.org/atf/cf/{97C6D565-BB43-406D-A6D5-ECA3BBF35AF0}/FINALGroceryGap.pdf
And regarding gambling/lottery:
http://www.acrwebsite.org/search/view-conference-proceedings.aspx?Id=11506
http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/ngisc/research/lotteries.html0 -
Since going vegan, my grocery bills have actually decreased. The proteins that i consume now (beans, lentils, nuts, seeds...and the occasional tempeh--because it's a little more spendy) are actually A LOT more affordable than meat. I buy plenty of produce, but I don't buy all organic. I make sure to buy my "Dirty Dozen" organic, but stick to traditional non-GMO fruits and veg for the others. http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/dirty-dozen-foods <--click for more info about the "Dirty Dozen" I referenced, just in case you didn't know about this before.
I am a firm believer that paying about .50/lb for bananas is going to satisfy me WAYY more nutritionally than the same price for two McDoubles.
The two McDoubles may SEEM more cost-efficient and filling. However; they are nutritionally DEAD. It's like eating chemicals and fillers...
*edit* just so everyone is aware, I am a 23 year old married college student. Working two jobs and paying rent. (Saving for a house.) I choose to skimp out in other areas (ie. nice shampoo, fluffy toilet paper, brand name clothes, hitting the bar or club every weekend) to accommodate my food choices. I find that dollar store soap suits me just fine, thrift store clothes can still be fun and fashionable, and a stay at home night with a deck of cards and close friends is the perfect night.0 -
I have heard of studies done on poor nations though. Their health is significantly superior to developed countries. Their diet usually consists of carbohydrate as staple. Such as rice, onions or potatoe and small quantities of meat and in season fruits and vegtables.
Personally, I cook more when I make less money and eat out more when the money is flowing. My cooking is very light compared to restaraunt menus. However I am vain and don't want to look rail thin. Just my take on the subject.0 -
I think most people in "poverty" aren't really....I have friends that are supposed to be poverty level and they have smart phones, internet service, cable, the works and they wear shoes I could never afford.....pretty sure those are necessities! I too live on a very low income. I think eating healthy is more important than having an up to date phone and whatever else someone MUST have.0
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I think eating healthy is more important than having an up to date phone and whatever else someone MUST have.
Agreed. Very well-said.0 -
I think most people in "poverty" aren't really....I have friends that are supposed to be poverty level and they have smart phones, internet service, cable, the works and they wear shoes I could never afford.....pretty sure those are necessities! I too live on a very low income. I think eating healthy is more important than having an up to date phone and whatever else someone MUST have.
There's different levels of poverty. Someone making $18,000 annually is still poverty level, but they aren't as bad as the destitute. I work in social services, and many of the clients we deal with are the destitute kind. They do not have the luxuries you are talking about. Your friends are probably on the higher end and could probably benefit from a free financial planning course. Some colleges offer them. It's amazing how many people (poor or not) are unable to balance a checkbook, or understand how to effectively save money on a tight budget. And most people I know blow their tax returns on the big things they want, instead of saving it or putting it towards a large credit card bill or something.
Oh, and as far as poor people with cell phones, there are programs that will provide them with a free one. Every month, their minutes are refilled. They don't get much, but they at least have some way potential employers can contact them or in case of emergencies.0 -
The reason why the Great Depression did not contribute to obesity is because foods were not nearly as processed in 1939 as they are today.
In 1900, the average person consumed 5 pounds of sugar a year. Today that is closer to 150 pounds.
I suspect that people during the 1930s were still largely consuming what we would call a paelo diet today.
Also I don't think government subsidies to artificially lower the price of staple crops existed then either, so less access to grain-heavy foods.0 -
poor people eat crappier food because it's cheaper and there are many urban neighborhoods without decent access to a supermarket.
it's pretty simple.0 -
"if you don't like what's being served, you don't have to eat"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.
Straight from the mouth of my depression era grandmother.
Feed yourself and your family what you can afford, and try to be sure it's the most nutritious food you can get.
So true, your grandmother was a wise woman
. I was raised the same way, eat what's served or don't eat. Plus too in my experience children will eat what they're raised being fed ~ so if they've been served beans since toddlerhood they'll more likely eat 'em. My 9 y/o granddaughter never tasted mac&cheese or chick nuggests until going to school. She was raised eating what is served and she's a kid who gobbles up her veggies first as if they're a treat because that's the attitude we used. She follows our lead to love good food. 0 -
poor people eat crappier food because it's cheaper and there are many urban neighborhoods without decent access to a supermarket.
it's pretty simple.
Yeah, it's funny how difficult it is for some people to understand that.0 -
I have heard of studies done on poor nations though. Their health is significantly superior to developed countries. Their diet usually consists of carbohydrate as staple. Such as rice, onions or potatoe and small quantities of meat and in season fruits and vegtables.
Personally, I cook more when I make less money and eat out more when the money is flowing. My cooking is very light compared to restaraunt menus. However I am vain and don't want to look rail thin. Just my take on the subject.
Some ppl are to good to spend 3 dollars on beans and rice. They would rather have 3 tv dinners for a dollar each then whine about the next day when they have no money to buy any food. It is all a matter of superiority. Some are so spoiled and oblivious to the real world and that not everyone is so privileged. Then when they are so impoverished they seek hand outs instead of finding a job and being self sufficient. Not saying everyone. Priorities cease to exist it seems. Lack of education is a big reason. laziness is a great contributor. Blame is definitely a big one ppl use as well. Very sad the state some ppl are in when I can think of many countries that have it a whole lot worse. So sad.0 -
Why didn't we see an explosion of obesity during the Great Depression? Where does Haiti fall on the list of overweight countries?
They fall under the dont have McDonald's category and therefore excluded from the list.
Great Depression affected everyone so it was a unilateral decline. What I think this study and the OP are trying to point out is that when 1 class is in poverty, they tend to go for the cheaper foods that are more dense in calories.
Except not everyone fell into poverty during the Great Depression, if the question is poverty is a cause of obesity why didn't it appear then? If it's fast food, why were US obesity rates relatively stable from 1960 when fast food started to be introduced till the late 80's?
You can eat a a healthy diet on a limited budget if you're willing to take the effort to do so, many impoverished tend not to take the effort.
Don't think it is just that people don't take the effort per sea. When life is a daily struggle just to get through the day, spending a lot of time cooking is the last thing on someone's mind! Many (though not all) people living in poverty are likely to have a lower standard of education therefore less food knowledge but also have less access to the tools needed to create healthy meals. think of those living in temp accommodation for example, often there is no cooker, never mind blenders/range of pans/oven etc... Add to that higher rates of depression, underlying illnesses, single parents coping with a few children etc and the effort of cooking healthy meals all the time still adds up. Finally, and coming from the uk I don't know this but, would those living in poorer areas have good healthy stores on their doorsteps? Some of you are citing using Aldi etc (good store here in the uk too) but, unless these stores and similar are close by, then there are costs associated with accessing them too.0 -
Our household income is around $40,000 for the year. We have 8 children. We hunt our own meat and raise goats and poultry for meat, dairy and eggs. We grow what we can for veggies but we have a very short growing season so are working on building a greenhouse right now. I freeze and can a lot of foods to be used in the winter when fresh is not available. Even before we lived on the farm we had to be frugal. Small container gardens can be grown by anyone in any living arrangement. Food co-ops are a great thing. People have to learn to do more with less and stop worrying about keeping up with the Jones (who are most likely in debt up to their eyeballs)0
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Wow, there are some really great thoughts on here, even from some of the, shall we say, "belligerently vehement" posters. I love the soup and crockpot ideas. And to those of you struggling financially, keep your chin up, and don't let the haters get you down. Making yours and your family's health a priority will pay off in the long-run.0
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MY food budget atm is completely from EBT. I'm a vegetarian and after a lot of research I think I eat fairly well. I look for buy one get ones. I try to look at proteins in the sense of servings per dollar. Tofu/Tempehs.. are cheap. I buy fruit and vegetables in bulk, like tomatoes and oranges a lot. Beans, and whole grains like wheat pastas and bread. Also a lot of canned organic beans and rice.
I agree with a lot of other post about making a list of most important vs want and going from there. I'd like to eat healthier and buy organics but most of the time there is just no money left over. I don't feel bad about my diet though and what I am able to accomplish with pre-planning and research into the best options that go the farthest.0 -
Why didn't we see an explosion of obesity during the Great Depression? Where does Haiti fall on the list of overweight countries?
During the Great Depression many people were growing their own food or relied on natural whole foods grown by others. Now there are so many cheap unhealthy food choices around. Probably now people in poverty gain weight because of the added stress and easy access to convenience foods that are not very healthy. Some people have issues with overeating as well.0 -
For those of you who are struggling financially, how are your grocery shopping habits affected by your lack of money? For those of you who are financially secure, if you were to lose your money tomorrow, how would your current habits have to change? Money can be a sensitive subject for some of us, so please remember to speak respectfully to one another. Thanks!
My family and I are in poverty. We should have been smarter though and we would not have been in this situation. My husband did not have a job when we got married. He was a graduate student at the time. I ended up getting pregnant soon after we got married. I gave birth to my son a year after we were married. My husband still did not have a job. He has a Master's in English and we have discovered that it is very difficult for him to find a job. Thankfully things are looking up and he should have a job next month teaching english as a GED teacher. He finally took an employability skills class with our local adult education department.
The last year or so it has been very difficult for us to eat healthy. My husbands income is not regular every month. He is an online writing tutor and makes about 13,000 a year for a family of 3. The month we applied for food stamps he made more than extra so we are only receiving $100 a month for food. Our son is also developmentally disabled so we get $700 a month from SSi for that. The last few months have been very difficult and we have been going to local food banks to get by. We have not had any extra money for food. Most of the food given in food banks is very unhealthy. They give a lot of sweets and high fat high calorie foods. I cannot work because I have been diagosed as bipolar and I was hospitalized twice for it. I am just not able to get a job at this time. I started back on a weight loss plan this month because we just received our state and federal tax return so I was able to. I am very overweight which on top of having bipolar and GAD and PAD, makes it nearly impossible for me to get a job. My weight has increased because I have food problems to begin with but also because the medicines I take for bipolar increase my appetite a lot. I am trying to find anther medication that will not make me so hungry.
So we are doing whatever we can to get by. I like to eat healthy but sometimes that is not possible. We have not been able to have many fresh fruits and vegetables. The food bank gives us a lot of canned vegetables but they do not last long. We have tried the beans and rice thing because they are so inexpensive, but you get quite sick of them after a few days. Noodles ( spaghetti) is pretty inexpensive as well. So are quick oats and they last a long time. My husband and I somtimes have something off the dollar menu from a local fast food restaurant. We can eat some meals there for about $3. My husband is not the biggest health nut in the world so he likes to get sweets ( little debbies) because they are so inexpensive every so often when we can. Of course we also have the mac and cheese, ramen noodles, and the like out of necessity sometimes. I try to eat something healthier like a can of beans and a can of veggies or something similar when they have those.
For those who are saying you can eat healthy when you are poor, I would love to hear more from you. I would love to hear how I can stretch my budget and eat healthy food all the time.
It is hard to be poor and sometimes it is easy to eat unhealthy becuase you are stressed out about being so poor and just want relief in some area of your life. When you are poor you can't do as many things outside of the house and it is hard to go to farmers markets that are about an hr away to decrease your food budget and you may only have an apartment where it is not possible to grow fresh fruits and vegetables and have chickens, cows, or other animals. You don't have the privelege of eating out at nice restaurants or going to the movies or even park. Often you run out of money for gas before the end of the month and then can't go anywhere. It is really hard and stressful. I really hope I lose this weight and that my husband gets a full time teaching job soon.
For anyone who plans to get married and have kids make sure you are in a good financial situation before you do so. You don't know that everything will fall in line immediately after marriage.0 -
Our household income is around $40,000 for the year. We have 8 children. We hunt our own meat and raise goats and poultry for meat, dairy and eggs. We grow what we can for veggies but we have a very short growing season so are working on building a greenhouse right now. I freeze and can a lot of foods to be used in the winter when fresh is not available. Even before we lived on the farm we had to be frugal. Small container gardens can be grown by anyone in any living arrangement. Food co-ops are a great thing. People have to learn to do more with less and stop worrying about keeping up with the Jones (who are most likely in debt up to their eyeballs)
That is really good. I hope I can say the same at some point in my life. I want to have more children. One is not enough. I got to lose this weight though.0 -
The reason why the Great Depression did not contribute to obesity is because foods were not nearly as processed in 1939 as they are today.
In 1900, the average person consumed 5 pounds of sugar a year. Today that is closer to 150 pounds.
I suspect that people during the 1930s were still largely consuming what we would call a paelo diet today.
I agree.0 -
The majority of my food staples are not that expensive and are low calorie, nutritious and cheap. Oatmeal, tuna, sardines, eggs to name a few are found cheap in Aldi and IGA. Fruits and veggies can also be found for less money if you know where to shop.
I'm not looking to buy organic or whatever the new food fad is. Cheaper food brands probably have less additives because of it's shelf life. If it's cheaper it will fly off the shelf faster. At least that's one of my theories lol0 -
We currently live in Germany and I'm able to shop at the commissary but because alot of their food is shipped here it's outrageously expensive. I have recently started making weekly meal lists by what I have left over from the previous week so now I only spend about $100 a week on groceries which mainly consist of meat and fruits and veggies. But hopefully that cost will go down even more since I started growing my own tomatoes, bell peppers, carrots, peas etc. My husband is getting ready for a deployment so our food bill will go down a little (not much I have 2 growing boys) but it's easier to eat healthy when he's gone so that'll help with the weight loss too.
We're not poor but we are a little tight on the budget but I don't work at the moment either (with the costs of daycare and gas it'd be pointless to get a job money wise but I am going crazy sitting at home all the time... lol).
But by planning around what I have and making a large batch for leftovers I have dropped our food bill down from $500-600 a month down to $300-$4000 -
I've been reading this thread for pages and pages and I agree with the few voices that consider the stress of being in a situation you can't control, like not enough work and not enough income... Isn't the problem most likely that when you can't pay your bills you are depressed and looking for a comfort food that will make you feel better? The stress levels people experience when they wonder how they are going to make it to the end of the month and they only have $17 in the checking account for EVERYTHING would dump enough Cortisol into their systems to make weight loss an uphill battle anyway. Not exactly a time I'd be reaching for a banana. More like cheap ice cream and hot dogs.0
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I've been reading this thread for pages and pages and I agree with the few voices that consider the stress of being in a situation you can't control, like not enough work and not enough income... Isn't the problem most likely that when you can't pay your bills you are depressed and looking for a comfort food that will make you feel better? The stress levels people experience when they wonder how they are going to make it to the end of the month and they only have $17 in the checking account for EVERYTHING would dump enough Cortisol into their systems to make weight loss an uphill battle anyway. Not exactly a time I'd be reaching for a banana. More like cheap ice cream and hot dogs.
That entirely depends on how the person reacts to the stress. I don't eat, AT ALL, when stressed. I will usually go work out to relieve some of my stress. I eat when bored.
BUT, when I'm bored, I choose to eat healthier foods, or limit my consumption of unhealthy foods. It's about MODERATION.
Not everyone fits into the same square peg, just saying.0 -
I have a gross income of $18k a year and have 2 kids to support, I'm a permanent resident not a US citizen so don't qualify for state aid but still pay all the taxes & deductions. I am Canadian and have a 4 year degree from Canada & would go back to the free health care & higher paying jobs if it weren't for the WI law & our divorce decree means I can leave but not with my kids even though I have primary custody...so money is tight! and i don't have a smart phone or fancy shoes (we buy clothing & shoes second hand), I'm in a small town with not a lot of choice for groceries, thankfully we do have an aldi's but it's hit & miss with what fruits & veggies may be available/affordable at a time...I also work hours based on need so sometimes I may only get 10 hours a week which means I need to stock up on foods that won't go bad when I do have money, it can also mean long days when I get hours and little time to cook...all of which are challenges...when it comes down to it I think I'm better off than a lot of people in the area and we get by being mostly healthy or somewhat healthy but I can totally see how eating healthy on a really low income is difficult...that being said in my mind being unhealthy doesn't necessarily mean fat though and just because you aren't fat doesn't mean you are healthy...
when it comes down to it i think education on eating healthy on a budget is important & lacking...there was a time when teaching kids to cook and be healthy was a part of school and now it seems to be one of many programs that have been cut so it's not really surprising that lots of people don't know what's healthy or how many calories are in certain foods...0 -
1. there is a REAL misconception that it takes so much more "time" to cook properly - who can honestly say that its EXPENSIVE TIME wise to make a salad?
2." real good food is expensive". look at the prices.
dried lentils .79 1 lb
dried beans in general 1.29 lb
chicken(dark meat/10lb bag leg quarters-routinely on sale .79-.89 cents a pound.
@hamburger is generally 1.99 or MORE
Apples 99 cents a pound, same with oranges
bananas in general about 50 cents a pound
leaf lettuce 1.30 head, spinach 2.50 1 lb bag.
brown rice 1.29 lb
frozen blueberries and strawberries - dollar tree has them for 1.00 a 12 oz bag
I am sorry, but thats NOT expensive.0 -
I have been on food stamps, and used to piss me off to see pre made everything most people bought, food stamp money is still money!!
you can shop smart on a limited income, or a not so limited income.0 -
I have been on food stamps, and used to piss me off to see pre made everything most people bought, food stamp money is still money!!
you can shop smart on a limited income, or a not so limited income.
absolutely!!0 -
Planning is essential to eating well for less. It will keep you from making unnecessary trips to the store and having to run out for lunch while at work.
First, make a list of everything you have on hand (pantry, shelves, fridge, freezer). You may have the makings of a meal and not even know it. Goggle recipes using the items you already have at home before spending money to drive to the store to get more stuff.
Next, make a list of items you will need to make week’s worth of healthy meals (I do a month at a time but I've been doing this a long time).
Plan on using leftovers. Tonight's dinner is a great lunch for tomorrow.
Avoid fast food. If you plan your meals, make ahead and freeze meals you can do this!
Watch your portions. Most people eat much more food than they should. We have started eating off of lunch sized plates instead of dinner plates. Use this rule when you eat out. Order your meal and a to go box. Put half of your meal in the box as soon as it arrives at your table. Eat your meal and take home tomorrow's lunch.
Plan to create multiple meals from the same items(Buy a whole chicken and make several chicken based meals). Learn to make and freeze meals, and invest in a slowcooker (crockpot). Buy reasonably priced items to make these meals (if you had planned a bunch of chicken based meals but pork is one sale this week try to adapt your recipes to work with pork instead). Use the less appetizing parts (bones, innards, neck, etc.) to create homemade chicken stock.
Buy fruits and vegetables that are in-season. Avoid buying convenience items like sliced mushrooms or prepackaged salad kits. Canned or frozen veggies are not as good as fresh but can be okay. Frozen is slightly better than canned because of the sodium content in canned foods. Keep to the basics, no added Italian seasonings or jalapeno needed. Buy foods in as close to their natural state as possible. Processing = added expense.
Before you ever leave home check your newspaper for the best prices. Compare prices between local stores. Keep in mind stores often run specials on only a few items to get you into the store, knowing that you’ll end up buying your regular groceries there at higher prices than at a competing store. Remember to figure in travel costs (for me the local store is 20 miles away, the next closest store is over 50 miles away. If the bread is 10 cents more at the local store it is still cheaper than driving to the other store). Check out your local farmers markets and roadside fruit and vegetable stands.
Look for double and triple coupon deals and combine coupons with sales. DO NOT buy something just because you have a coupon. If it is not on the list or something you would usually use DO NOT buy it!
As for shopping with kids, some people say to leave them at home. If this will avoid you buying sugar-laced cereals because you can't deal with grocery store melt down then do it but I think teaching our kids to be smart shoppers is a better plan. Explain why you eat the way you do (my kids and I watched a bunch of food documentaries and discussed healthy eating). Get the readers involved by helping you find stuff on the list. The non-readers can help get a certain number of items for you. My little ones love playing with a calculator while we shop or playing grocery store BINGO. This is a great time to teach them to read labels and compare the value of items also.
Shop the outer rim of the store. The inner aisles are where you will find prepared, packaged, and expensive products.
Try generic and store brands. These are often made in the same factories as name brand products. Stop paying for packaging and advertising!!
Try to grow what you can. Many communities now have local communal garden areas. Container gardening is always an option. Vertical gardening, straw bale gardening, ect.
check out these websites for ideas:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-make-a-hanging-gutter-g-143749
http://www.marthastewart.com/272650/greenhouse-window?czone
http://pinterest.com/pin/123919427216566093/
http://www.treehugger.com/green-architecture/garden-display-built-completely-used-pallets.htm
here is a list of when to get the best price on produce (it may vary slightly in your location)
January ◾Broccoli
◾Cabbage
◾Cauliflower
◾Grapefruit
◾Leeks
◾Lemons
◾Oranges
◾Papaya
◾Tangelos
◾Tangerines
February ◾Broccoli
◾Cauliflower
◾Grapefruit
◾Lemons
◾Oranges
◾Papayas
◾Tangelos
March ◾Broccoli
◾Lettuce
◾Mangoes
◾Pineapple
April ◾Artichoke
◾Asparagus
◾Broccoli
◾Lettuce
◾Mangoes
◾Pineapple
◾Rhubarb
◾Spring peas
◾Zucchini
May ◾Apricot
◾Artichoke
◾Asparagus
◾Broccoli
◾Cherries
◾Lettuce
◾Okra
◾Pineapple
◾Rhubarb
◾Spring peas
◾Zucchini
June ◾Apricots
◾Blueberries
◾Cantaloupe
◾Cherries
◾Corn
◾Lettuce
◾Peaches
◾Strawberries
◾Watermelon
July ◾Apricots
◾Blueberries
◾Cantaloupe
◾Corn
◾Cucumbers
◾Green beans
◾Kiwi
◾Lettuce
◾Peaches
◾Plums
◾Raspberries
◾Strawberries
◾Summer squash
◾Tomatoes
◾Watermelon
August ◾Apricots
◾Blueberries
◾Cantaloupe
◾Corn
◾Cucumbers
◾Eggplant
◾Green beans
◾Kiwi
◾Lettuce
◾Peaches
◾Plums
◾Raspberries
◾Strawberries
◾Summer squash
◾Tomatoes
◾Watermelon
September ◾Apples
◾Eggplants
◾Grapes
◾Lettuce
◾Persimmon
◾Pomegranate
◾Pumpkins
◾Spinach
◾Tomatoes
October ◾Apples
◾Broccoli
◾Cranberries
◾Grapes
◾Lettuce
◾Pomegranate
◾Pumpkins
◾Spinach
◾Sweet potatoes
◾Winter squash
November ◾Apples
◾Broccoli
◾Cranberries
◾Mushrooms
◾Oranges
◾Pears
◾Persimmon
◾Pomegranate
◾Pumpkins
◾Spinach
◾Sweet potatoes
◾Tangerines
◾Winter squash
December ◾Broccoli
◾Cauliflower
◾Cranberries
◾Grape fruit
◾Mushrooms
◾Oranges
◾Papayas
◾Pears
◾Pomegranate
◾Sweet potatoes
◾Tangelos
◾Tangerines0
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