Obesity and poverty...

I'm having a hard time understanding why people think it costs so much more to eat healthier food. Since my husband and I started eating healthier in January of this year, I've cut my grocery bill by about $100 every 2 weeks, so $50/week. I buy fresh veggies and fruit, lean, good quality meat, whole grain bread and low fat dairy. I shop at Aldi, Sam's Club and Albertson's. I do not use coupons very often. I quit buying as many snacks and sodas. We still eat everything we want, just less of it. Our farmer's markets are expensive, but I will buy things there, just because they are local, fresher and better tasting. I am feeding 2 thirtysomethings, a 79 year old, a 16 year old boy that plays sports, and a 10 year old girl. That is EVERY day. Some days I have at least one more teen and one more pre-teen. So why are people spending so much more money? I'm genuinely curious.

Lets take your McDonald meal and times by 4 so you have enough for your family. That's $12.

Or you could buy: Hamburger helper ($2), pound of 70/30 hamburger ($3), bag of peas (or frozen veggies of your choice $3), a head of lettuce ($2), salad dressing ($2.50), croutons ($1.50), and single tomato ($1) to feed your family of 4 for $15 (and I was rounding up on prices). And you will still have part of the: Lettuce, salad dressing, croutons, and frozen veggies for other meals.

While the second meal is certainly NOT the ideal in health and weight loss, it absolutely kicks the McDonald's meal in the *kitten*.

I don't think its a money issue. It's more about knowledge of proper health and nutrition- which those living in impoverished communities don't get enough of.

I will probably be bashed for this... HOWEVER, I'm putting it out there anyway.

I agree with you 110% and have thought for a very long time, that we need to find a way to help the people we have living here in our own country, and slow down on helping the other countries. Part of the reason we are falling apart as a country is because we have stopped looking inside and taking care of our own. We MUST fix the things that are broken here before we can go to other countries and fix what is broken.

When we were a stronger country, helping others was vitally important, but in doing so we have lost sight of our own countries needs! I find it extremely sad.

Ok, I'm going to get off of my soap box, because I could go on forever with this :sad:

No bashing from me, well said and I agree with you 200%!!

I think it is offensive to equate poverty with lack of knowledge and education. Due to the struggling economy, even people with PhDs can be under the poverty line. I know of many intellectuals that have had trouble making ends meet. This type of thinking is stereotyping plain and simple and it is sadly quite prevalent in this entire thread.

On the other hand, I do agree with the interesting posts about this topic.

I am a mom working on a degree with a husband who makes minimum wage and with food stamps we only have 316 to feed five of us. It is hard to make it all come together. I have resorted to coupons and manager specials to make sure we are fed and making every meal stretch considering I have a bottomless pit husband and a growing son. My weight was due to over eating and more so emotional eating. My husband has a very high metabolism. They should offer some type of help for anybody who has issues.

the one point that I would like to make about the phone in today's violent drug infested society I am willing to give up healthy food for me in order to know my son is safe and to keep track of him especially since he is a teenager but I am lucky he really is a good kid.

Oh and my grocery budget I have worked down to 330 for a family of 4 and I spend every dime. No food stamps but sometimes I feel we need them. I also repurpose left overs like crazy. even though im a texan and this is a chili sin, chili with any type of beans really easy and cheap way to use yesterdays left over meat. Right now my biggest flaw is raw veggie waste. Seems I buy too much at once to save and it doesn't last long enough. I'm looking at you huge bag of baby carrots that seemed to turn in under a week

This issue is not black and white. It can be just as cheap or even cheaper to buy all fresh and cook what is in season. I am a strong believer that most people waste money buying the junk instead of cooking at home. I can buy my 2 daughters a happy meal what is it 3 bucks each? Or 4 let's say 3 so 6 bucks and the wife and I buy some value meal burger plus fries atleast 4 dollars if not more for each so about 8 at the least plus 6 that's 12 bucks spent on dinner. Tonight I bought corn tortillas 1.50 had some left over(someone's making oven baked tortilla chips tomorrow), than defrosted chicken breasts (I usually use left over chicken from a baked chicken average 80 cents a pound) I bought previously bone and skin on when on sale at 1 $ a pound. Onion, bell pepper, and pablono pepper under a buck for all three, a cup of cheese plus some almond milk and well stocked spice cabinet. Alittle corn starch to thicken. Of course I could of used cream of chicken or mushroom instead of thicken almond milk with baked chicken au jus, but I saved there as well. Makes enough king ranch casserole for 8 portions. Under a dollar a portion. I paired it with a salad I splurged and bought prediced salad mix 2 bucks avacado 47 cents each and a Roma tomato 40 cent each. I still haven't reach 10 bucks and I and the wife and even have left overs to take to work. All scratch low fat compared to a cheese burger. No instant over processed food.
That said I shop religiously for the best deals. I plan my dinners by what is in season. Shop smart and shop as many different stores as I need to fill the fridge at the cheapest. I also have a deep freeze so I cut the gas cost down I buy meat and frozen vegs in bulk and self butcher if possible to save . I even went as far to freeze my own potatoes(which is harder than it sounds) when those thing go on sale the last few weeks in November(the American feast holiday season extravaganza food sales). I was taught this by my parents who struggled with money all our life. Getting McDonald's was hard for us and only happened when and if we could afford it.
Here is where this isn't black and white, I live in a big city and I have options. I have a car so I can buy a lot at once. Not every person has this. They might work two jobs, maybe one parent, and might have a limit in shopping locations. Is the only grocery in the area a gas station with grocery. Where maybe you have apples and oranges, but lacks in greens. Let alone what they do have is marked up per pound. Are they only able to buy what they can carry down the block. Is there room for a storage freezer, or is anybody home long enough to cook?
Poverty is drawn to fast food not because of just the price but because of some many other reasons. You can save money eating fresh never processed food but it has to be a priority because otherwise their are too many deterants that become easy excuses.
I hated how every weekend at the age of 13 on I had to help shop with my parents, but I really must thank them because now I just can't bring myself to waste money at McDonald's and KFC every single night after they taught me how to plan and shop. My kids beg like I use to "why cannot we go to McDonalds" and I say because that's not in our budget this week. So if I see someone complain within the city limits com about how fresh is expensive I am always willing to educate them if they are willing, but it usually a priority issue

Good luck pulling that off in a food desert. Planning on going to work? Where will you find the three hours round trip transportation time via bus to the nearest actual grocery store? In a food desert your local options for produce are way over those prices, and way lower in quality.

It's so easy to assume that other people must not be trying hard, and to be blind to our own advantages.