Are the poor fat?

wannakimmy · February 2014

I spend less money now eating healthy than I did when I ate as much of anything I wanted. I would waste money at the gas station with snacks or at work in the vending machines, or just chips, soda, twinkies... Now that I eat healthier, I do not eat as often or as much so it is cheaper.

As for answering the question from the beginning... No, I dont think the poor are fat, any more than I think the rich are skinny. There are way too many variables to consider.

patsypooter · February 2014

I don't find it more expensive at all! I'm eating only whole, unprocessed natural foods, nothing from a box, and my grocery bills have not gone up at all. In fact they've probably gone down.

Sunbrooke · February 2014

I don't think being poor in itself makes eating healthy harder, but being poor can mean for some people that they have a lot of struggles. Not all poor people struggle. I knew poor people who got twice as much in food stamps as my family spends in groceries for less people and didn't work at all. Hard to imagine that they couldn't afford fresh produce and meats and didn't have time to cook them. Some poor people have it much worse and eating anything is a struggle. I head stories from food stamp workers about elderly widows who didn't qualify for any help because they had a small pension or something.

Lots of things make eating healthy hard. All of these things are ultimately excuses, if you don't want to let them get the best if you. It is hard for people who have moved past their own excuses to let other people wallow in theirs. That sounds mean "wallow", but come on. People's children die, people lose jobs, their hearts get broken, their homes burn down, they get injured, they get terminal diseases, people have been abused and molested, they have kids to take care of and don't have time. Everyone has struggles. So when is it okay to give up??

If people don't care to eat healthy, fine. If you want to eat junk food because it satisfies your cravings and it is worth it to you, fine. But the excuses have to be let go, or it will happen again. There are always struggles. I want to confront mine with a firm booty and a strong heart.

orangejulius · February 2014

Eta- we ended up saving enough for the gun im holding in my pic-a hunting rifle. Another investment to bag meat for the cost of a bullet

Um.... That is not a shotgun or a hunting rifle, nor are the bullets economical. Just sayin', one "hunter" to another.

acogg · February 2014

Last Sunday I was in line at Walmart behind an obese woman. Her cart was filled energy drinks, bags of chips, boxes of crackers, etc. She paid with her food stamp card. Americans don't hate poor people, we hate lazy, wasteful people.

mcjmommy · February 2014

I make less than $20, 000 a year. Grew up in a trailer where often times we didn't have running water or electricity because of inability to pay bills. I've even been homeless for short periods of time. The only reason I share this with you is that you know that I know what it's like to be in at the lower end of the income spectrum here in the states. Right now I feel pretty well off making that much annually.

The point is, I can still make smart food choices. One thing that me and my family growing up noticed is that eating out costs WAY more than cooking ourselves. When I first started trying to eat healthy I had to pay more becuase I didn't have basics like olive oil or spices and what not. Now I don't have to spend too much. I can get all my produce for the week for about $20 bucks and then buy chicken/beef for an additional $15 bucks. I'd say that's pretty affordable. Now it does take a bit of extra time to actually cook it but it's worth it in the end. I actually ended up saving quite a bit of money just from cooking at home rather than going and grabbing junk at the store and "cheap" fast food.

That's just my own experience. Maybe I am lucky that I live in an area where I have access to produce but I do have to take about a 5 hour round trip bus ride for 20-30 minutes of shopping. Just saying. We can always find excuses for something... or we can just suck it up and do what we have to do. When I make poor choices in food it's because I am making poor choices, not because there are not better options.

(I should also mention that I do all this cooking and everything while also working two full times jobs.)

I love what you said. I think a lot of the problem with the obesity epidemic is convenient food. It takes less time and planning to make hotdogs and boxed mac 'n cheese for dinner than to make something healthier.
There are many times that I don't feel like making dinner, but ordering a pizza or eating fast food when I fail to plan isn't good for my family.
We do regularly order pizza and have a carpet picnic and our kids think that is great, but it is because we plan to do it not because we are too busy to do a healthier option.

stealthq · February 2014

Last Sunday I was in line at Walmart behind an obese woman. Her cart was filled energy drinks, bags of chips, boxes of crackers, etc. She paid with her food stamp card. Americans don't hate poor people, we hate lazy, wasteful people.

Better than the several here who've got some under-the-table thing going to trade theirs for liquor when they can't panhandle enough off of the people stopping for gas just around the corner from the liquor store.

On a positive note (I guess), they're not fat. *sigh*

jagged95 · February 2014

All I hear is excuses. I am on a limited budget, and grew up on public assistance and have always eaten healthy (minus the fours years of undergrad when I lived on pizza and beer). It IS possible. With stores like Aldi and Bottom Dollar, you CAN get healthy options for low prices. Prep and planning are key. I can take 10 minutes and do a meal plan for my week and I end up saving money. My brother has lots of kids and does the same thing. Cutting out meat once in a while and using beans or eggs in place as well cuts a budget hugely as well- i.e. pinto or black beans on a salad instead of chicken. Tasty and veg. friendly!

stealthq · February 2014

It is very American to hate on poor people.

Thank goodness I am not American....

Funny, and here I thought the ideal American was a poor or otherwise disadvantaged person working hard to make something of themselves. You know, give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses...

We're also the most charitable country in the world, per capita. More than double any other.

Tell me again how we as a country 'hate on' the poor?

ETA: typo fix

RllyGudTweetr · February 2014

I make less than $20, 000 a year. Grew up in a trailer where often times we didn't have running water or electricity because of inability to pay bills. I've even been homeless for short periods of time. The only reason I share this with you is that you know that I know what it's like to be in at the lower end of the income spectrum here in the states. Right now I feel pretty well off making that much annually.

The point is, I can still make smart food choices. One thing that me and my family growing up noticed is that eating out costs WAY more than cooking ourselves. When I first started trying to eat healthy I had to pay more becuase I didn't have basics like olive oil or spices and what not. Now I don't have to spend too much. I can get all my produce for the week for about $20 bucks and then buy chicken/beef for an additional $15 bucks. I'd say that's pretty affordable. Now it does take a bit of extra time to actually cook it but it's worth it in the end. I actually ended up saving quite a bit of money just from cooking at home rather than going and grabbing junk at the store and "cheap" fast food.

That's just my own experience. Maybe I am lucky that I live in an area where I have access to produce but I do have to take about a 5 hour round trip bus ride for 20-30 minutes of shopping. Just saying. We can always find excuses for something... or we can just suck it up and do what we have to do. When I make poor choices in food it's because I am making poor choices, not because there are not better options.

(I should also mention that I do all this cooking and everything while also working two full times jobs.)

I love what you said. I think a lot of the problem with the obesity epidemic is convenient food. It takes less time and planning to make hotdogs and boxed mac 'n cheese for dinner than to make something healthier.
There are many times that I don't feel like making dinner, but ordering a pizza or eating fast food when I fail to plan isn't good for my family.
We do regularly order pizza and have a carpet picnic and our kids think that is great, but it is because we plan to do it not because we are too busy to do a healthier option.

I'll just add that there have been times in my life - even while fully employed and technically unable to qualify for government assistance programs - the $35 listed as used for making good food choices for the week was in the ballpark of what I had to buy food for the month, not counting transportation or cooking expenses. I was not a gambler nor a drug user, either, so I wasn't 'squandering' my paycheck.. . . just something to consider.

stealthq · February 2014

I make less than $20, 000 a year. Grew up in a trailer where often times we didn't have running water or electricity because of inability to pay bills. I've even been homeless for short periods of time. The only reason I share this with you is that you know that I know what it's like to be in at the lower end of the income spectrum here in the states. Right now I feel pretty well off making that much annually.

The point is, I can still make smart food choices. One thing that me and my family growing up noticed is that eating out costs WAY more than cooking ourselves. When I first started trying to eat healthy I had to pay more becuase I didn't have basics like olive oil or spices and what not. Now I don't have to spend too much. I can get all my produce for the week for about $20 bucks and then buy chicken/beef for an additional $15 bucks. I'd say that's pretty affordable. Now it does take a bit of extra time to actually cook it but it's worth it in the end. I actually ended up saving quite a bit of money just from cooking at home rather than going and grabbing junk at the store and "cheap" fast food.

That's just my own experience. Maybe I am lucky that I live in an area where I have access to produce but I do have to take about a 5 hour round trip bus ride for 20-30 minutes of shopping. Just saying. We can always find excuses for something... or we can just suck it up and do what we have to do. When I make poor choices in food it's because I am making poor choices, not because there are not better options.

(I should also mention that I do all this cooking and everything while also working two full times jobs.)

I love what you said. I think a lot of the problem with the obesity epidemic is convenient food. It takes less time and planning to make hotdogs and boxed mac 'n cheese for dinner than to make something healthier.
There are many times that I don't feel like making dinner, but ordering a pizza or eating fast food when I fail to plan isn't good for my family.
We do regularly order pizza and have a carpet picnic and our kids think that is great, but it is because we plan to do it not because we are too busy to do a healthier option.

I'll just add that there have been times in my life - even while fully employed and technically unable to qualify for government assistance programs - the $35 listed as used for making good food choices for the week was in the ballpark of what I had to buy food for the month, not counting transportation or cooking expenses. I was not a gambler nor a drug user, either, so I wasn't 'squandering' my paycheck.. . . just something to consider.

Point taken. One set of my grandparents (and parent) lived in similar monetary circumstances and often went hungry, so I hear you.

The thing is, when you have that little money, you can't buy enough at even a fast food place to make you overweight, let alone obese. And if you started that way, you're going to be losing weight. So, the 'very' poor aren't really part of this discussion because by definition, they can't be overweight/obese.

To be fat, you must be able to buy or barter for enough calories to get you there and keep you there.

RllyGudTweetr · February 2014

I make less than $20, 000 a year. Grew up in a trailer where often times we didn't have running water or electricity because of inability to pay bills. I've even been homeless for short periods of time. The only reason I share this with you is that you know that I know what it's like to be in at the lower end of the income spectrum here in the states. Right now I feel pretty well off making that much annually.

The point is, I can still make smart food choices. One thing that me and my family growing up noticed is that eating out costs WAY more than cooking ourselves. When I first started trying to eat healthy I had to pay more becuase I didn't have basics like olive oil or spices and what not. Now I don't have to spend too much. I can get all my produce for the week for about $20 bucks and then buy chicken/beef for an additional $15 bucks. I'd say that's pretty affordable. Now it does take a bit of extra time to actually cook it but it's worth it in the end. I actually ended up saving quite a bit of money just from cooking at home rather than going and grabbing junk at the store and "cheap" fast food.

That's just my own experience. Maybe I am lucky that I live in an area where I have access to produce but I do have to take about a 5 hour round trip bus ride for 20-30 minutes of shopping. Just saying. We can always find excuses for something... or we can just suck it up and do what we have to do. When I make poor choices in food it's because I am making poor choices, not because there are not better options.

(I should also mention that I do all this cooking and everything while also working two full times jobs.)

I love what you said. I think a lot of the problem with the obesity epidemic is convenient food. It takes less time and planning to make hotdogs and boxed mac 'n cheese for dinner than to make something healthier.
There are many times that I don't feel like making dinner, but ordering a pizza or eating fast food when I fail to plan isn't good for my family.
We do regularly order pizza and have a carpet picnic and our kids think that is great, but it is because we plan to do it not because we are too busy to do a healthier option.

I'll just add that there have been times in my life - even while fully employed and technically unable to qualify for government assistance programs - the $35 listed as used for making good food choices for the week was in the ballpark of what I had to buy food for the month, not counting transportation or cooking expenses. I was not a gambler nor a drug user, either, so I wasn't 'squandering' my paycheck.. . . just something to consider.

Point taken. One set of my grandparents (and parent) lived in similar monetary circumstances and often went hungry, so I hear you.

The thing is, when you have that little money, you can't buy enough at even a fast food place to make you overweight, let alone obese. And if you started that way, you're going to be losing weight. So, the 'very' poor aren't really part of this discussion because by definition, they can't be overweight/obese.

To be fat, you must be able to buy or barter for enough calories to get you there and keep you there.

Counterpoint: when you have that little money and get anything that resembles a surplus, your body is seriously craving calories more than it is worrying about nutrition. You're at that point, monetarily, and find a dollar on the ground: Do you buy a dollar's worth of bananas, or a dollar's worth of ramen noodles?

Confuzzled4ever · February 2014

To be fat, you must be able to buy or barter for enough calories to get you there and keep you there.

I can see where you are coming from. Makes me wonder..

I know people who only qualify for food stamps, they get food. What hey don't get is anything else.. and of course they don't work. They don't help themselves (another issue). They eat, because they cant' do anything else. They cant' afford anything else. They cant' even afford where they live.

When I got back on my feet and was able to afford proper food shopping again, I was nearing food hoarder status. i'd buy lots of food when it was on sale, because I was terrified of not having enough to eat again. It took me years to get over this. I still cringe when I open my cabinets and see empty space. I have to fight the urge to go to the grocery store and fill it with whatever is on sale. I wonder if it's the same for people who only have food stamps. They are not guaranteed a roof tomorrow and for all they know the food stamps will be taken from them too. Use it or lose it mentality? Store up the fat so if the famine comes they are ready? maybe even on a subconscious level?

Counterpoint: when you have that little money and get anything that resembles a surplus, your body is seriously craving calories more than it is worrying about nutrition. You're at that point, monetarily, and find a dollar on the ground: Do you buy a dollar's worth of bananas, or a dollar's worth of ramen noodles?

if those 2 were my only choice? I'd have bought bananas not because i thought they'd be better.. I was seriously craving hot food at that point but because i didn't have a stove when I was really down. But to be totally honest I probably would have went to whatever fast food joint had the cheapest food and got as many of that item as I could.

Sunbrooke · February 2014

I make less than $20, 000 a year. Grew up in a trailer where often times we didn't have running water or electricity because of inability to pay bills. I've even been homeless for short periods of time. The only reason I share this with you is that you know that I know what it's like to be in at the lower end of the income spectrum here in the states. Right now I feel pretty well off making that much annually.

The point is, I can still make smart food choices. One thing that me and my family growing up noticed is that eating out costs WAY more than cooking ourselves. When I first started trying to eat healthy I had to pay more becuase I didn't have basics like olive oil or spices and what not. Now I don't have to spend too much. I can get all my produce for the week for about $20 bucks and then buy chicken/beef for an additional $15 bucks. I'd say that's pretty affordable. Now it does take a bit of extra time to actually cook it but it's worth it in the end. I actually ended up saving quite a bit of money just from cooking at home rather than going and grabbing junk at the store and "cheap" fast food.

That's just my own experience. Maybe I am lucky that I live in an area where I have access to produce but I do have to take about a 5 hour round trip bus ride for 20-30 minutes of shopping. Just saying. We can always find excuses for something... or we can just suck it up and do what we have to do. When I make poor choices in food it's because I am making poor choices, not because there are not better options.

(I should also mention that I do all this cooking and everything while also working two full times jobs.)

I love what you said. I think a lot of the problem with the obesity epidemic is convenient food. It takes less time and planning to make hotdogs and boxed mac 'n cheese for dinner than to make something healthier.
There are many times that I don't feel like making dinner, but ordering a pizza or eating fast food when I fail to plan isn't good for my family.
We do regularly order pizza and have a carpet picnic and our kids think that is great, but it is because we plan to do it not because we are too busy to do a healthier option.

I'll just add that there have been times in my life - even while fully employed and technically unable to qualify for government assistance programs - the $35 listed as used for making good food choices for the week was in the ballpark of what I had to buy food for the month, not counting transportation or cooking expenses. I was not a gambler nor a drug user, either, so I wasn't 'squandering' my paycheck.. . . just something to consider.

Point taken. One set of my grandparents (and parent) lived in similar monetary circumstances and often went hungry, so I hear you.

The thing is, when you have that little money, you can't buy enough at even a fast food place to make you overweight, let alone obese. And if you started that way, you're going to be losing weight. So, the 'very' poor aren't really part of this discussion because by definition, they can't be overweight/obese.

To be fat, you must be able to buy or barter for enough calories to get you there and keep you there.

Counterpoint: when you have that little money and get anything that resembles a surplus, your body is seriously craving calories more than it is worrying about nutrition. You're at that point, monetarily, and find a dollar on the ground: Do you buy a dollar's worth of bananas, or a dollar's worth of ramen noodles?

If you are actually starving you, you take the ramen! But then you wouldn't be fat and this post is about if the poor are fat, not malnourished. Besides, haven't you heard? Americans aren't "hungry," they are "food insecure." I wonder why they changed the term. I'd be interested to know.

roxylola · February 2014

To be fat, you must be able to buy or barter for enough calories to get you there and keep you there.

I could buy a pack of super noodles for 20p, beans for around 15p and maybe a tin of meat balls for about 50p. Take maybe 2 packs of noodles add the beans and meatballs and you have a cheap meal for 2. A pack of noodles is 600 calories, and they are not all that filling. I got the shock of my life when I was having a pack for my lunch as a warm meal when the weather was cold! So if you add in the other stuff you have fed 2 people a meal for under £1 but if you were to work out the calories that would be an immense amount in comparison to a roast chicken breast with some veg.

I can buy chips from the local chippy for £1 enough to share if you add in some beans or something again. Its another cheap meal but another high calorie one.

I grew up in the sticks, we had no local supermarket just a coop which is one of the most expensive places for shopping. A supermarket would have been a drive or bus ride away.

If you want to live cheaply and have a reasonable amount of cooking ability and choice about where you shop you can, I did it as a student, I was veggie for 3 years purely for financial reasons. However if you don't have a lot of storage space (make extra and freeze it) don't have great choices about where to shop - Aldi is great but they do not have a lot of the sort of herbs etc you would need to flavour your food and they do have a lot of convenience food that is also cheap.

I can make a little go a long way but I do it by adding bulk like potatoes, pasta, rice etc not things that are healthy or very low cal. Cheap cuts of meat tend to be fatty ones or things like burgers and sausages wich are low meat content.

Also, take a look around any supermarket, what are the buy one get one frees etc? They are not on fruit, veg, good cuts of meat, herbs and spice chopped tomatoes etc to make your own sauces they are on the ready meals, the frozen chips, the crisps, the sweets, the ready made sauces that have immense amounts of sugar, and some sort of pickled veg in if you are lucky.

I don't think it is impossible to eat well on a very low budget but you need to have some basics before you start. If you have £20 for food for the week and start with nothing in the cupboards you won't be spending money on things like flour and fresh herbs as that could be the difference between going to bed full or hungry for a couple of nights. I also think it requires a certain amount of time and commitment in terms of cooking for yourself.

RllyGudTweetr · February 2014

I make less than $20, 000 a year. Grew up in a trailer where often times we didn't have running water or electricity because of inability to pay bills. I've even been homeless for short periods of time. The only reason I share this with you is that you know that I know what it's like to be in at the lower end of the income spectrum here in the states. Right now I feel pretty well off making that much annually.

The point is, I can still make smart food choices. One thing that me and my family growing up noticed is that eating out costs WAY more than cooking ourselves. When I first started trying to eat healthy I had to pay more becuase I didn't have basics like olive oil or spices and what not. Now I don't have to spend too much. I can get all my produce for the week for about $20 bucks and then buy chicken/beef for an additional $15 bucks. I'd say that's pretty affordable. Now it does take a bit of extra time to actually cook it but it's worth it in the end. I actually ended up saving quite a bit of money just from cooking at home rather than going and grabbing junk at the store and "cheap" fast food.

That's just my own experience. Maybe I am lucky that I live in an area where I have access to produce but I do have to take about a 5 hour round trip bus ride for 20-30 minutes of shopping. Just saying. We can always find excuses for something... or we can just suck it up and do what we have to do. When I make poor choices in food it's because I am making poor choices, not because there are not better options.

(I should also mention that I do all this cooking and everything while also working two full times jobs.)

I love what you said. I think a lot of the problem with the obesity epidemic is convenient food. It takes less time and planning to make hotdogs and boxed mac 'n cheese for dinner than to make something healthier.
There are many times that I don't feel like making dinner, but ordering a pizza or eating fast food when I fail to plan isn't good for my family.
We do regularly order pizza and have a carpet picnic and our kids think that is great, but it is because we plan to do it not because we are too busy to do a healthier option.

I'll just add that there have been times in my life - even while fully employed and technically unable to qualify for government assistance programs - the $35 listed as used for making good food choices for the week was in the ballpark of what I had to buy food for the month, not counting transportation or cooking expenses. I was not a gambler nor a drug user, either, so I wasn't 'squandering' my paycheck.. . . just something to consider.

Point taken. One set of my grandparents (and parent) lived in similar monetary circumstances and often went hungry, so I hear you.

The thing is, when you have that little money, you can't buy enough at even a fast food place to make you overweight, let alone obese. And if you started that way, you're going to be losing weight. So, the 'very' poor aren't really part of this discussion because by definition, they can't be overweight/obese.

To be fat, you must be able to buy or barter for enough calories to get you there and keep you there.

Counterpoint: when you have that little money and get anything that resembles a surplus, your body is seriously craving calories more than it is worrying about nutrition. You're at that point, monetarily, and find a dollar on the ground: Do you buy a dollar's worth of bananas, or a dollar's worth of ramen noodles?

If you are actually starving you, you take the ramen! But then you wouldn't be fat and this post is about if the poor are fat, not malnourished. Besides, haven't you heard? Americans aren't "hungry," they are "food insecure." I wonder why they changed the term. I'd be interested to know.

Let me connect the dots. A person who experiences the level of money shortage/food shortage I described learns to prioritize calories/dollar (peso, looney, pound, whatever) over almost all other food considerations. This learned behavior becomes almost habitual.

Food shopping is largely habitual, as well; stores have done studies tracking eye movements of shoppers, and most shoppers don't focus their eyes on the shelves until nearing the items they're intending to buy.

Combine these factors, and folks who are used to not knowing how far their next paycheck is going to get them will habitually reach for the highest calorie/dollar items they can reasonably afford. . . even when their financial situation improves. They have to learn new habits to change this cycle.

bennettinfinity · February 2014

I don't think being poor in itself makes eating healthy harder, but being poor can mean for some people that they have a lot of struggles. Not all poor people struggle. I knew poor people who got twice as much in food stamps as my family spends in groceries for less people and didn't work at all. Hard to imagine that they couldn't afford fresh produce and meats and didn't have time to cook them. Some poor people have it much worse and eating anything is a struggle. I head stories from food stamp workers about elderly widows who didn't qualify for any help because they had a small pension or something.

Lots of things make eating healthy hard. All of these things are ultimately excuses, if you don't want to let them get the best if you. It is hard for people who have moved past their own excuses to let other people wallow in theirs. That sounds mean "wallow", but come on. People's children die, people lose jobs, their hearts get broken, their homes burn down, they get injured, they get terminal diseases, people have been abused and molested, they have kids to take care of and don't have time. Everyone has struggles. So when is it okay to give up??

If people don't care to eat healthy, fine. If you want to eat junk food because it satisfies your cravings and it is worth it to you, fine. But the excuses have to be let go, or it will happen again. There are always struggles. I want to confront mine with a firm booty and a strong heart.

^^THIS!

I think it's a very small percentage of individuals that have NO options - and for them, I have all the sympathy in the world. For the rest , there are choices, but the good choices tend to present difficulties.

The thing is, this is true to degree for all of us. If people have a choice and make a bad choice because it's the easier/faster/more convenient option, then who's responsible?

bennettinfinity · February 2014

Americans don't hate poor people, we hate lazy, wasteful people.

Though I personally tend to avoid using the words 'hate' and 'people' in the same sentence, I agree wholeheartedly with this sentiment.

I resent being made to feel as if somehow I bear more responsibility for helping someone than they bear themselves.

'Meet me halfway' is my mantra... if someone shows me they're doing their best to change their circumstances, i'll bend over backwards to help them out. If they're not interested in helping themselves, how can they possibly expect me to get worked up over it?

The problem with Big Government programs is they make no attempt to distinguish between these two scenarios and a lot of resources that could actually change lives is wasted on people who have no interest in changing.

ruqayyahsmum · February 2014

Let's see ... I can get 4 lbs of boneless/skinless chicken for $8 at the supermarket. For another $4 I can get a container of seasoned breadcrumbs and an 8-pack of whole wheat rolls. For $1.50 each I can have 8 sizeable, high-protein, low-fat chicken sandwiches (roughly 420 calories, 55g of protein, 7g fat, 30g carbs). Now the Spicy Chicken Sandwich at McDonald's apparently costs $1 in most of the country (I had to Google that) and gives me 380 calories, 15g protein, 17g fat, and 41g carbs (along with nearly half a day's worth of sodium). So for an extra 50 cents I can have nearly 4x the protein, less than half the fat, 3/4 of the carbs, and more net calories which all adds up to a meal that is going to leave me satiated for longer and thereby inclined to eat less. Tell me again how eating healthy has to be more expensive ... Bulls**t.

Stop buying into the low fat, reduced sugar, less this, less that marketing gimmicks that actually require you to pay more for less (often smaller portions) and simply make better dietary choices.

your presuming people have the $12 to buy all those ingredients, some people literally have just the dollor in thier pocket so end up buying that cheap fast food burger

iamhealingmyself · February 2014

Ill weigh in. We live below the national poverty level. I can buy a economy pack (100) honeybuns for the same price as three d'anjou pears. I can buy 25 tacos for the price of one uncooked, unseasoned pork tenderloin.

However- i live in a rural area. We saved and scrounged and went hungry to make an investment. We bought chickens and heirloom seeds. Now, i get 38 eggs a day (at $0.02/per egg) and up to 400lbs of produce a season (ex. Zuchinni ends up being under $0.01). It was a $300 investment and takes about 10 hours out of my day. We plan on hatching eggs to raise meat birds (they'll end up about $0.03/lb) and are going to invest in milk goats or a dairy cow.

$300 wouldnt have bought my family a months worth of healthy food in a store.

Eta- we ended up saving enough for the gun im holding in my pic-a hunting rifle. Another investment to bag meat for the cost of a bullet

Bravo to you! I wish I had the land to do all that. Right now I'm planning my gardening areas (mostly pots on the patio but I'm determined to stop buying crap "conventional" nutrient deficient produce). I also compost and vermicompost. I'm hopeful to have more than I need so I can sell it off at local markets and make some money to invest in better planting beds. I'd gladly convert my attached outdoor patio to a chicken coop if it was allowed! We have a field down the road in our neighborhood that would make a wonderful community garden if only they would permit it! Sometimes the community needs to come together and fight for what is right and what is wanted/needed. I've seen people using vacant lots adjacent to their apartment or home to garden on. If the space isn't being used, why not? I'd much rather look at a nice colorful garden than an empty lot collecting trash, etc.

Personally I think more education needs to be part of the foodstamp program. I'm not knocking it, believe me more years than not I was collecting something (if only 30-40 a month) to raise my 3 kids on my own because my full time job at $12.00 an hour still wasn't enough after taxes to pay the basic bills (and I mean basic!) A lot of people think you need to have vast experience, space, money etc. to grow food. Even if it's whatever you love the most and only one plant, get started! Any plant at a farm market that takes EBT (foodstamps) should permit you to buy plants that will produce food with foodstamps. This is a beginning for the program but they need much more support and education to the people collecting so they know how easy and affordable it can be. As soon as I'm more mobile I hope to be able to start providing some of that support locally.

Are the poor fat?

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