Posted on 09/23/2013 1:20:00 PM PDT by wbill
In my work, I see more people who want to focus on losing weight rather than gaining weight, so I don’t often stop to think about the problem of hunger.
It’s easy to overlook the fact that hunger is still a big problem in in the United States. According to statistics from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in 2011 about 50 million Americans were living with food insecurity — 33.5 million adults and 16.7 million children.
What is food insecurity? It’s the inability to provide adequate food on a consistent basis. For adults, not getting enough food can have harmful effects, but it can be especially harmful for children who need adequate nutrients for proper growth and development.
I’m familiar with the Good Shepherd Food Bank so I know hunger exists in Maine, but to what extent? Maine ranks 18th in the nation and second in New England in terms of food insecurity. Since 2004, the number of Mainers facing hunger has increased 50 percent.
The population of Maine is about 1,328,371 — the food insecurity rate is 14.7 percent of households, or 200,000 people.
Food insecurity can lead to nutrient deficiencies, delayed cognitive development, asthma, decreased immune system function and increased fatigue. A contributing factor to childhood obesity is the lack of access to healthy foods for children living in food-insecure homes.
My office is situated such that I have a big window facing the drive-thru of a fast-food restaurant. There is a pretty steady line of cars going through on a daily basis. Fast food once in awhile isn’t a big concern, but eating a quick meal from a fast-food restaurant or a convenience store on a regular basis is expensive and the food is usually higher in fat and sodium and lower in vitamins and minerals. If you were to price the items out compared to what you could purchase at a grocery store, it wouldn’t be such a deal.
When grocery shopping, nutrient-rich staples such as whole-wheat bread, brown rice, steel-cut oats, corn tortillas, dried beans and peanut butter are good choices. Fresh fruits and vegetables are healthy choices but can be expensive if not on sale. Canned fruit packed in its own juice or frozen fruit or vegetables are great choices. If you buy canned vegetables, drain and rinse them to remove sodium before consuming.
If you are affected by food insecurity, there are many resources available to help. One way to find them is to dial 211 and ask for resources in your area. Food banks, soup kitchens, etc., are located in communities throughout the state, usually staffed by volunteers. If you don’t live with food insecurity but want to help others who do, perhaps volunteering your time at a food kitchen or donating money or food to these organizations would be within your means. Every little bit helps.
SNAP is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program previously called the food stamp program. SNAP provides $5 a day to help those unable to purchase food. To see what it is like, try to eat off of $5 a day. You’ll get a little more perspective on how difficult it can be for some families in America and right in your home town. Remember that $5 has to include your morning coffee.
Want to do more? The Good Shepherd Food Bank has a calendar showing 30 Ways in 30 Days to help solve hunger. Some of the suggestions include: » Volunteer at a local food pantry or meal site. » Watch the films “A Place at the Table” or “30 Days on Minimum Wage.” » View poverty statistics for your county by googling “Map the Meal Gap.” » Make a financial contribution to the food bank.
For information on the Good Shepherd Food Bank go to www.gsfb.org. For information on food insecurity in the U.S., check out www.feedingamerica.org.
Georgia Clark-Albert is a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified diabetes educator at Penobscot Community Health Care in Bangor. She provides nutrition consultant services through Mainely Nutrition in Athens. Read her columns and post questions at bangordailynews.com or email her at GeorgiaMaineMSRDCDE@gmail.com.
As the government ruling class eat like kings, retiring on lottery style government pensions, the rest of you better get used to eating on 5 bucks a day...And like it.
Spoilage is money out the window. I don’t throw money out the window.
Friday, I had a roasted chicken carcass left over from chicken and dressing (!) so threw it in a pot of water and let it cook down. Picked the meat off and put it back into the pot of stock. Threw in leftover veggies from the fridge, added a handful of pasta and the little bit of Velveta cheese in the box. Viola! A nice cheap pot of chicken soup and no spoilage that had to be thrown out.
I rotate canned goods. This weekend, I cleaned out the deep freeze and the refrigerator freezer and arranged everything by date. It’s rare that something gets freezer burned but then the dogs get a treat. Tonight, we had mushrooms (2 x $1 lb) stuffed with the oldest 2012 package of sausage from the freezer ($1.50) and cream cheese ($1.40), a pea salad (75 cents = 50 cent can of peas, a bit of onion, mayo and cheese) and mashed cauliflower (giant $1.48). That makes 6 plates at about $1 each and hubby can have a midnight snack on the leftover sausage stuffing.
I bought a ten pound bag of chicken hind quarters for $7.50. IIRC, it was 18 pieces thighs and legs,
A ten pound pork loin for $1.67/pound, .42 cents for a four oz. slice. That is 40 slices of pork. Cooks to 3oz. but keeps you in meat protein.
50# bag of rice for $27
50# bag of pinto beans at $28
People have no idea how long a person can eat off that. Add $10 worth of spice and $20 worth of canned tomato paste, etc. and there are maybe 20 recipes that you can eat for 2 to three months. Add a box of oats and $20 worth of eggs and you can eat good. Add a $10 box of instant mashed and $10 box of freeze dried hash browns and a $10 gallon jar of freeze dried onions and you eat like a king.
$3 lb. boneless beef ribs cooked carefully like steak is close enough to ribeye for this household.
I so happy help pay for that family's government perks especially when we bring in less than they do.
I was referring to the kind of diet recommended by most doctors during the ‘60s, of course, but I know what you mean. Meals cooked in many homes were often much more austere and less nutritious. I don’t remember Hamburger Helper having been around in the ‘60s, although great dishes like potato soup and breaded tomatoes were there, for sure. ;-)
what is it missing?
Ding~! Ding~! Ding~! I believe we have a winner
With growing, cooking and canning food, you’re doing great, by the way. People like you give our nation more resilience when needed.
What I posted should get you nearly three months for about $155 and shout feed two or three.
I am pointing out that there is a class of people in this country completely incapable of planning or allocating. Money comes in from an entitlement check and they spend it. When it is gone, they have nothing to eat until the next check.
A former gf went home to visit family on a Mississippi farm and brought back a mason jar of the most uberdelicious pulled pork BBQ...that I found later was made by cooking the hog's head until everything fell off of it...everything down to an empty skull. BUT it was so good, I didn't care what was in it. Scarf scarf munch munch...eyeball! I win a prize- lol
5 bucks buys a heck of a lot of rice, you could by rice for all week for 5 dollars, chicken another day veggies another.
I more than understand. They are the Zombies we will face the a EBT card buys one day’s worth of LIL Debbie Cakes...
We had great, nutritious meals when I was a kid - as long as my dad or grandmother were doing the cooking. My mother did make great meatballs and spaghetti sauce, but it wasn’t often. Some people just don’t latch onto it, I guess. Her sister always was and remains a fabulous cook - she did however ask me to teach her how to make crepes, which I did last summer when she was 78 years old! It was her mother who taught me how to make them!
Since my mother passed Dad doesn’t cook as much as he used to, but he and my aunt do dinner together a couple times a week, so he still has it!
Potato soup? Breaded tomatoes? Unheard of until I was in my mid twenties. As to the Hamburger Helper, that was late ‘60s. Before I was in 7th grade (72) my dad no longer worked rotating shifts and I haven’t had HH ever since. :-)
Thanks! And my 15yo daughter is following in my footsteps! In the past month she has learned blanching and peeling tomatoes is far easier than doing the same with peaches!
Agree with you if you’re just making a loaf of plain white bread. Cheap store brand is 88 cents here and that’s what we buy. However, if we want something a bit different, then homemade is cheaper. I don’t go to the store but once every 3 weeks and it’s a drive into town so that’s more expense added into the trip. On #171, I posted a link to a Schlotsky’s bun which doesn’t take any time and sure beats driving 40 miles round trip to the nearest restaurant and paying $5 for one sandwich. Same if I want a sausage kolache, homemade (although more difficult due to kneading) is much easier on the wallet.
I’m guessing that mustard is powdered mustard instead of prepared mustard?
A quart of mayo? Snort. Today, those “quarts” are 28 oz or less and the jars are plastic. Canning jar prices have gone up like everything else. The other day, I bought a box of jars that had a “bonus” package of pectin. I was going to use the pectin for jelly making and thought they’d made a new formula that didn’t weigh as much until I looked at it closely (thankfully before I dumped it into the jelly) and it was only enough for 2 jars. Excuse me, 2 jars?!? Who makes anything for just 2 jars??? No thanks, Ball. What a rip off.
I’m not too sure about your comment that markets throw away food that didn’t sell at the end of the day. It may happen elsewhere, but not where I live.
Last year I managed a farmers market in our town. At the end of the day, volunteers from a church group came to collect unsold food that was brought to a Lazarus House and made into meals for homeless. Similarly, a local church collects unsold breads and food from our Panera bakery. It seems everyone who is in a position to help those in need tries to do so in whatever way they can.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.