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 $5 has to include your morning coffee.
Want to do more? The Good Shepherd Food Bank has a calendar showing 30 Ways in 30 Days to help solve hunger. Some of the suggestions include: » Volunteer at a local food pantry or meal site. » Watch the films “A Place at the Table” or “30 Days on Minimum Wage.” » View poverty statistics for your county by googling “Map the Meal Gap.” » Make a financial contribution to the food bank.
For information on the Good Shepherd Food Bank go to www.gsfb.org. For information on food insecurity in the U.S., check out www.feedingamerica.org.
Georgia Clark-Albert is a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified diabetes educator at Penobscot Community Health Care in Bangor. She provides nutrition consultant services through Mainely Nutrition in Athens. Read her columns and post questions at bangordailynews.com or email her at GeorgiaMaineMSRDCDE@gmail.com.
Bowl of All Bran for breakfast($.25)
Bowl of soup for lunch($1.00)
Rice and Beans, salsa, chips ($2.00)
BOOM!
It does. Back when we were really struggling, one of our favorite snacks was just sugar (with or without cinnamon) on buttered toast. It really is tasty and satisfies the sweet tooth. Peanut butter's probably healthier, although it is pricier.
In college I would buy a big roaster and have roast chicken on Monday, make chicken salad out of the breasts Tuesday, cover the remains with BBQ sauce Wednesday and reheat it as BBQ chicken, then slow cook all the scraps and bones overnight into a broth and add rice, onions and mushrooms Thursday, and on Friday throw whattever was left of it in the fridge out, to make room for beer.
I think I remember the chickens as being .19c/lb in those days.
I am currently in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in a Hospital, in
recovery from Heart Surgery, to alleviate End-Stage Heart Failure. Before I came Here, last August, 20th, I was on the
Michigan Bridge Card. It Provided $140.00 per month for food. I bought primarily Fruits and vegetables, some nice meats, Juices, and other nutritious foods. it was relatively easy to keep within that budget every month, and eat very well.
I make no apologies for being on the program, as I paid many times over,through my Taxes, for this small amount.
Shucks, I raised up to five children and a wife and myself at times. 5 dollars a day per person?
I paid 10 dollars a day for the lot.
blessings, bobo
You are making me hungry! And $1 extra to boot!
On another thread I looked up the Summer Food Service Program. It cost $400 million in 2012 and more this year. That amounts to over $200 for each child that participated in the program. If a given child managed to have 40 meals over the summer that would be $5 each, paid for by the taxpayer, money printing, and some borrowing by non-fed parties.
I’ve never looked up the regular school year programs.
When we start a government program, I would hope that they start it with things that are less important and less complex. For example, rather than government controlled healthcare, we should prove the principle with government controlled shoes.
Have the government experts design shoes. Have them provide them for free. Have the government manufacture them in their own factories. Then, to prove the superiority of the government shoe program, measure what market share the government shoes gets.
I bet that would alert women to the abomination that is the typical government program.
Long story shor version-Back when I was 20, I bummed for a year and ate off my blood plasma money ($15 a week).
I had the $2.00 a day meal plan (2 boxes of Kraft Mac & cheese & a 2-liter Pepsi).
I slept late so no need of breakfast. This was what I ate almost every day.
Best wishes. Bet you’re eager to get off the hospital food!
My mom used to buy peanuts and make PB.
OMG the place I used to work at. The supervisor was cheap he took this woman on their first date to McDonalds. LOL After we they are no longer dating.
****************************
Yes, exactly. My husband will buy a whole roaster and bake it with herbs and butter under the skin, with a half lemon in the cavity. The next day he will make chicken salad, and then in the next day or so he will make chicken soup. It's very economical, nutritious and delicious. He also makes a wonderful chili with ground beef, beans, canned and fresh tomatoes (from our garden), chunky peanut butter and cocoa. We have it not only as a meal with a dollop of sour cream, but on hot dogs for lunch.
Best wishes, dear.
I agree that ramen noodles and Coke isn't healthy--that's college-kid eating. I am trying hard to avoid diabetes, so I can't eat white stuff like bread, sugar, potatoes, flour, pasta, or most grains. But I eat on less than $5. Example:
Breakfast: 3 or 4 scrambled eggs with cheese
Lunch: tuna salad made with a touch of Duke's and some sour cream, on greens
Snack: nuts, and home-made yogurt sweetened with Stevia
dinner: Hillshire Farms turkey kielbasa, $1.25 (Bought on sale, two for $5. Half of this is a little too much for me so each of the dogs gets a piece)
Salad greens with tomatoes, oil-and-apple cider vinegar dressing: large pile of greens that will last through four meals, $3.69, 1 tomato about a dollar
evening snack: cheddar and apple
Some days the menu costs a little more than $5, some days it's less. But $5 goes a lot farther if you don't stock up on crap food, cereal, soft drinks, sweet things, or anything that comes out of a box.
Yes, I am slender and fit.
You got that right. :)
I first heard that two years ago at a lecture about nutrition, and the audience mostly screamed and booed at the guy. When we calmed down, he went through it.
A woman about 5'6" tall only needs 1100 calories. She can add to that for exercise, but don't be too generous. I add less than 200 calories a day for three miles of walking.
Here's the trick. The food has to be high nutrition. I eat boiled or steamed veggies, plain meats, fruits with no sugar added, almond milk, some whole grains. No high-calorie drink concoctions or soda. No transfat. With lots of those veggies, the nutritional value piles up, it's filling, and it's low in calories, "efficient food". FWIW, I was born 10% overweight and battled weight my whole life. Now I'm a just about perfect weight for 5'7" and never hungry.
If you are stupid and lazy, the answer is "no".
That sounds like an excellent diet. My husband has diabetes, so our menu has changed over the last 15 years or so. Imho, it is much healthier.
We don't have much spoilage at our house. Stuff gets eaten quickly. People living alone can reduce expenses by eating with friends on a rotating basis. Somebody buys a family-size package of something which the group eats.
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.