Many low-income Americans can't afford to eat healthy foods(Spinach Barf Alert)

Yahoo News ^ | 11-22-07 | Amanda Gardner

[kik5150]

In this land and season of plenty, low-income and rural Americans continue to have difficulty finding healthy foods that are affordable, a new study finds.

One study shows that low-income Americans now would have to spend up to 70 percent of their food budget on fruits and vegetables to meet new national dietary guidelines for healthy eating.

And a second study found that in rural areas, convenience stores far outnumber supermarkets and grocery stores -- even though the latter carry a much wider choice of affordable, healthy foods.

"I think it's a matter of raising awareness among health professionals -- and that could be dieticians or diabetes educators or even doctors -- that when we typically give people a recommendation to eat more fruits and vegetables, that is actually so much more complicated in a rural environment," said Angela Liese, study author of the second report and an associate professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina in Columbia.

"There needs to be some thought given to how do you make these recommendations," Liese said.

Both studies appear in the November issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, a themed issue on poverty and human development.

New dietary guidelines recommend that Americans eat nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day, up from five servings in the previous guidelines.

Despite clear evidence that eating your vegetables can ward off heart disease, diabetes and cancer, only 40 percent of Americans meet the old guidelines and less than 10 percent meet the new guidelines, according to one 2006 study.

People with more money eat more fruits and vegetables than those with less money, research shows. In turn, poorer people also assume a greater disease burden relative to their wealthier counterparts.

[surrey]

I’m Polish and Ukrainian and I make golumki all the time. Cheap to make, very filling and delicious. I just wish pierogi was as easy to make. If I could choose my last meal it would be my dear, late grandmother’s pierogi. She made dozens and dozens for Christmas. Comfort food multiplied by 1,000. Frankly, another inexpensive meal but time consuming.

[Leisler]

Michael Dukakis wanted to encourage growing Belgian Endive. We didn't listen. He was a prophet in the wilderness. This has all come back to punish us. And, don't say you Freepers weren't in on this. You were. Shame, shame.

( hahaha Happy Thanksgiving Over the Murderous Savages Who Even By 1899 Still Didn't Know How To Make A Wheel Day)

[snugs]

Very good point, a lot of people who do not bother with their health or more importantly their children health do tend to eat cheap fatty muck.

I do think though certainly in Britain there are far more cheap food that or should I say junk food available than when I was young. I can remember that as a child to go and buy a dough-nut at the local bakery was a treat now you can buy 10 for the same price in real terms at the supermarket.

Parents though should not allow the children to eat the whole bag even if it is cheap enough they can afford them to do so.

[Leisler]

Club soda and Ice? That’s it? It would never pass my lips. There could be germs, or bugs, or something. Ethanol or nothing!

[snugs]

In a way that is true and it is easy to buy a big value pack of chips (fries) and serve with cheap frozen burgers than make a wholesome stew with carrots, and other root veg.

Though often the same people who say they cannot afford healthy food smoke 40 - 60 cigs a day and always have booze in the house.

I can remember as a child you only had drink in at Christmas or occasionally at other special events.

[snugs]

Cranberry juice is also a good base for most fruit as well, banana and cranberry juice is great.

[radiohead]

A ham hock + lima beans = Real good eats!!

OMG! I haven't had that in a looong time. Them is good eats and it's about time I had it again.

[radiohead]

I get spicy ramen from Thailand. I throw in some chicken and frozen veggies and there’s a meal for 2, skip the chicken and put in more veggies and you’ve got a hearty vegetarian meal. Cheap and delicious.

[padre35]

True, just don’t use the full seasoning packet, that sucker is loaded with salt.

I’ve seen both egg foo yung ramen and thai peanut ramen with peanut butter added to the mix.

Save save save....lol!

[Theo]

I’m going to plant a little garden in our back yard next year. With tomatoes at $1 each, I expect to save a lot of money. We live in the suburbs, with a small back yard. Enough room for a small garden.

[Theo]

Awesome! I love to cook — gotta try that one. Prosciutto’s the best.

[radiohead]

Take a look here: http://www.importfood.com/.

I’ve been ordering from them for a few years as their food is much fresher than the stuff in your neighborhood Asian mom and pop. There’s also a good selectio of stuff you won’t see everywhere. We like the spicy ketchup and the various curries.

They deliver quickly and I’ve never had a problem w/my order.

[Ben Bolt]

New dietary guidelines recommend that Americans eat nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day, up from five servings in the previous guidelines.

I’ve got my own guidlines .. Self reliance without sticking it to someone else to get ahead . That includes not giving a rat’s ass about you policy mug wumps .
And that is as kind as I am going to be on the matter .

[Vietnam Vet From New Mexico]

I lived in rural Mississippi before moving to New Mexico. Almost everyone had a garden, even in the upscale subdivisions. The exception was the real white trash, the dopers and pot-heads. They would run from a hoe like the devil from holy water.

[ga medic]

I hate to break this to you, but canned veggies aren’t very healthy. Most of the vitamins are long gone, and there is enough sodium in some of them to use 40% of your daily allowance. Fresh is the only way to get the natural vitamins out.

[ga medic]

” could feed a family of 4 on $50 a week easy”

Maybe you live where food is cheaper than I do, but there is no way I could feed four on 50/week. Milk at current 4.50 gallon is 9.00. I would have trouble keeping it much under $100/week. There wouldn’t be much meat and fresh fruits and vegetables in that either.

[AmericanInTokyo]

I have met my share of "low income Americans".

Many, many eat CRAP because they CHOOSE crap.

They can eat more healthy for the same cost or even less, if they used their brains.

Which many of them dont have.

Which is why many of them are "low income" in the first place.

It is one big circle of logic.

[torchthemummy]

And a second study found that in rural areas, convenience stores far outnumber supermarkets and grocery stores -- even though the latter carry a much wider choice of affordable, healthy foods.

Pretty much everywhere there are more convenience stores than supermarkets and grocery stores because they are...convenient! If these goofballs did a study in urban areas they would find the same basic stats. And though the supermarkets have a better choice and price for various items it also tends to cost money to get there be it car or mass transit.

Just another useless study that cost all taxpayers more.

[alwaysconservative]

We donate to the food pantry for holidays, large bags of dried beans, canned tomatoes, rice, and canned veggies. I have seen people pick my items because they know they will stretch a lot farther than those who pick individual, microwavable mac and cheese packages. It’s truly discouraging to see how many people pick junk over cheaper and more nutritious food.

To me, it’s a matter of choice, not finances. We eat way more cheaply than many folks even though finances are not a problem for us, but it’s because I make time to c-o-o-k for my family. If you have a choice between one $15 pizza from Pizza Hut, or two $3 Jack’s pizzas that have been jazzed up with extra toppings and extra cheese ($1-$2), it’s easy to see that taking the time to do it yourself saves tons of money.

The Democrats have infantilized people’s lives to the extent that many are unable to think for themselves or exercise choice for their own best interests. Dependency is NOT what’s for dinner tonight, LOL!

[notpoliticallycorewrecked]

When my dad walked out on us (a mother with 3 teenagers & one small child), my mother worked two jobs. We also received some help from my grandparents. We ate a lot of tuna casseroles, spaghetti, and mac and cheese. She shopped at the day old bread store and would make a fifty/fifty mixture of powdered milk with regular milk.

During my high school years I babysat to pay for my own clothes, yearbook and any spending money for activities. I never asked my mother for a dime, because I knew that she didn't have it to give to me. It was a special treat to go to McDonald's, which was a very rare event.