I think Michelle Antoinette was wrong about that food desert thing-I think a rural area is food heaven-unless someone wants a bunch of convenience/fast food, soda, etc-too many SNAP/Lonestar card users don’t know how to cook at all-never mind cooking fresh, healthy meat and veggies-I see them every week at the grocery store-big ol’ heifers in leggings or shorts blocking the aisles, buying pre-cooked stuff and cake at the deli, loading their carts with sweets, frozen crap like french fries-and crab legs and shrimp-at the checkout, they swipe that Lonestar card and I’m always tempted to ask one if she knows how to cook...
I agree with you that kids who are not infants need more calcium from natural cheese, yogurt and fresh veggies than from milk-no better time to teach them to eat well-and no sugary cereal...
I grew up and live in a rural area- I grow as many of my own veggies and herbs in season as possible and I barter fresh herbs to my neighbor with chickens for free-range fresh eggs-for the rest, the nearest grocery-about 20 miles away-is part of a small chain of stores located in rural areas-they cater to people like me who are committed to a natural food, organic lifestyle-and that is just about every other person out here. The organic produce sold there is local/grown in Texas-even locally grown apples-as for the non-seasonal stuff, it is mostly from Cali-unless I have a craving for an avocado or an artichoke, I leave it alone. The in-house butcher shop sells Texas meat-grass fed, free range.
I don’t take prescription or drugs of any kind, so I don’t have any of that to fetch or pay for, fortunately.
Since I like produce as fresh as possible, I buy groceries by the week there, shopping the specials on produce and meat-I have spent the same amount of money per week for the last several years-$110-$125, including all grocery items, a few toiletries like toothpaste, body wash and some skin care items imported from Spain and Mexico that I like. I eat very well-paleo diet- and don’t skimp on what I like-I eat only real butter, and never buy processed foods-only frozen or canned if the item is not available fresh-and I only do that if my guy is going to be here and wants me to fix something for him that I don’t normally eat-he is not totally committed to paleo/unprocessed diet-yet...
The nearest WalMart and major chain grocery-HEB-are both in a town 24-25 miles away-and I’ve never gotten out of either one for less than $135-$150-with tastless feedlot beef, pale factory farmed chicken and not-so-fresh veggies and fruit. Even the organic brown rice and stone ground cornmeal costs more than it does at the local store-then there is the gas for my 4x4...
I think welfare-to-work needs to be brought back-including food stamps/EBT-put a limit on it-including making it only for fresh, healthy uncooked food, require people to go to work-and spend OUR tax money that is saved on herding all the EBT heifers into f’ing cooking and basic nutrition classes...
I’m highly skeptical of the “food desert” thing. A couple of years back, I ran across an article about the “food desert” area of the city about 40 miles from me.
It was complete nonsense. There is a large supermarket right smack in the middle of the “food desert.” There are a couple of dollar stores in the same area. They aren’t full-sevice supermarkets, but they do sell basic food staples and some perishables, such as juice and milk.
Not only that, but there is a Wal-Mart a short distance away. Not walking distance, but there is public transportation available. There is a city bus system, including buses equipped for those in wheelchairs.
There are now a couple of small towns near me with no grocery stores, which makes it more difficult for people to get what they need. In each case, other local businesses started selling more food items. Friends, relatives, and neighbors help out people with transportation issues. It’s not an ideal situation but no one has actually starved due to lack of food.