Why Can't Poor People Afford Healthy Food?

[syrenn]

People expect poor people to just buy a head of lettuce and eat it? who does that?

in high end restaurants.... its called "the wedge" and goes for $18 bucks.

 

[koshergrl]

Iceburg is filler...

I like butter lettuce...or romaine...
Or whatever is on sale.

 

[koshergrl]

Something else I've learned that saves huge amounts of $$:

Tea parties!

I often have extra kids at my house on the weekends, who hang out for loooonnnngggg periods of time (I don't think I'm good at setting boundaries, this has been a problem for me since my oldest kids were very young) and inevitably get hungry...

I don't have money to feed them goodies...

So we make pots of tea and put out whatever we have...crackers, bread and jam, cake, cookies, vienna sausages, whatever.

Much cheaper than cheetos.

 

[koshergrl]

Olives. That's probably what is going on the table this weekend. I have like multiple cans of olives that I've picked up at various times when they were on sale.

I think I'll put some of them out here and there.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

Lol..that's why it's so important to take whatever you can...and volunteer when there isn't anything that pays.

The jobs are fewer now. It's going to get worse. We voted in the guys who want us to starve and be dependent upon government. Now we're all going to feel it.

Oh for Pete's sake.

THIS is the drivel that makes it impossible to have a real conversation with rw's.

Screw it.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

People expect poor people to just buy a head of lettuce and eat it? who does that?

in high end restaurants.... its called "the wedge" and goes for $18 bucks.

Only if one is dumb enough to buy it.

Actually, a lot of people do buy iceberg. I have no idea why since its basically throwing your money away. Yes, there's a bit of nutritional value but no where near the other lettuces.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

If you believe water from the tap is free, you are deluded. You pay your water bill, don't you?

water from the tap is far less expensive then bottled.

I have two autistic kids. I drink filtered water now and highly recommend it for everyone. Bottled water is better if you have fluoride in your water because most filters don't filter that out. Yeah, tap water is far less expensive, it also has carcinogens in it and other poisons as well. Several years ago, when the only way federal way got it's water was through underground wells and kept in water towers, some birds got into the towers and there was a sickness that went around. Some children died. I'm big into bottled or filtered water now. You really can't trust the government. They knew for weeks about the birds and did nothing. They also swore up and down that the birds had nothing to do with the sick kids or the ones that died. I have no idea what the outcome of the lawsuit was, I suspect there was gag order and it was settle out of court.

The water at one of our houses is incredibly bad. No one in our town drinks the water. We don't even give it to our animals. But, the good news is that the water at our other house is pristine. So, we haul it from there.

Public water in our country is almost without exception perfectly fine to drink straight from the tap. When in doubt, boil it. Most impurities will boil out, and most bugs will die.

Not true and not true. Don't depend of freezing to kill some pathogens either.

In some parts of Phoenix (Tucson as well) the water is still non-potable but its in the very poor areas so it doesn't count.

 

[koshergrl]

People expect poor people to just buy a head of lettuce and eat it? who does that?

in high end restaurants.... its called "the wedge" and goes for $18 bucks.

Only if one is dumb enough to buy it.

Actually, a lot of people do buy iceberg. I have no idea why since its basically throwing your money away. Yes, there's a bit of nutritional value but no where near the other lettuces.

It's cheap...and it adds some good crunch to your meal. It works as filler and color. Grate a carrot in there, maybe chop up a tomato and throw some mayo at it....almost free filler.

Throw in a can of tuna, shrimp, chicken or crab and a green onion...it works for us.

 

[Dreamy]

Because its too expensive.

Do you know that it is cheaper to buy a jumbo bag of potato chips and a 2 litre bottle of coke than it is to buy a loaf of bread and a bottle of water?

Ever got those catalogues in the mail with the latest specials from your local supermarket? How many times do you see soft drinks, chocolate, chips and cakes discounted, sometimes by up to 50%? Compare that to how many times you see a price reduction on healthy foods, like apples, oranges, bananas, and bottled water.

In KFC the other day, it was cheaper for me to buy a burger, a piece of chicken, three wings, a small popcorn chicken, a regular chips, a regular gravy and a can of Pepsi than it was to buy a salad and a bottle of water. I wanted a salad and a water, but when I compared the prices, I wondered why I should spend more money on a healthy item when I can get the unhealthy food a lot cheaper?

How many other families see this problem? How about no discounts on junk food, and discounts only on healthy foods?


I never used to understand why people claimed they couldn't afford healthy foods, but I understand now, because its true.

People can eat healthy and cheaply if they prepare food at home and back away from the processed crap.

Eating healthy means actually menu planning, grocery shopping, preparing food and serving the food. It can be simple or complex but it can often be healthy. Using imagination and cookbooks it is amazing how many ways one can cook with health in mind.

The fast food, busy and often lazy world we live in does not encourage meal planning and meal prep.

 

[koshergrl]

water from the tap is far less expensive then bottled.

I have two autistic kids. I drink filtered water now and highly recommend it for everyone. Bottled water is better if you have fluoride in your water because most filters don't filter that out. Yeah, tap water is far less expensive, it also has carcinogens in it and other poisons as well. Several years ago, when the only way federal way got it's water was through underground wells and kept in water towers, some birds got into the towers and there was a sickness that went around. Some children died. I'm big into bottled or filtered water now. You really can't trust the government. They knew for weeks about the birds and did nothing. They also swore up and down that the birds had nothing to do with the sick kids or the ones that died. I have no idea what the outcome of the lawsuit was, I suspect there was gag order and it was settle out of court.

The water at one of our houses is incredibly bad. No one in our town drinks the water. We don't even give it to our animals. But, the good news is that the water at our other house is pristine. So, we haul it from there.

Public water in our country is almost without exception perfectly fine to drink straight from the tap. When in doubt, boil it. Most impurities will boil out, and most bugs will die.

Not true and not true. Don't depend of freezing to kill some pathogens either.

In some parts of Phoenix (Tucson as well) the water is still non-potable but its in the very poor areas so it doesn't count.

I never suggested freezing to kill pathogens, I know better.

I drank the water in the poor part of Phoenix and lived...but they had days where they told you not to drink it even then.

But the water in the US is by and large just fine.

 

[koshergrl]

But I do think more and more about the state of water now.

I know where there are springs here that I would get water from..but if the ground water gets contaminated, even springs can potentially be lethal.

 

[Pheonixops]

Because its too expensive.

Do you know that it is cheaper to buy a jumbo bag of potato chips and a 2 litre bottle of coke than it is to buy a loaf of bread and a bottle of water?

Ever got those catalogues in the mail with the latest specials from your local supermarket? How many times do you see soft drinks, chocolate, chips and cakes discounted, sometimes by up to 50%? Compare that to how many times you see a price reduction on healthy foods, like apples, oranges, bananas, and bottled water.

In KFC the other day, it was cheaper for me to buy a burger, a piece of chicken, three wings, a small popcorn chicken, a regular chips, a regular gravy and a can of Pepsi than it was to buy a salad and a bottle of water. I wanted a salad and a water, but when I compared the prices, I wondered why I should spend more money on a healthy item when I can get the unhealthy food a lot cheaper?

How many other families see this problem? How about no discounts on junk food, and discounts only on healthy foods?


I never used to understand why people claimed they couldn't afford healthy foods, but I understand now, because its true.

I disagree, at least where I am from (Virginia Beach). Bananas are 32 cents a pound, sweet potatoes and white potatoes range from 60 to 89 cents a pound. Broccoli 1.69 for a bunch same with Romaine lettuce, iceberg is a LOT cheaper than that. One can get a package of chicken thighs for under $4, you can buy a 10lb bag of thighs attached to legs for $7.50 @ Walmart. A can of Kidney beans is less than 80 cents, a package of beef liver is $1.69. Frozen spinach and collard greens are .99 cents. A bag of carrots .99 cents. A huge gallon of water in a lastic container can be bought for less than 80 cents.

It's about choices, the other part is an excuse in my opinion.

 

[koshergrl]

Carrots are a HUGE deal...they almost give those things away, and they last forever.

Get the big ones. I keep meaning to can my own but I haven't done it yet. Carrots are just never expensive. If you could only afford one vegetable for the rest of your life, the carrot would be a pretty good one.

Green beans are nice too, but they're more expensive.

I canned my own this summer, I'd never done that before. It was labor intensive and heinously frustrating...I don't know that I ultimately saved any money at all...but we've been eating them all fall and they are soooo good. I think my next project is a bunch of carrots...maybe...this weekend?

 

[koshergrl]

I love stir-fried carrots...sliced and in a hot skillet/wok with some soy sauce...you can choose to add more veggies if you like, broccoli, sprouts, mushrooms, CELERY (celery is another really good deal) ONIONS (I buy the medium sized cheap yellow onions, best bang for the buck, last the longest, cheapest..I get them by the bag)...

We serve that over rice or noodles, yum. Sheesh it's almost free food.

 

[syrenn]

People expect poor people to just buy a head of lettuce and eat it? who does that?

in high end restaurants.... its called "the wedge" and goes for $18 bucks.

Only if one is dumb enough to buy it.

Actually, a lot of people do buy iceberg. I have no idea why since its basically throwing your money away. Yes, there's a bit of nutritional value but no where near the other lettuces.

Its quite popular. A simple wedge of iceberg lettuce.... who would have thunk.

 

[Dreamy]

Carrots are a HUGE deal...they almost give those things away, and they last forever.

Get the big ones. I keep meaning to can my own but I haven't done it yet. Carrots are just never expensive. If you could only afford one vegetable for the rest of your life, the carrot would be a pretty good one.

Green beans are nice too, but they're more expensive.

I canned my own this summer, I'd never done that before. It was labor intensive and heinously frustrating...I don't know that I ultimately saved any money at all...but we've been eating them all fall and they are soooo good. I think my next project is a bunch of carrots...maybe...this weekend?

Yeah definitely whole carrots not those baby formed ones. There is no such garden growing those baby formed ones. lol

 

[Pheonixops]

Carrots are a HUGE deal...they almost give those things away, and they last forever.

Get the big ones. I keep meaning to can my own but I haven't done it yet. Carrots are just never expensive. If you could only afford one vegetable for the rest of your life, the carrot would be a pretty good one.

Green beans are nice too, but they're more expensive.

I canned my own this summer, I'd never done that before. It was labor intensive and heinously frustrating...I don't know that I ultimately saved any money at all...but we've been eating them all fall and they are soooo good. I think my next project is a bunch of carrots...maybe...this weekend?

I agree, I use carrots,frozen broccoli, frozen spinach, water, and a banana to make a smoothie that I drink a full blender on a daily basis.

 

[Pheonixops]

I love stir-fried carrots...sliced and in a hot skillet/wok with some soy sauce...you can choose to add more veggies if you like, broccoli, sprouts, mushrooms, CELERY (celery is another really good deal) ONIONS (I buy the medium sized cheap yellow onions, best bang for the buck, last the longest, cheapest..I get them by the bag)...

We serve that over rice or noodles, yum. Sheesh it's almost free food.

Nice! We do the same and that is ONE HEALTHY MEAL!

 

[Pheonixops]

Carrots are a HUGE deal...they almost give those things away, and they last forever.

Get the big ones. I keep meaning to can my own but I haven't done it yet. Carrots are just never expensive. If you could only afford one vegetable for the rest of your life, the carrot would be a pretty good one.

Green beans are nice too, but they're more expensive.

I canned my own this summer, I'd never done that before. It was labor intensive and heinously frustrating...I don't know that I ultimately saved any money at all...but we've been eating them all fall and they are soooo good. I think my next project is a bunch of carrots...maybe...this weekend?

Yeah definitely whole carrots not those baby formed ones. There is no such garden growing those baby formed ones. lol

Excellent point.

 

[thereisnospoon]

How many poor people do you know? None? I thought so.

I know many poor people, I have been very, very poor at times in my life. This is basic psychology. It's why poor people are more likely to be obese than a wealthy person. It's why there are riots at the latest NBA signature sneaker release. It's why an immigrant that comes here, even more poor than the poorest American and end up wealthy and successful.

A poor person making a decision on what to have for dinner will chose mac and cheese over vegetable soup because mac and cheese tastes better, it's more expensive but it tastes better and don't they deserve something that at least tastes good? They can't afford a steak, but they can afford a block of cheese.

Really, you were poor and you spent $300 on sneakers? I've been poor, I'm not now and I have NEVER paid $300 on sneakers.


When we were poor, we didn't qualify for food stamps. We had to depend on our friends and family and the food bank to help us through hard times. Oh, yeah, we could have sold our house and had enough to buy food but then where would we have lived?

BTW, vegetable beef soup isn't cheaper, and it does taste a lot better if it's MY vegetable beef soup.

Fresh fruits and vegetables and lean meats are very expensive. So is a block of cheese, although the cheese does go further.

You will find though, that at least at our local food bank, you are much more likely to get macaroni and a block of cheese than steak and fresh fruits and vegetables. Even canned vegetables are rare, unless it's corn and that really isn't a vegetable anymore, it's just another starch.

As for immigrants coming here and ending up wealthy and successful, you do know that we have organizations, paid for with our tax dollars to show them how to work our system don't you? (I know this because I tried to get a job with one) We don't have any such organization to help our own citizens. Our government also offers them low interest loans to buy a business and lets them operate it tax free for a period of time, another benefit not afforded our own citizens. Heck, we have subsidized housing built strictly for immigrants that our citizens can't get into..and once they are in, they get to stay, regardless of how much money they make. Of course they are more successful, they get far more help.

I had a friend that lived next door to a Russian (who bought a house while on the dole) and my friend's husband was laid off from his job with no unemployment. Her Russian neighbor says to her "You need help, I'll show you how to get help" and took her down to DSHS. As they walked out of DSHS the Russian lady just shook her head and said "I don't understand a country that doesn't take care of it's own people." Yeah, my friend was turned down, as were we.

Been to your local food bank lately? It's mostly Russians and Hispanics, the poor Americans are lucky if they get anything. My husband was there when a crate of watermelon came in..the Russians surrounded it and passed off the watermelons to other Russians, no Americans got any. I was there when boxes of oranges came in, the only reason our family got any is because I have a friend who works there and she made sure to pull a box off for us before it was put out.

BTW, When I say "Russian" I mean people from the Soviet Union. No offense, but I can't tell them apart.

I don't think you know a single poor person. I give out lunches with my friend every Monday at the church to the needed. Many of those people are homeless. Some of them are families who, after paying rent, don't have enough money left for food. I talk to these people all the time and not one of them has ever spent $100 on a pair of shoes, let alone $300. Heck one of our guys came in one day, during the night, some kid stole his shoes. He walked to the goodwill in his socks and they gave him a pair of shoes and some extra socks. We've had people come into the church with shoes held together by duct tape. We have been fortunate in being able to find shoes that were donated that somewhat fit them.

So you'll just have to forgive me if I don't judge all poor people based on the way you behaved when you were poor.

When is the last time you ventured into an inner city poorer neighborhood? The aggregate value of the footwear one can see in public exceeds the value of the properties in that neighborhood.
I used to be in the satellite tv business. I would go to install a system in a single wide trailer that had a 60" flat panel tv in the family room...The average pay tv bill for these people is over $100 per month. Meanwhile the kids are dressed in rags and the house is filthy. BUT,,,,,they have HBO in High Definition.
Don't tell me there is not a faction of so-called "poor" people who do not have a set of screwed up priorities.