RJLupin wrote:
No, I think the real reason the obesity rates are so high among the poor is not due to the cost of veggies, but to lack of education, convenience (it's must faster to grab a burger, usually, than to cook something from scratch) and the same unfortunate tendency everyone has to overeat and gobble large amounts of low-quality food. I would like to see more educational materials targeted at lower income families, showing them that it is indeed possibly to eat both healthy AND cheap.
It sounds as if you are doing a good job managing on a limited budget. I agree it's possible... just hard. It takes information/time/attention. (For me, the semi-comparable situation is eating reasonably with lack of time as a factor - working mom with long commute. Do-able, but takes planning/attention.)
A friend of mine says "you can have time or money, but not both." I think that to eat reasonably, you NEED one or the other. Money can let you buy foods that can be fixed quickly, provide freezer/larder space, kitchen tools that make things easier (slow cooker, etc.). Time allows you to look for bargains and make the most of them. It's the old "quality triangle" - good, fast, cheap, pick any two.
I do think those in poverty lack both the knowledge they need, but I also think they're also time-constrained. I remember reading a study where someone created a project for grad students (social work, I think - not sure) where one assignment was to go through the process of meeting all the paperwork requirements to get aid in various places without a car. The travel time on buses and the time to wait on workers, fill out forms, etc., was amazing, and tremendously draining.
And it can take more effort to get to where the cost IS reasonable. Also, I remember vividly being in a hotel for a training seminar I was leading nearby, and deciding to go to the name-brand grocery close by to pick up something from the deli instead of eating out by myself. It was an eye-opener... I was definitely in a poorer part of town, and the grocery store reflected that. Higher prices, fewer options, and the deli area consisted of rather icky (and not healthy!) pre-packaged sandwiches. It was a challenge finding a meal, when I know that in my own local grocery (same chain), I could have sushi, made-to order sandwiches, pre-packaged salads to go, etc.
All in all, it's complex. And it takes energy/attention to address the issue. (More than I think it ought, if our culture/environment were more health-oriented.)