A High Price for Healthy Food

[mcscajun]

Something most of us have known for some time now is confirmed by researchers: “Vegetables and fruits are rapidly becoming luxury goods.”

Healthy eating really does cost more.

That’s what University of Washington researchers found when they compared the prices of 370 foods sold at supermarkets in the Seattle area. Calorie for calorie, junk foods not only cost less than fruits and vegetables, but junk food prices also are less likely to rise as a result of inflation. The findings, reported in the current issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, may help explain why the highest rates of obesity are seen among people in lower-income groups.

The scientists took an unusual approach, essentially comparing the price of a calorie in a junk food to one consumed in a healthier meal. Although fruits and vegetables are rich in nutrients, they also contain relatively few calories. Foods with high energy density, meaning they pack the most calories per gram, included candy, pastries, baked goods and snacks.

The survey found that higher-calorie, energy-dense foods are the better bargain for cash-strapped shoppers. Energy-dense munchies cost on average $1.76 per 1,000 kcal, compared with $18.16 per 1,000 kcal for low-energy but nutritious foods.”

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/05/a-high-price-for-healthy-food/index.html?hp

[Pierogi_Pincher]

1. It's nuts.

Recently just paid a dollar something for "one" tomato! (2.39 lb.) And they're not so hot either. The store keeps them refrigerated, no doubt, until put out for sale. We said something to the store manager. Once you refrigerate a tomato, ya might as well throw it out.
P_P

[kestrel91316]

6. It's insane to even expect tomatoes this time of year

(says she who just bought a box of 5 nice TASTY Romas at Trader Joe's last weekend, lol).

One way to save on produce is to buy local in-season as much as humanly possible. And of course grow a lot of your own if you have even a tiny patch of ground.

[goodgd_yall]

9. I was thinking of that the other day

Whenever did we get to the state where it was considered a good idea to always have every vegetable and fruit available all year long. Of course, I know it's the people who profit from it who thought that up, but shoppers have now come to expect that. I think it would be nice to acknowledge the seasons and change diet as the weather changes.

[kestrel91316]

13. Here ya go - it's become an entire social movement:

http://www.eatlocalchallenge.com/

Google "locavores", "100-mile diet", "eat local".

Farmers' markets and CSAs:
http://www.localharvest.org/

Welcome to the club!

[goodgd_yall]

14. Thank you

I've just recently come to this realization. I bought pears during pear season because they come from a local area and, in fact, there was a newspaper article saying that the local pear farmers were having problems with sales being down in the past year or so. So...I made sure to buy pears this summer. Then last weekend I picked up pears but they were from a South American country. I don't really want to buy pears if they're not in season anymore.

Thanks for the info on "locavores."

[kestrel91316]

27. Now that I am moved and settling into the new place I can start

buying produce in season in bulk and pickling/canning again.

It's APPLESAUCE season!! I make it in the crockpot, run it through my Foley mill, and can it up to eat all year 'round - with cheaper in-season apples.

Oh, and it's time to bake an apple pie, too.

[midlife_mo_Jo]

16. How much fuel does it take to bring in all these out of season

vegetables and fruits.

Can't be too good for the environment, can it?

[Pierogi_Pincher]

15. *I* didn't buy it, my husband did as he was asked.

I usually get the *tomatoes on the vine* ones for salad. If they're hard & not already soft, they have some tang & are flavorful. Or, as you said, *Romas*. I needed a larger one for sandwiches. I knew it would be crappy, but it's the $$ that got me.
P_P

[Lorien]

21. Just spent $2 on a pomagranate. On sale,

I try to only buy nutritious, organic food-and damn, it's expensive! When I was eating a conventional American diet I could make a meal for less than $2- but I was tired on the time and borderline diabetic. Now my meals cost about $5 each and I'm healthier-but I have little money left over for anything else. :-(

[Pierogi_Pincher]

23. Cute kitties!

Pomegranates are so very good for you. Do you juice it, or use the seeds in a dish?
Regular ole green peppers can be costly. Never mind the yellow, orange and red ones. If you can get them on sale, it's a present.
P_P

[Lorien]

24. Thanks! I just posted them all here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=2409827&mesg_id=2411812

Yeah, red peppers have gotten really costly; $3.85 lb here!

[Pierogi_Pincher]

28. I can't go to that link right now...

(The Christmas/Holiday Pet Pics?) I think it's still loading from before! :crazy:
We're currently on crud dail-up. I'm the hold-out. We haven't had newspaper or cable subscription in 20 years. I think I might have to cave-in for DSL when we get settled.

Those pics of the fur babies are sooo beautiful.:loveya: (I teared up at the ones who are no longer gracing this earth.)

P_P

[Deja Q]

2. Why can't the media start saying "mac and cheese and bulk chocolate are good for you"?

It's the only stuff affordable for many, it seems...

[goodgd_yall]

3. Now that ain't right

But it's true. When my income was lower and I had to get by on $40-$60 a month on food and household stuff (toilet paper, kitty litter, etc.), I bought more "filling up" food so I wouldn't feel hungry, but the nutritional value was not as good as when I could spend more on food. This is what's called "food insecurity."

"Low Food Security: This term replaces 'Food Insecurity without Hunger.' Generally, people that fall into this category have had to make changes in the quality or the quantity of their food in order to deal with a limited budget.
"Very Low Food Security: This term replaces 'Food Insecurity with Hunger.' People that fall into this category have struggled with having enough food for the household, including cutting back or skipping meals on a frequent basis for both adults and children."
(From the The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC)website)

Also, when you need to resort to food banks, most of the food is high in carbohydrates.

[kestrel91316]

4. If push comes to shove, I can grow a nice crop of leafy greens on my nice

shady north-facing balcony 9 months out of the year.

I need to go to my nurseryman, vaccinate his cats, and come home with pots and potting soil and seeds. We do "trade".

I can also get a worm composting bin so I won't need to buy any fertilizers. Worm tea is super!

[Selatius]

5. Perhaps we should eliminate farm subsidies for the sugar lobby and push it towards healthy food.

The farm subsidies program nowadays is rife with abuses. It's time to crack down.

[Deja Q]

10. That'll be interesting; if nothing else all politicians will whine "That'll wreck the economy!!"

[wuushew]

18. We should do that anyway

numerous candy factories have moved to Canada owing to the cheaper cost of ingredients. There is no logic in supporting one industry at the expense of an even greater number of jobs farther along in the value chain.

[crikkett]

37. I'm with you - it's not as if the economy ain't already wrecked.

Let's set it all straight, Shock-Doctrine style, and turn to Community Supported (Organic) Agriculture and the development of Green Energy.

One day, someone will look out for the interests of the american people vs. their own pockets.
hmph.

[katty]

7. it sure does and my food bill proves it! growing up

in CA we always have supermarkets filled with fresh veggies/fruit, however, organic veges/fruits always cost more, in my area the produce has to be checked out for Certified Organic or no pesticides/chemicals used in growing the produce. If you have a backyard, I recommend starting a little (or big) garden, it's not hard-and you can freeze your food to last through the winter.

[alarimer]

8. How much gasoline (or diesel) does it take to get your fruit and vegetables to the store?

Some of them are trucked thousands of miles and we know how much gas costs these days. In The Omnivore's Dilemma, the author talked about some asparagus that was FLOWN IN from Chile or other South American country so we could eat it out of season. Our industrial food system makes no kind of ecological or economic sense. Industrial organic is not much better, using just as much fuel to get things where they need to go.

I am not sure that eating locally produced goods only in season would actually be cheaper, though.

Frozen vegetables are a good substitute, although they are still more expensive than a box of Mac and cheese, which can feed three or four people.

[DadOf2LittleAngels]

20. Problem is we are spoiled

canning and refrigeration exist for a reason. Sure caned foods taste pretty poor but you dont have to ship it across the globe...

[Pierogi_Pincher]

22. You brought back a memory.

My husband lived on mac & cheese during college. I suggested he try to eat a more balanced diet. Whatta guy!I've been serving healthy grain dishes like barley, brown rice & couscous over the past 35+ years. He turned his nose up sometimes, but after tasting them, he's okay w/ them. It's too easy to make an already prepared meal, and cost a fortune besides all the additives. As far as buying in season, I do that during the local growing months. I've tried some 'organic' produce, and it was pitiful. I bring stuff back to the store for a refund if it's not acceptable, and tell them what I think. I don't mind paying for food that's edible, but today you never know what you'll get. The one ingredient that is wreaking havoc is that dam* high fructose corn sweetener. It's in every freaking thing.

The experts advise to eat fish at least two time a week, but those prices are nuts, too.

P.S. Brown rice is still reasonable, but wait till more people turn to it and the producers will jack up the price.

P_P

My brown rice comment was for post# 12. Oopsa.

[alarimer]

25. Actually some fish is very cheap

Like catfish and tilapia. In fact I made some tilapia in a lemon caper sauce the other day that was very good (well that part wasn't cheap). But with seafood, you have to navigate (or at least I do) the whole "What is harvested sustainably" problem. It is not a problem with catfish or tilapia but it definitely can be confusing. People are confused about mercury and the perception is that fish is very expensive. Although I suppose the prices depend on where you live.

I couldn't find locally grown produce around here at all, except for the occasional person selling it by the side of the road.

I don't really pay too much attention to what I pay for food. I probably should. But then I am not trying to feed a family, just myself. It is not all that easy because most things are packaged for more than one serving but once you open it, it's no good. Most packages of frozen vegetables are a case in point, although the smaller, Green Giant ones are only about 2-3 servings so I will eat the whole thing since they don't have many calories. But I can't buy chicken breasts or pork chops without having to repackage everything at home and it usually doesn't keep very well that way. What I typically end up doing is eating the same thing until it's gone.

[Pierogi_Pincher]

30. You know, of all the fish I gotten, never tried tilapia.

THX for the mention. I wasn't sure of the taste. I'll try most anything, but the hub isn't particularly fond of fruits de mer w/ scales. He'll eat all other *seafood* in a heartbeat. Not to say that I don't relish shrimp, lobster, scallops, etc. *I* love fish. I'll try the tilapia. The lemon sauce w/ capers sounds delish! Like Tilapia Piccata?! Funny, I have a newly opened bottle of capers. Bought the first jar many years ago, and haven't since this one. Those'll make you apply for a second mortgage.

Oh, and is tilapia similar to like *sole*?

THX again,
P_P

[alarimer]

41. Well tilapia is an African native species.

Introduced into fish farms here because it grows fast and it is extremely hardy (also a pest if it gets into the wild). It's very white, flaky. Kind of like flounder or sole I guess. Not really "fishy" tasting when fresh.

Here are a few recipes:

http://ag.arizona.edu/azaqua/ista/recipes.htm

The tilapia with white wine and lemon sauce is just like what I made, except I added capers too. You could leave them out; I bet it would taste fine.

[mcscajun]

26. You nailed another point there: Supply and Demand - and it's not limited to veggies.

For just one example, take these cuts of meat: breast of veal, veal shanks, lamb shanks, flank steak, skirt steak, hanger steak were all at one time or another considered "low-end" items that people with better finances would turn up their noses at in favor of Veal Cutlets, Rack of Lamb, Sirloin/Ribeye Steaks.

Just try and buy some veal shanks for Osso Buco and you'll see where "popularity" has driven that price.

[Pierogi_Pincher]

34. So very true.

The producers, no doubt, take readings while we are sleeping at nite AND 24/365 to see what the buying trend is. More & more $$$$$ is always their bottom line.
P_P

[Deja Q]

11. Don't forget, we're supposed to pull our own weight too...

Then look at globalization offshoring and wonder.

:tinfoilhat::popcorn:

[otherlander]

12. Once again, science eventually proves the obvious.

Maybe next week they'll have a study that shows that it's colder in the winter than in the summer.

Seriously, though, this sucks. If you have a dollar, you can get two oranges, or you can get a cheeseburger. If you're hungry, you're not going to buy the two oranges.

At least brown rice is still pretty cheap.

[rucky]

17. Not the case, pretty much everywhere else in the world.

There was a really cool thread going around about what families eat for a week around the world.

We had the least amount of fresh foods - by far.

[Zywiec]

33. Here's the link to the photo essay:

http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1626519_1373664,00.html

[Deja Q]

35. So I'm looking at the "food" the Americans eat

How do they remain so thin?!?

:wow:

[mcscajun]

40. Not quite the least...

Chad: The Aboubakar family of Breidjing Camp

Had nearly nothing, and vegetables least of all. One or two other families seemed to be tied with the US in lack of fresh foods.

[DadOf2LittleAngels]

19. When my kids got allergies

I had to change to a sudo-vegan diet to avoid Milk and Eggs... It is far more expensive..

We have to stop throwing money at corn subsidies and throw it towards a more balanced food supply (fruits, veggies, ....) We are turning ourselves into damn soy and corn eating pandas..

[NashVegas]

29. It's Not Too Late - Make Your Voice Heard on the 2007 FARM BILL!

We subsidize the farms that specialize in crops that go into junk food!

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/04/opinion/04pollan.html?

It’s an old story: the “hunger lobby” gets its food stamps so long as the farm lobby can have its subsidies. Similar, if less lavish, terms are now being offered to the public health and environmental “interests” to get them on board. That’s why there’s more money in this farm bill for nutrition programs and, for the first time, about $2 billion to support “specialty crops” — farm-bill-speak for the kind of food people actually eat.
...
But as important as these programs are, they are just programs — mere fleas on the elephant in the room. The name of that elephant is the commodity title, the all-important subsidy section of the bill. It dictates the rules of the entire food system. As long as the commodity title remains untouched, the way we eat will remain unchanged.

The explanation for this is straightforward. We would not need all these nutrition programs if the commodity title didn’t do such a good job making junk food and fast food so ubiquitous and cheap. Food stamps are crucial, surely, but they will be spent on processed rather than real food as long as the commodity title makes calories of fat and sugar the best deal in the supermarket. We would not need all these conservation programs if the commodity title, by paying farmers by the bushel, didn’t encourage them to maximize production with agrochemicals and plant their farms with just one crop fence row to fence row.

And the government would not need to pay feedlots to clean up the water or upgrade their manure pits if subsidized grain didn’t make rearing animals on feedlots more economical than keeping them on farms. Why does the farm bill pay feedlots to install waste treatment systems rather than simply pay ranchers to keep their animals on grass, where the soil would be only too happy to treat their waste at no cost?


The Senate has been dragging its ass. The House version is a load of bull. There still may be a chance for foodies to get their voices heard on the subsidies.

[Retrograde]

43. What? And lose all those Iowa primary votes?

Not to mention all those lobbyist dinners and other perks. Or all that campaign funding from big agriculture.

[Cha]

31. Yeah, it costs more

but the benefits..long and short term out way the higher cost factor.

[mcscajun]

32. And if you have the money, you can weigh those factors. If you're literally

living hand to mouth, long-term benefits are the ultimate luxury item.

[Cha]

42. Good Health is

priceless and I feel really fortunate to be able to live and eat like I do. I've been in for the long run in case I do reach my Golden Years.

I work in a non-profit co-op and a lot of people who come in are on a fix income and can afford good organic food. Many have food stamps, too, and it's heartening to see people using them for real food.

I know what you mean, though..for those that don't have access..it's too bad that it costs so much more than junk.

[lildreamer316]

36. Well DUH. I could have told them that without the study.

All you have to do is go to a supermarket and LOOK.
Sheesh.

[distantearlywarning]

38. Do I get to say "I told you so"?

That's for all of the smug asshats who insist that poor people should just put down the mac&cheese and pick up a bag of apples if they want to be skinny.

[gateley]

39. Yes. And I get to say it, too. It's another indicator of the state of our economy

and the every rising cost of living in our country.

[pink-o]

44. I've been a vegetarian for 30 years: Coulda told you this myself!

...I try to go to Farmer's Markets and Organic gardeners who sell their produce roadside (easy to find in Sonoma County or Dixon, California) but I eat fruit and veggie salads every day and when I walk out of the grocery store having paid 40 bucks for one bag of food, it starts to piss me off. Now, if I wanted to spend my money on Hamburger Helper or some other processed chemicals, I could have 10 bags for the same price. I know, cuz I stand in line behind these people and I've seen it happen.

But this is how I console myself: I will never, never, NEVAH have to pay 300 dollars a month for blood pressure, cholestrol or diabetes drugs. No heart meds, no anti-anxiety pills, no acid-reflux tabs--nothing from Big Pharma will ever break my bank if I can help it!

So think of that health food as an investment--you'll reap the rewards when you're old like me!