Washington Post- Nov. 17, 2009:
The nation’s economic crisis has catapulted the number of Americans who lack enough food to the highest level since the government has been keeping track, according to a new federal report, which shows that nearly 50 million people — including almost one child in four — struggled last year to get enough to eat.
At a time when rising poverty, widespread unemployment and other effects of the recession have been well documented, the report released Monday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture provides the government’s first detailed portrait of the toll that the faltering economy has taken on Americans’ access to food.
The magnitude of the increase in food shortages — and, in some cases, outright hunger — identified in the report startled even the nation’s leading anti-poverty advocates, who have grown accustomed to longer lines lately at food banks and soup kitchens.
As usual, the right wing nuts again display their ignorance. The same attitude was shown 220 years ago when a Queen is attributed as telling the hungry commoners that had no bread to eat cake.
Cheap food might be filling, however it is also much more fattening. Cheap, processed foods such as most pastas, breads, breakfast cereals, and crackers have the nutrients refined out of them or destroyed during processing. Additions of High Fructose Corn Syrup, salt, and other flavorings mask the taste so these foods “seem” to taste good.
The biggest problem is that although people get the calories to sustain life, they are not getting the nutrition to sustain health. Besides obesity, processed foods are also causing many other health issues.
I find it hard to believe that people are starving in the United States. If you don’t have money for food, you can always use food stamps. I have seen big obese people in line paying for food with food stamps. There is always a canned food drive for the hungry somewhere. (I am not sure how the canned food gets to the hungry, but it is there.)
If the reason you don’t have enough food for your children is because you traded your food stamp card to the local drug dealer, then you should have your kids taken from you. That might sound harsh, but if you cared more about your children than drugs, you would give u the drugs to buy your children food.
The only people starving in this country are the children of irresponsible parents, the people that take drugs, and the people with wrong priorities who make more money than allowable to qualify for food stamps.
Or maybe I am starving in America because they asked, “whether adults in the family sometimes cut the size of their meals.” I once bought a medium pizza instead of a large because I didn’t have enough money because I forgot to visit the ATM machine. Does that mean I am starving to death?
#20 – Fusion
“As usual, the right wing nuts again display their ignorance.”
Speaking of ignorance, have you ever actually tried to really eat on the cheap? Processed foods and fast foods are NOT cheap compared to cooking a real meal with vegetables, beans, rice, or pasta. I used to eat an entire meal for just over $1. It is easy and can be done. There are lots of websites devoted to making inexpensive meals. Obviously fast food places are still making a profit which means they are buying there ingredients for less than they sell the end product.
I am still pretty frugal when it comes to food, but when I was really trying to be cheap in college, eating fast food was a treat which I could rarely afford. Even eating off the dollar menu takes about $3.50 with tax to be filled up.
I understand that eating fast food or processed food is easier, but people are not eating it to save money. Unless of course they only other thing they know how to do is eat out at an even more expensive restaurant.
Have people here ever eaten a hamburger from McDonald’s?
I eat there all the time. Shitty food *is* filling. You can get over 700 calories for two bucks. And you’re not hungry after you eat it.
That’s why I find this all hard to believe.
20, No one is forced to eat junk food. People can make a conscious effort to read labels and eat right. People tend to favor convenience and price over nutrition. To each his own.
That being said, we do give subsidies to the food industry that allow for making junk foods cheaper which encourage people to make bad choices. But each consumer knows what they’re getting and they’re under no illusion thinking they’re eating “right”.
BTW, Kashi is now owned by Kellogs. Odwalla Juice and Vitamin Water are both owned by Coca-Cola. Naked Juice is owned by Pepsi. Stonyfield Farm Yogurt is owned by Dannon.
#22 Even today we shoot for around $3 per person for meals. That’s way less than 15 for a family of 4. I think that they counted all the college students who are living off of top ramen.
It’s an interesting dichotomy that they say we have an obesity problem and a hunger problem. Now if the left could just figure out how to turn healthy people in to a problem group. But why would they want to make it look like we’re all unhealthy?
#22, slightlycranky,
Processed foods and fast foods are NOT cheap compared to cooking a real meal with vegetables, beans, rice, or pasta.
At my local store, you can buy their “Mac & Cheese”, 3/$1. Add 1 lb of cheap ground beef, ($1.73 lb) and you can feed a family of four to six quite well. You can also apply the dinner directly to your waist as far as nutrition is concerned. And for under $3.00
I understand that eating fast food or processed food is easier, but people are not eating it to save money.
True. A strong part of the marketing is to tell people (or lie, depending on your take) that their product is nutritious, “It Is Fortified” or “Part of A Nutritious Breakfast”. But because they also have a shelf life measured in decades, they do sell for less. If consumers are buying something they are told is good for them, AND is convenient, AND is inexpensive, why wouldn’t they buy it?
I remember last year trying to buy some real oatmeal. All I could find was the stuff that takes 5 minutes or 1 minute. When I asked, the store told me no one buys it anymore so they quit selling it.
Another example is to bake your own bread. Try it and then tell me how expensive store bread is. I figured it out about 1 1/2 years ago as $1.25 per loaf of home made vs $1.19 in the store as of Monday.
HOWEVER,
I accept your point that one can make decent meals on a budget.
I disagree that the poor in America spend a large amount of money in restaurants. That is a common refrain, without substance, that often includes “they use their food stamps on beer”, “they trade their food stamps for drugs”, and “they spend their food stamps steaks”.
Obviously fast food places are still making a profit …
No doubt. Even though we have 10% unemployment, we still have 90% employed. There is still some economy out there.
While we occasionally do buy something at a “burger joint” when we are in a hurry, a family of three still spends close to $20.00. I much prefer a Sub sandwich where I pick the ingredients.
#20,
you got it..
#21,
Ummm,
Cardboard is food, add the proper flavoring, and you can sell it.
#22,
and in the last 20 years, who was HOME to teach the kids to COOK??
#24,
then find me a Mayo, that is MAYO, and doesnt have 1/3 soy oil.
Find a peanut butter, in the CAN/BOTTLE that has peanut oil in it..Even ADAMS.
The body has a couple things happening..
the main one is..
IT NEEDS something, and it cant find it, so it has you EAT everything, until it gets it.
Another point is our FOOD, even in the store, has been processed to the point that we are at a Loss to find nutrition.. There are changes in food, WHEN they ripen on the vine.
Point. How many kids are RAISED with proper FEEDING? SHOWN how and what to eat?? very few.
#20 Fusion:
“The biggest problem is that although people get the calories to sustain life, they are not getting the nutrition to sustain health.”
That’s not what this was about. The report said “hungry.” That doesn’t sound right.
“The same attitude was shown 220 years ago when a Queen is attributed as telling the hungry commoners that had no bread to eat cake.”
No, it’s not.
#28, you are correct and it’s a good try, but be warned… he is notoriously impervious to reason.
#28, brm,
That’s not what this was about. The report said “hungry.” That doesn’t sound right.
Why not read the effen article.
…
(my empphasis)
There is nothing like irresponsible people preaching others be responsible.
#24, Guyver,
20, No one is forced to eat junk food.
True. Nor do we force them to eat at all.
As your second paragraph points out very well, we don’t force food producers to provide nutritional food. Yet if you ask any producer if their food is healthy they will tell you yes.
I think we agree that empty calories are not good. We might not agree that not everyone is equal when it comes to brains or nutritional comprehension.
… Vitamin Water are both owned by Coca-Cola
Paying for water is extremely stupid in my opinion. Just because they say it has vitamins is the disingenuous tactic I point to above. Even worse is the “fruit cocktail” in the juice section.
27, Go to Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, or the organic aisle of most grocery stores for the things you’re seeking.
Speaking of ridiculously cheap food (watch the video): http://tinyurl.com/yk3c5bg
31, We all must eat. In the end, every person makes choices. Sometimes good. Sometimes bad. We all have different priorities. What I do not want happening is that I am financially penalized for my eating habits due to government-run health care of all things. And before you say I’m going overboard, NY is already discussing having a sugar tax. Why stop there? Mexican and Soul food are high in fat. Should we tax more heavily on those foods when and if we go to a system like that since people who heavily eat Mexican / Soul foods will likely develop health conditions prevalent to those diets?
Food companies like any company will spin things on a positive note for their products. They will tell you that their food is healthy / healthier based off of either it being:
1. No fat / low fat (i.e. candy)
2. sugar-free (i.e. diet soda)
3. 0g Trans Fat (i.e. foods with less than 0.5g of trans fat per serving)
4. Lower Calories (i.e. smaller serving size)
5. Vitamin enriched (enriched flour products)
Most people don’t spend much time what they shove down their pie hole.
I’m not disagreeing with you on your point of Vitamin Water. That being said, I don’t think there’s that much of a difference in the cost of manufacturing Vitamin Water as opposed to Coca-Cola. I merely pointed out that products being marketed as “healthy” are now owned by corporations not necessarily known for healthy products (except maybe for Dannon).
The food industry is slowly but surely offering information over what the country of origin is for many food products. However, the food industry refuses to cite which of their products are genetically modified. On the flip side, the non-GMO products go out of their way to bring to your attention that they are non-GMO.
Most people quite honestly don’t care. They go by taste (sugar, salt, MSG, etc) and price. Most people won’t eat fresh produce on a continual basis. Most people would never buy a Vita-Mix nor shop at Whole Foods. Does that mean we need to babysit them? I say no, but if and when universal health care goes through, I suspect peoples’ personal freedom of choice will be slightly penalized for the “greater good”.
#1
Benjamin said… rant … ideology … rant … I hate poor people … rant … rant
#2 as for food prices: (store brands only)
Location: local Wal-mart in Midwest
a). $3.31 gal of milk
b). $2.99 loaf of bread (plain multi-grain)
c). $3.38 ground beef
d). $5.00 boneless chicken breast
e). $1.22 stuffing and, or potato mix
f). $2.50 bag of Mac Apples
g). $3.76 bag of grape fruit
h). $3.31 Mac and Cheese
i). $1.38 Broccoli for Mac and Cheese
j). $1.28 can of soup (only two types for <$1)
k). $2.50 least expensive 6pak of brats
l). $2.00 least expensive buns
Maybe if all the fucking Chinese families in San Francisco stopped going to the food banks on a daily basis, there would be enough for everybody.
Who gets 8 hours sleep? I seem to be running on six.
Yeah we eat a lot of refined starch and sweets. This stuff will kill you or make you a diabetic with clogged arteries and that will kill you…You by healthy choice and most of the calories are white rice.
If you starve when you are a kid you don’t have as many fat cells that want to be full as a fat kid does when they grow up…
32, Fusion,
In the end, I prefer to take much more responsibility over what I eat. I try to avoid as much processed / packaged / refined foods as possible which pretty much means I pretty much shoulder the burden of food prep / cooking.
That being said, 52 things you can make with a Vita-Mix: http://tinyurl.com/yfdywjr
“If there aren’t enough Twinkie’s in the house – does that mean food is scarce?”
The number of Twinkies in the house, be it zero or an infinite number, has no bearing on the amount of food in then house because Twinkies ARE NOT FOOD. Read Twinky Deconstructed and then tell me if you want to eat that crap.
Do you know that 600,000+ people in Detroit don’t have a single grocery store where they can buy real food, and fresh vegetables? Why do you think all of these inner cities are building farms in vacant lots? It’s not because it’s easy to find healthy food there, I guarantee.
Junk-food binge alters gut microbes in less than a day: http://tinyurl.com/ycwyzpj