Many of us really care about what we eat and what we feed our families. I used to love going to the local farmer’s market until the recession finally took its toll and I had to consider where every food dollar went. I used to lay out $60 easily for one and a half bags of veg that would last my husband and I about a week.
When I started paying closer attention, however, I saw that I was paying, for example, $3 for a tiny bunch of stubby, cute, little conventionally grown carrots (requiring two bunches to get through the week, or $6). Conversely, I could get one large bunch of organically grown carrots at Whole Foods for $1.99. Sure, they came from California and I live in Texas, but those concerns fly out the window when every dollar counts.
When I saw this New York Times article about doctors in Massachusetts “prescribing” farmer’s market vouchers to low-income obese families, my initial reaction was positive. Then I realized that as soon as the pilot program ends this fall, the voucher recipients will no longer be able to afford the farmer’s market. That made me mad and it got me thinking.
How unfair is it that in America it costs more to eat healthy that it does to eat garbage? What’s worse, as a country we proudly subsidize farmers to routinely NOT grow crops when we should be subsidizing low-income families to raise healthy children. According to the article, childhood obesity costs us $14 billion a year. Adult obesity (the parents of those overweight kids) costs a whopping (Whopper?) $147 billion a year.
Now, I have been fortunate in my life, as have many of you reading this. I have never had to use food stamps. My understanding, however, is that participants in the food stamp program may not purchase alcohol or tobacco products using the stamps. Why not also banish chips, soda pop, candy, sugary cereals, and white bread? All of these are, after all, nothing more than cheap filler “foods” with little or no nutritional value. They are certainly contributing at least as much as the other “sin items” to our national waistline, and certainly are as detrimental to the national health.
Another important point is to also help ensure success for low-income families trying to eat right. Whether using fruit and vegetable vouchers or food stamp junk-food restrictions, we need programs that educate kids and adults on how to identify and prepare these unfamiliar foods. Just think back to the first time you looked at an item in the produce section and said, “what the heck is THAT and how do I cook it?” Now imagine if that was your experience with the entire produce department. It would be pretty scary.
I’ve done some research lately and found a somewhat more cost effective alternative to Overpriced Yuppy Farmer’s Market for the not-so-well-healed among us. With CSAs (community supported agriculture), you are purchasing a portion of the seasonal crop. Many states have these programs available in inner cities with historically low-income populations. For the rest of us city dwellers, nearby farms offer similar programs for those of us wanting to eat well on a small budget.
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