Lawmakers Find $21 a Week Doesn't Buy a Lot of Groceries

[susan314]

Originally Posted by squirrely girl

i think people are also ignoring the concept of food quality. that article was pretty good about addressing the lack of whole foods, fruits and veggies, milk, organic foods, and even semi-healthy options. poor people and people recieving food stamps don't have the luxury of healthy foods. this is a HUGE problem.

I'm not jumping into the food stamps "good" vs. food stamps "bad" argument, but I will say this...most people in this country overpay for groceries and, if they had the proper tools/education about how the grocery stores run their specials, they could spend a lot less.

I spend $250-300 a month at the grocery store for 4 people + a 65 pound dog for everything. That includes cleaning supplies, paper products, diapers/Pull Ups, dog food, dog treats, feminine products, shampoo, soap, razor blades/shaving cream...everything I buy. I could probably spend less, but I insist on having fresh produce in the house at all times and I shop at a specialty meat market for most of our meat products.

(I'm not kidding when I say that I indulge in fresh produce - in my house, right at this immediate moment...when I haven't even done my normal shopping yet this week...I have the following fresh fruits and veggies: broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, celery, zuchini, strawberries, pineapple, grapes, oranges, apples, and bananas.)

You have to learn to beat the grocery stores at their own game.

[JWithers]

Originally Posted by susan314

I'm not jumping into the food stamps "good" vs. food stamps "bad" argument, but I will say this...most people in this country overpay for groceries and, if they had the proper tools/education about how the grocery stores run their specials, they could spend a lot less.

I spend $250-300 a month at the grocery store for 4 people + a 65 pound dog for everything. That includes cleaning supplies, paper products, diapers/Pull Ups, dog food, dog treats, feminine products, shampoo, soap, razor blades/shaving cream...everything I buy. I could probably spend less, but I insist on having fresh produce in the house at all times and I shop at a specialty meat market for most of our meat products.

(I'm not kidding when I say that I indulge in fresh produce - in my house, right at this immediate moment...when I haven't even done my normal shopping yet this week...I have the following fresh fruits and veggies: broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, celery, zuchini, strawberries, pineapple, grapes, oranges, apples, and bananas.)

You have to learn to beat the grocery stores at their own game.

LOL. I am the queen of cheap. We have a store called Aldi here and they have very nice produce for MUCH less than the bigger chains. I pay 2.99 for a three pack of red, yellow and green bell peppers when just ONE would be more than that at the other groceries. Broccoli crowns are .99! My husband makes fun of me, but when we can pay for our beach house in full b/c of my frugality, we will see who is laughing! I don't buy processed foods full of crap, only 'real' food and my kids eat and drink food that is actually good for them. AND I do it on a self-imposed TIGHT budget. I would rather spend some time to save money and be able to have the things that matter more to my family!

Again, GOOD CHOICES!

[AKA_Monet]

Kevin--

Wait, the Census Bureau does not have any medical authority and is not National Institutes of Health or Centers of Disease Control.

Starvation as defined is emaciation, dehydration, dysentery and entended bowel.

Essentially, one can starve by consuming mass quantities of fast food because it is not healthy.

Yes, at a basic level, children can learn some functional literacy, but critical thinking skills without nutrition and physical activity to lift oneself beyond poverty or working poverty, to sustainability is not happening in the US but for only a select few.

Criminality suggests that there is US starvation. Not a causation to effect, but definitely a symptom.

Illiteracy in one's home conversations, and this occurs in recent immigrants, moreover, outreach to those in authority does not occur. As such, working poor immigrants doing the jobs that Americans will not do, does not constitute they are healthy.

And after the all day meeting I have just attended: Health disparities causes educational achievement gap--simply means if children cannot learn if they are sick, and if they are sick, they will not learn...

Given the US inability to care about the poor similar to that observed in European nations, then we, the US, will go back into a 2nd class citizenship ideology.

Well, if that is dandy for you, but I don't think plenty of our elders want to go back to those days...