Bad Economy vs. Healthy Eating Poll

[Mike 03]

Some people are arguing that recessions are good for our health because they encourage us to eat better and take care of ourselves.

Others argue that recessions are bad for our health because we have less money to spend and tend to buy fast food and highly processed and affordable items at the store instead of produce, organic products, etc...

I'm truly on the fence about this one, so I'm all ears.

What say you?

[Greyskye]

1. Harder to afford organic food. (n/t)

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

2. I think it's hit or miss.

On Tuesday I heard a story on NPR that was optimistic, saying middle class folk weren't eating out as much and were able to make healthier decisions when cooking at home. Today I heard a story on NPR that said there was a fear that too many Americans (especially young Americans) don't know how to cook healthy food and could just wind up making crap.

And then there's the fact that fast foods are cheap. It's no accident that McDonald's stock has been holding steady throughout the recession. And healthier foods tend to be expensive, although more specialized grocery stores like Whole Foods tend to do a pretty good job competing with more general supermarkets.

So in short, I don't know. :shrug:

[Demeter]

3. I Miss Stella D'oro Cookies!

The bakers went on strike and they're still out. The bakery is in the Bronx. the owner is trying to bust the union.

[4lbs]

4. In this recession, McDonald's sales have increased! That's because more and more

people are buying those 99 cent burgers and eating several of them for lunch. Or they'll buy 5 or 6 and eat several for lunch, and several for dinner.

The only problem is that they aren't very healthy, and about 400 to 500 calories each. However, it's hard to argue with 99 cents versus healthy eating when one is struggling financially.

I myself am guilty of this. I've purchased quite a few 99 cent items from McDonald's, Jack-in-the-Box, and Wendy's in the last year.

[LSparkle]

5. I'm eating a lot of pasta lately ... cheap and starchy ... not good. n/t

[stillcool]

6. I think it depends on the situation...

for my husband and I it's just a matter of doing without. We have no children, and we quit growing a long time ago. A family, with 2 working parents, and growing kids, must be hard.

[FirstLight]

7. Being depressed about your situation has an effect too...

when feeling low or exhausted about job searching, etc...who wants to cook?
that's where alot of the fast food eating and the frozen cheap crap comes in, too

[notesdev]

8. The general downturn has been ironically helping me

I have lived a simple, low-consumption lifestyle - the kind that a lot of people are going to have to get used to pretty soon - while everyone else was maxxing out their credit cards, HELOCs, and wheeling around in their expensive SUVs. So even if I did take an income hit I wouldn't have to change my lifestyle at all. That's a serious advantage to being anti-materialist, nobody can take anything away from you that matters.

But now, the money I do spend buys me more than it used to, since it's competing against a lot fewer dollars from other people. I can negotiate much better deals on things, and either get more or spend less.

[Warpy]

9. I think most people find their nutrition going into the toilet

as they swap from hamburger to stuff like bologna, from something they can nuke in a microwave to a slice of pizza or other fast food that's cheaper.

You can do a nutritionally sound diet for very little money, but you really have to know what you're doing. One major key is realizing protein is in plant foods and not insisting on meat at every meal. Another is realizing that nutritional deficits usually come from vitamin and mineral contents lacking in processed foods. Learning how to like vitamin powerhouses like whole grains, dark greens, cabbage, and sprouts is important.

Eating a healthful diet on practically no money is a challenge. Sadly, most people would rather still go for taste than health and I'm afraid we're going to see our already neglected population get sicker.

[Hatchling]

10. Due to poverty I have to get my food from a food bank.

When I had to do this a few years ago, the commodities included stuff like frozen chicken or packages of tilipia.

Now it's down to one can of beef stew or chili or tuna or canned chicken that is so heavily salted it makes me ill.

I used to get three or four bags of groceries so I only had to go to one food bank but now they only give out 1 bag so I have to go to several to get enough food for the month.

The canned vegetables are usually the starchy ones like peas and corn. I'm thrilledd when I get green beans or spinich.

There used to be several cans of fruit, but now we get a jar of grape jam.