1ºCindy Cameron There are many farmers markets in urban areas that accept food stamps and snap benefits. These are located in poor neighborhoods or are very easily accessible to public transportation (in my city the busses have been free since the beginning of the pandemic). Beans and chick peas are dirt cheap compared to meat and they provide just as much iron and protein. Potatoes are also very cheap and healthy as long as you don't fry them. I've started packing healthy lunches instead of ordering out or going for fast food for my work lunches and I've saved massive amounts of money this way. Also, when I was growing up we were pretty broke, and things like sugary cereals, soda, little Debbie's, and fast food were luxuries we only had when my parents had excess money. My mom cooked from scratch. We ate beans, veggies Potatos ect. Not because it was healthy, but because we were broke. People who claim it's too expensive to eat healthy and continue to eat fast food ramen and drink tons of soda are either lazy and making excuses for thier poor choices, or in most cases in lower income neighborhoods, no one took the time to educate them on keeping themselves healthy, and what resources are available to them.
2ºDavid Dutton That is my EXPERIENCE (not just my opinion). With the money we've put into this vegetable garden, we probably could have bought 10 years worth of vegetables in the first 5 years of the garden. Especially the first year, when we bought 2" cedar planks to build the raised beds and fencing materials to (mostly) keep the rabbits/deer out. Complicated by living in a desert, so it's necessary to water daily, sometimes twice daily, and factoring in the times that extreme weather (heat, WIND, and extended drought that drives the wild critters into our garden, which they decimate) necessitates replanting, or just completely losing an entire crop of whatever. There have been years that we lost ALL our squash, or ALL our tomatoes. So far, I've managed to replant what the wild critters ate/destroyed and thanks to early monsoon rains, they're mostly staying out of the garden now, but doesn't always work that way.
3ºImran Lalani If you live somewhere you have access to a grocery store. Food deserts exist, which is a shock for those of us who are fortunate enough not to live in one. It also assumes that the person who buys these items knows how to prepare them.
Dollar for dollar, when it comes to cost, many people living in food deserts find it's cheaper to rely on fast food - as it's more available, costs less and contains more calories. Sadly, long term it causes its own health issues, but for people scraping by, they often have to focus on the immediate vs the long-term.
4ºDavid Dutton If you live somewhere you have access to a grocery store. Food deserts exist, which is a shock for those of us who are fortunate enough not to live in one. It also assumes that the person who buys these items knows how to prepare them.
I had a friend who, at one time, was a 40 minute bus ride (with a transfer) from her nearest grocery store. Can't bring home fresh fish, dairy, etc. that way without a LOT of hassle and prior planning. (Even then, one missed connection or bus delay and your cold items could get into the temperature danger zone.)
5ºDavid Dutton really? According to the USDA, currently 19 million people in the US alone live in a food desert. That's only in the US.
And even then, that doesn't fully examine the issue, which could easily lead to under reporting. As this article from Serious Eats points out, the USDA does not see an area as a food desert if there is a grocery store within 1 mile - even if that grocery store is something like Whole Foods, which may not be affordable to the people in that neighborhood.
https://www.seriouseats.c...-desert-locator
Nor does it address issues getting to that store a mile away during particular weather or seasonal temperatures. When I lived in Phoenix, AZ 25 years ago, I did not have a car and my nearest grocery store was almost 1.5 miles away. Guess who ended up with heat stroke one July walking home with groceries in 122 heat? Extreme heat, rain, snow, and other weather events would also make those trips difficult for many people - and that also assumes the person is physically able to walk 2 miles round trip with groceries, which for the disabled and elderly is an additional challenge.
I'm very lucky and worked very hard over the last 25 years to change my life circumstances to not be in that same place, but I will continue to advocate and help elevate the voices of those who are still there.