As someone who strives to buy healthy, primarily organic foods for my family I wasn’t all that surprised by this study just released by researchers at the University of Washington, which drew the conclusion that healthy eating costs more when compared calorie for calorie to junk food. Calorie for calorie comparison is what makes this study unique.
I say not surprised because junk food is laden with empty calories that don’t fill you up for very long. So for $1.50 I could buy an organic apple (100 calories) at my grocery store or I could buy a box of a dozen Little Debbie snack cakes (2400 calories).
Based on his findings, a 2,000-calorie diet would cost just $3.52 a day if it consisted of junk food, compared with $36.32 a day for a diet of low-energy dense foods. However, most people eat a mix of foods. The average American spends about $7 a day on food, although low-income people spend about $4, says Dr. Drewnowski.
But when I got to this part of his findings I had to pause. What exactly is considered low-energy dense foods? And $36 per day per person of food? That seems awfully high to me. Especially since the average American spends $7 per day. Is the average American diet that far off of the ideal? And I KNOW that I do not spend $36 per day per person in my family.
I then went researching down the bunny trail online and found this interesting statistic:
In fact, in just five weeks, the average American will have earned enough disposable income to pay for his or her food supply for the entire year
We are living in a society right now that is constantly searching for the cheapest thing, which is why places like Wal-mart thrive. Everything is inexpensive. There is almost a competitive edge to grocery shopping in some circles. Who can buy their groceries for the least amount of money. Who can feed their family on the least amount of money. It drives me nuts.
That is not to say I don’t appreciate being frugal or finding good sales. Nor will I buy extravagant out of season items like a pint of raspberries that costs $7. I do always buy fresh fruit and vegetables. And if one kind of vegetable we like happens to be on sale a particular week I’ll buy it.
According to the USDA, Americans spent 9.9 percent of their disposable personal income on food in 2005, down from 23.4 percent in 1929. So the percentage of our incomes that we are spending on food has decreased sharply over the past 80 years, and yet we all complain bitterly about how much money we spend on groceries.
Personally I have no problem with an occasional Little Debbie’s snack cake. But you won’t find me buying processed chicken nuggets, spaghetti-o’s, or Lunchables. I don’t mind my junk food being junk food, but I can’t tolerate junk food trying to masquerade as real food.
Can you tell that I am currently reading the book Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan? I am only about one fourth of the way through the book. It is fascinating, though I fear my husband is getting tired of me talking about corn all the time.
I wish I had a nice conclusion to wrap this post up with a little bow on the top, but I don’t. I have become more mindful in the past couple of years of what I am buying and bringing home to my family from the grocery store. In large part this was due to severe allergies that require me to read every single food label. Something that I recommend to everyone, whether they have allergies or not. It amazes me how products that might seem similar might have vastly different ingredients.
