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[-] NatakuNox@lemmy.world 82 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

People make fun of this. But if you are on a poverty budget, you have to buy cheap calorically rich food as you would starve on expensive healthy options. Not to mention, most poor people live in grocery food deserts where the closest food market is a dollar general that doesn't carry fresh/healthy food.

Edit: Since people seem to think they've solved the food insecurity for 34 million Americans. I'll continue to go with organization international and domestic that actually studied this.

https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-u-s/key-statistics-graphics/

https://www.chn.org/voices/food-insecurity-is-already-a-huge-problem-for-the-u-s-in-2023-it-may-get-worse/

https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/food-insecurity#:~:text=A%20definition%20of%20food%20insecurity&text=More%20than%2034%20million%20people,insecurity%20in%20the%20United%20States.

[-] WoodenBleachers@lemmy.basedcount.com 29 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

This person has blown money not getting the store brand. Driving farther to get real food cannot be that much more expensive, but let’s say it’s even $4 more. You’d get your money back buying a pound of apples. As someone who didn’t grow up with means, I know a lot of people with carts like this and it’s mostly just a history of bad choices.

[-] NatakuNox@lemmy.world 17 points 9 months ago

Food deserts are places more than 20 minutes away from a grocery store. So at least that's a 40 minute round trip if you have a car. And spoiler alert, most people living in poverty don't have reliable mods of travel. It's a proven fact that processed foods provides more calories for less than fresh produce. Two oreo cookies is more calories than a apple and they keep longer. Are there some people that make poor eating habits simply because they can, absolutely! But that's not what I'm talking about. Please don't demonize people for the failings of our society.

Calories, yes. Actually making you feel full? No. Oreos burn far too fast to provide meaningful fuel for your body. Non reliable transportation I completely understand. I share a car. But if you have access to a car even sometimes you can make it work. If you can’t afford even oreos then I understand. A 40 min round trip is do-able. It sucks, but once a week it works. Now, a food desert is also defined as somewhere over 10 miles away. Let’s say it’s 15 for nice math, that’s still rare. If you take a car that gets an abysmal 20 miles to the gallon and you spend $4 a gallon on gas (also an awful price) it would cost $6.00 to go to the store. $6 a week can change things, but that’s also do-able. Apples will keep on the counter for a week for SURE. So even accounting for a terrible scenario you’re better off buying apples even if you only have access to a car once a week. I know this isn’t everyone, and some people straight up can’t afford even the gas to go to the store, but my mother nickel and dimed her way through my childhood and we were able to stay decently fed. Even a box of pasta is cheaper. Forget fruit. Just eat pasta. It’s certainly better than oreos and keeps just as long

[-] curiousaur@reddthat.com 4 points 9 months ago

You know what keeps even longer, is cheaper and healthier? Rice and beans.

[-] Kichae@kbin.social 10 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

mostly just a history of bad choices

What a weird way to spell "chronically overstressed".

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this post was submitted on 20 Sep 2023
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