Healthy Eating

By mo

April 6, 2007 9:39 AM | Link to this

Yes! YES! YES!!!

The rich eat a much healthier diet than the poor.

I am neither rich nor poor (sounds like the beginning of a poem, doesn’t it!) so I do something that’s inventive for my lifestyle:

I pretty much outlaw eating food outside my house. I actually have a food budget, which is usually spent at a local Wal-Mart Supercenter. It usually go out and get essentials there.

But, I actually have a savings plan that would take the money that would be spent at the local buffet(or pizza buffet); and instead, go shopping at Harry Farmers Market or Whole Foods!

If you’ve never been to either Harry’s or Whole Foods, you need to see how the “Other” side lives! It’s a grocery store that caters to people that is allergic to the unhealthy stuff that people put in food to make the food sources last longer.

First thing you do when you go there is taste the fruit: Sweeet!! Sweeter than what you would normally get at the grocery stores that you would normally frequent.

Next, look at the variety: Pearl onions… 15 different kinds of mushrooms… 6 different kinds of pears!

Then, go and check out the other very healthy foods like the wheat pasta and the vanilla and raisin granola and the “veggie” butter! All very good for you!

But look at the prices and you will see that you need a savings account!

So, I am in total agreement after shopping at Harry’s and Whole Foods: rich people eat better food!

By Amelia

April 6, 2007 9:47 AM | Link to this

YES this is true. And it’s not just price, it’s lifestyle. People who need to work two jobs to be able to afford daycare must rush around to drop kids off at school, head to jobs… this means a lot of fast food, convenience store food, easy meals like Mac-n-Cheese. Have you ever wondered why Little Debbie cakes are 25 cents but apples are $1 at the convenience store?

By jct

April 6, 2007 10:03 AM | Link to this

No, it does not have to be expensive. I choose to eat healthy but I don’t rely on the big chains like Whole Foods to buy my groceries.

I go to farmer’s markets where I spend $25 per week to on fruits and vegetables that feed a family of 4 all week.

You can also find healthier options by just chosing to cook from scratch.

I prefer to make my own flavored rices. I will buy a large quantity of a decent grain of rice and mix my own herbs and spices into the rice to make it more exciting. This way you control the salt and other junk that processed food has in it.

The difference in classes has more to do with expansion of palate. If you are introduced to more foods, you will seek out new experiences. As I have gotten older and am willing to experiment with different flavors a bigger food world has been opened to me.

I cook collards but no longer with meat. Some of it is lack of food education of what else you can use to make simple foods taste better and lastly, where the groceries stores are located. I don’t grocery shop in my immediate neighborhood because the food choices are limited. I go one town over where I can find better quality foods at a cheaper price.

When you know better, you will do better….

By DYJ

April 6, 2007 10:08 AM | Link to this

Yes, it costs more to eat healthier but it’s worth it. If we all spent a little extra on organics (I do) the money spent on health care would drastically drop and the price of organics would drop, too.

By Joe

April 6, 2007 10:08 AM | Link to this

I totally disagree. Fruits such as bananas, apples, and oranges are not very expensive. A huge gallon of dry oatmeal is 2.50 and lasts 3 weeks. Also, whole wheat bread, sliced turkey and mustard are all affordable. Store brand canned vegetables are also very convenient and affordable. Chicken breasts at the grocery store is a bit pricey but not much more expensive from red meat and the cost goes down a lot when you buy a whole chicken and fillet it yourself and use the bones for stock. You can eat healthy for the same price as an unhealthy diet, but for some people it is easier to eat unhealthy and come up with excuses.

By Koz

April 6, 2007 10:40 AM | Link to this

I just wrote a complaint email to Quaker Oats. I bought their Organic Instant Oatmeal for about $1 more than their Regular Insant Oatmeal. I’m usually fine with paying more but in this case…

The boxes are the same exact size Organic or Regular. When I opened the Organic box there was 1/3 fewer packages of oatmeal. How deceptive!!! And what a rip off.

I’m going back to the Regular Oatmeal.

By Mimi

April 6, 2007 10:42 AM | Link to this

JCT - how do you get fresh veggies and fruits to last a week?? I buy lettuce and it’s brown and wilted in 2 days despite being in the crisper.

By Diane

April 6, 2007 10:42 AM | Link to this

Most definately, it costs more to eat healthy foods than off brand canned veggies or cheaper meats, filled with fat.

Hubby was laid off almost 6 years ago with no unemployment. We had a complete change in diet because of lack of income. Then add in laundry detergent, deoderant, toilet paper, cleaning supplies, clothes for a growing child…

If you can, head today to your local mission and drop off a bag of healthy groceries for those who will otherwise eat dried beans and rice for Easter.

By Koz

April 6, 2007 10:51 AM | Link to this

Dried Beans and Rice are healthy

By jct

April 6, 2007 11:29 AM | Link to this

For Mimi - eat what is perishable first. Fruit with very short shelf life like raspberries we eat first. Apple, Kiwis, oranges stay fresh longer so we would eat those later in the week.

I do the same thing for vegetables. Fresh potatoes, eggplant, squash will last the week. Leafy greens we eat first.

I like to plan my meals for the week because I am too tired after work to have to think hard about cooking.

By harold

April 6, 2007 11:30 AM | Link to this

walk into a kroger or publix where the poor/stupid people shop and you will find actual food in one tiny little corner. nothing else in these places is even food! it is almost all just processed and boxed garbage from big tobacco (Kraft, etc). sooner or later this sort of stuff will kill thousands of humans instead of just pets

finding real food to eat is not so easy. yes it costs more. even if the meal prices may be no higher than a “instant box’o’poison”, you still have to drive across town to a farmers market to find real foods

a pefect example is Koz above. Koz is writing to a corporation with a complaitn about “food.” why is Koz not writing to a farmer?????????????

By kristin

April 6, 2007 11:38 AM | Link to this

I aree that items such as oatmeal and bananas are cheap, and like mo I am neither rich nor poor. I shop at the Dekalb Farmer’s Market whenever I possably can. I think one issue that people are overlooking is the poor who do not have transportation or access to place’s like farmer’s makets. When my husband and I were in school we live on Franklin Road in Marietta. We had a car and were able to go to a Kroger that was 5 miles away (Harry’s too much $$$). The supermarkets on Franklin Road that were within walking distance had rotten produce, fatty cuts of meats and pretty much only white bread. These children are going to grow up without the proper building blocks of nutrition. It is sad that healty options are not always readily avaliable.

By lovelyliz

April 6, 2007 11:48 AM | Link to this

The price of fresh produce and overly processed food wasn’t much of an issue until our society became so urban.

By Kat

April 6, 2007 11:48 AM | Link to this

My husband and I are self-employed (after both being laid off since 2001), and we live about 2 hours outside of Atlanta. We are very fortunate to be able to buy most of our produce, freshly milled organic products (flours, corn, etc.) and some dairy and meats through a local co-op of small “organic” farmers in the Athens area. There are some similar co-ops now appearing in the Atlanta area (see http://moorefarms.locallygrown.net/ which services the Atlanta market). I’ll admit it’s not the cheapest way to eat, but I’ve always felt that what you ingest is an investment in your long-term health. If you don’t spend it on good food, you’ll end up spending it on health care in your later years. We also grow many of our own veggies. For meats, we try to buy what we can in “bulk” from local farmers. We buy a half-lamb each fall (for about $20 more than what a full leg-of-lamb would cost from a Whole Foods, and we eat off of it for about a year). We buy a half-hog (pastured; no hormones, no antibiotics) from a small farmer in South Georgia about once a year; it costs about $250-300, but again, we eat off it for a year. Chickens I’m still getting from the grocer, but I am trying to secure a farm source for that, too. Fish we bring back with us on rare trips to the coast. We do not eat many prepared foods, though we do occasionally indulge. Otherwise, everything is cooked from scratch (and we cook extra so we can freeze several meals to eat later). Granted we do not have kids (they’re grown), so it helps that we only feed 2 people this way. But I really do think that if you are willing to do more of the work yourself, or buy direct from farmers where you can, that it’s not that much more expensive to eat this way. We’ve been doing this about 4 years now (when we moved from Atlanta). Prior to that, we shopped at Harry’s, or the DeKalb Farmer’s Market, and we would visit Whole Foods for “luxury” items. But it’s become much easier to find healthier choices at the grocer. Most all carry whole wheat pastas that are not much more $ than traditional pasta. You don’t have to eat all the boxed and frozen stuff that is packed into the center aisles of the grocery store. I look at the obesity problems we now have in the U.S., and especially the health issues of obesity and other food-related illnesses that affect children, and I truly blame big food companies and advertising companies and globalization for mucking up the food supply that most people shop from. IMHO, people should think more about what they eat, where it comes from, how far it travels, what it’s been sprayed with, what about it is “real” vs. what about it is “franken”, etc. I think in the long run, we’ll continue to see a rise in obesity, diabetes, heart problems, etc., as long as we let corporate food producers churn out cheap products laden with chemicals in order to make a fast buck at our expense. THINK GLOBAL! EAT LOCAL!!

By hll1955

April 6, 2007 11:51 AM | Link to this

YES! It is much more expensive to eat healthy. I cook for 3 adults. I just spent $9.50 on a chuck roast, 2 for $5.00 on frozen stew veggies, $.99 for pop’n fresh rolls, $3.49 for a gallon of milk. This will make enough for 1 full meal and 1 leftover lunch.

Compare that to: $3.00 for 2 packs of Oscar Mayer hot dogs, $.99 for buns, $.66 for 2 boxes of store brand mac and cheese, and $.59 for a bottle of soda. This would make 1 full meal and 1 leftover lunch.

that is $18.98 vs $5.24. Both will feed a family of 3 to 4 adults or 2 adults and a teenager.

That is just ONE meal!!! I don’t care where you shop…$1.49 fora loaf of whole grain bread, is much more expensive than $.79 for white. You might say, what is $.50 when it comes to your health…I say its alot when it comes to being hungry and having bread for a peanut butter sandwich to feed your child. When you have to count pennies, buy nothing but store brand, consider fresh fruit and vegetables a luxury there is something very wrong.

Milk alone is ridiculous. Koolaid, soda, even juice is less expensive. Children need milk for growing bones and teeth. It should cost no more than a bottle of soda…not triple or quadruple the price.

By Michelle

April 6, 2007 12:03 PM | Link to this

Hey hll1955, kids DO NOT need milk for growing bones and teeth. Milk makes you fat, it makes you constipated and it makes your face break out. If you want your kids to get plenty of calcium just go to Wal-mart and buy some calcium tablets, they’re $3 or $4 for a bottle of 100 tablets, it doesn’t go sour in a week and there’s no nasty side effects.

By harold

April 6, 2007 12:13 PM | Link to this

is “chuck roast, frozen stew veggies, pop n fresh rolls and a gallon of milk” being healthy supposed to be a joke? well, HA HA HA very funny!

By Nancy

April 6, 2007 12:14 PM | Link to this

It is not only more expensive, it also takes more prep time. I try to cook at least 3 healthy meals each week. This means I am preparing half of Wednesday night’s meal Tuesday night at 10:00pm because of our work schedules. Eating healthy takes more effort from purchasing to preparing and a lot of the working class have a hard time fitting this into their already busy schedules.

Maybe if people got discounts on health insurance for eating healthy than the price of these foods wouldn’t hurt so much.

By hll1955

April 6, 2007 12:18 PM | Link to this

I wanted to add that as long as we pay our farmers and dairymen NOT to produce food or at least not to sell it in our country, where it would drive the end cost down we will continue to see overpriced healthy food, and less expensive junk food.

I really like the idea of buying a 1/2 a cow or pig and having it available all year. My parents did that when I was a child in California. My hubby and I also did this when we lived in Michigan. We bought the meat then went to the local butcher and rented a meat locker. I have no idea where we can go to buy directly from a farmer here in Georgia. We want the best meat and the lowest prices we can find.

Kat, if you wouldn’t mind sharing can you tell me who to contact to get the hog, cow, lamb. I would greatly appreciate it.

By Ellen

April 6, 2007 12:31 PM | Link to this

When I was a dirt poor student living in Washington DC, I had a container garden on my tiny patio. I grew fresh tomatoes, zucchini, green beans, etc. For more variety, I bought “day old” vegetables from the local grocery story for pennies. I ate a lot of beans, nut butters, egg dishes (eggs were kind of cheap). Day-old bread worked, too, even though from time to time I would make a round loaf in my shoebox apartment oven. I had very little money at that time, weighed ten pounds less than I do now (and looked better), and got a lot more exercise (I didn’t own a car so I walked). So being healthy on a limited budget CAN be done; you just have to make it a priority.

By Kat

April 6, 2007 12:35 PM | Link to this

Hi hll1955. There is a site called eatwild.com that lists farms all across the U.S. where you can buy direct; their thing is grass-fed. Here’s the link to the Georgia listings: http://www.eatwild.com/products/georgia.html

We’ve been buying hogs from Dyal Farm.

The lamb has come from a very small local source, that only offers about 2 to 4 lambs a year. So, can’t give a source for that, but if you call around to the farms listed on Eat Wild, you’ll probably find a lamb source.

Also, they aren’t all great about checking email, so call them. I messaged the Little River folks a few weeks back about their chickens, because we’re about 45 mins from Washington, GA (between AThens and Washington), but I’ve not heard back … so, gonna have to call ‘em.

We have occasionally gotten goat meat through our co-op, and it’s FABULOUS, and pretty low-fat. (In fact, I made a goat chili earlier this week.) We’ve also been lucky to occasionally get grass-fed beef (but it was ground) through our co-op. We don’t eat a lot of red meat, so we don’t buy this a lot.

Also, I recall recently seeing a story about someone who raises buffalo. That is generally grass-fed, and very low fat. You might do an Internet search for more info on that if you’re interested.

Problem w/buying large quantities is sometimes it’s more than you want, but then we just find people to split it with us (which cuts down the cost).

I realize not every family can afford to do this, but I think many could if they considered reshuffling some priorities. (I think healthy food is much more important than the latest trendy toy or trendy athletic shoe.)

I highly recommend the co-op shopping for produce and whatever else you can buy through that venue. This sounds awful, but my husband won’t even eat grocery-store bought lettuce any more. (And he used to complain about the cost; not any more.) — Kat

By brother bill

April 6, 2007 12:38 PM | Link to this

Of course it costs more money to eat healthy. But consider the hidden costs. All animal products contain steroids, cholesterol, saturated fat and are the cause of most diseases. Cooked food has destroyed much nutrition. So that leaves fresh, raw, fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts. The upside of eating raw plants is no longer needing prescriptions and doctors. As the slogan goes: “You can pay me now or pay me later”. Here are the low cost leaders in raw food… Grow your own sprouts cost 10 cents a pound. Bananas are 50 cents a pound. When you get to the greens, they cost more, and nuts are $5.00 per pound. It really comes down to whether being healthy and eating right is important to you.

But if your goal is to simply purchase calories as cheaply as possible, junk food certainly satisfies this need. But what is the price of obesity, diabetes, arthritis, cancer and heart disease. To me, this is a bargain with the devil.

By Just my two cents worth

April 6, 2007 1:04 PM | Link to this

My friend’s mother cooked completely organic for the entire family. Ground her own grain for bread. Purchased everything at organic co-ops. All led a consistently clean and moral life including no smoking, no drinking. Sadly, father died of cancer and a few years later mother died of cancer. Diet isn’t everything, cf Adele Davis, Jim Fixx. I’m just saying ….

By cheap ideas

April 6, 2007 1:12 PM | Link to this

There was recently an article in AJC on how to eat cheap and healthy. Peanut butter, whole wheat pasta, canned beans and other canned veggies, white and sweet potatoes, oatmeal, bananas, using just a bit of lean meat in soups and stews. Costco. Sam’s Club. Large economy sizes. Coupons. Sales.

By Mander

April 6, 2007 1:18 PM | Link to this

Actually, “hll1955”, take a moment to consider that humans are the only creatures on Earth that (a) continue to consume milk beyond infancy and (b) consume another creature’s milk for sustenance/enjoyment (i.e., goat’s milk, cow’s milk).

If kids must have milk, soy milk is great and they now make it very palatable.

Yes, it is pricier to eat healthier, but another blogger made a good point: it reduces your health care costs.

You don’t have to shop Whole Foods/Harry’s/Trader Joe’s for fruits/veg - support our local farmers.

If meat is too expensive, consider only eating it once or twice a week. Surf the net for GREAT VEGETARIAN MEAL ALTERNATIVES….e.g. tofu burgers with homemade oven fries make a great meal.*

By hll1955

April 6, 2007 1:40 PM | Link to this

I guess I am old school, but I consider eating a meat (the leaner the better and not fried) vegetables, dairy, and a grain serving to be eating healthy. It may not be stirfried tofu, but it is much better than hot dogs and mac and cheese!

By nono

April 6, 2007 1:51 PM | Link to this

I’m one of those people struggling to support a family on one income and I buy the groceries for our family. I barely have two nickels to rub together. So when I go to the grocery, I bypass the fresh fruits and vegetables. Why? Because for the price of ONE onion ($1.49 at Publix last week) I could buy an entire package of macaroni. For 6 apples that would last for two days, I can buy a pound of butter that lasts for over two weeks. It isn’t just about the price—I can spend $50 at the grocery store for a week’s worth of fresh vegetables and fruit that will go bad in a few days and only be good for snacks or as side dishes OR I can buy just ingredients for MAIN COURSE meals that will actually fill my family up for two weeks worth of dinners on my meager budget and won’t go bad within a few days. I have to make my budget go as far as possible. Green beans don’t fill my families stomachs up—Spaghetti and meat sauce DOES. Health care costs? That’s the last thing on my mind. I can barely afford to EAT let alone pay for health insurance, so it’s not like eating healthy is saving me money. And you who are drinking Soy milk, be thankful you can afford the luxury of judging the rest of us for buying a gallon of skim milk!

By Noelle

April 6, 2007 2:00 PM | Link to this

I don’t think eating healthy has to be more more expensive than eating junk. At the least, you can eat a lot healthier on the same budget than a lot of people do, even if that just means making meals from scratch instead of buying boxed dinners and fast food.

I do think eating healthier means more work, though. Even without getting into coupons and comparison shipping, it takes more time to plan meals and cook from scratch than it does to fall back on convenience foods. Plus it doesn’t help that a lot of people are lacking in education about what goes into their food and have no idea what’s really “healthy.” And then there’s the problem of preparing foods your children will actually eat.

In most cases, just some small changes can make a big difference. Cooking burgers and fries at home, even if you use premade patties and frozen potatoes, is a lot healthier than fast food and doesn’t really take any more time. Load the burgers with vegetable toppings, go easy on the condiments (especially mayo), and add milk, juice, or water instead of a soft drink, and you can still have a kid-friendly dessert like pudding or fruit with a little light whipped topping or ice cream.

Sure, it’s not as healthy as steamed vegetables and lean protein, but how many kids will actually eat that? For that matter, how many adults would eat it??

By cathy lee

April 6, 2007 2:11 PM | Link to this

defintely YES!!!it is very expensive to have a healthly diet

By e mutz

April 6, 2007 2:12 PM | Link to this

Ye are looped if ye think Apples last only 2 days. Also, if the onions are $1.49 each, don’t buy that onion, try the generic white onions. They are far less, or do what my mom did: wait until the onions are cheaper. I can buy a basket of the bloody things for $1.49.

My actual meal costs for an average week:

Breakfast: Three egg white omlette cost (approximately $.25. Loads of protein, no carbs, no cholesterol.

Lunch: Bowl of special K, Skim milk. No fat, 110 calories, loads of vitamins.

Snacks: Oatmeal bars. Boatloads of carbs and fiber. Cost: Approx. $.50 each.

Dinner: Steamed frozen vegetables and frozen dim sun (dumplings). Low fat, cooks in 15 minutes while I read the newspaper. Cost: Less than $1.00 per serving.

Beans and rice: Complete meal. Cook on monday, spice with different hot sauce. Cost - pennies per serving.

The above is typical for me, a 175 lb active male.

If ye are rushing about, keep a box of those oatmeal bars in your car or purse to keep you from making a bad meal decision. Do not skip breakfast and drink pleny of fluids.

BTW: Fresh Macaroni & cheese can be made in bulk and frozen in convenient tupperware containers for travel with you to the job.

By Lyrazel

April 6, 2007 2:20 PM | Link to this

No. Everything is $$$ because everything has to be processed more. Meat has to be packaged, shrink wrapped and displayed. Veggies have to be waxed and polished and sometimes packaged and shrink wrapped for customers. So look at groceries, are they packaged for convenience? Are you buying lettuce pre-cut? Are your tomatoes tasteless hydroponic varieties grown off season or from Chile? Does your bread carry a brand name and is it shipped in from Ohio? PROCESSING is what consumers pay more for. The more food has to be processed, packaged, shipped, warehoused and displayed and the more distance it had to travel…that is what you pay $$$ instead of $. So no, being poor does not mean someone is condemned to eating unhealthy.

I hate tofu too but found a great recipe on-line for fried tofu that renders it just as caloric as a big mac. Will share.

By Leda

April 6, 2007 2:23 PM | Link to this

Nono, if you can barely afford to feed your family then you need to seek public assistance. If you can only afford to buy junk for your family you should also, at the very least, apply for the type of aid available to lower income families. If you’re not buying health insurance, it’s only a matter of time before you’ll need to use public welfare anyway so it can hardly be a matter of pride. And if part of the family you are feeding are growing children you are only setting them up for huge expenses later in life by giving their growing bodies only empty, if filling, calories. It is about how much NUTRITION you can provide for your family, not how much ballast for their stomachs; the American diet (even for poor Americans) is much more likely to be lacking in vitamins than calories

By Caroline

April 6, 2007 3:20 PM | Link to this

Just my two cents worth:

Eating organic doesn’t necessarily prevent cancer especially if you have a genetic disposition, smoke, or are surrounded by toxic chemicals in your home, clothing, etc. Nothing is guaranteed, but it IS important to do your part.

By Willy Wonka

April 6, 2007 3:38 PM | Link to this

E mutz: you make a very good point about how eating healthy can be cheap. I’m a vegetarian, so my diet consists mostly of oatmeal, whole grain cereals, beans (which are dirt cheap), sprouts for veggies (which are packed with nutrients, last longer and contain more nutrients than most “adult” vegetables, and can be grown at home), quinoa (a new addition that has a much protein and calcium as meat and milk, respectively, and is a great rice substitute), natural peanut butter for sandwiches, apples, carrots, stuff like that. I recognized, however, that getting kids to eat this kinda stuff might be difficult.

By tmjm3714

April 6, 2007 4:22 PM | Link to this

Me and the hubby tend to buy organic/natural meats and veggies because, quite fankly, they taste better. When veggies are allowed to ripen naturally, they develop the flavor they were ment to have and don’t require tons of salt and butter to be ediable. Same with the animals, the grass-fed/free range animals tend to produce a better cut of meat (especially the chicken) then the steroid plumped ones. Does all this cost more? Sure, but the old adage holds true “you pay for what you get”

By Jessamine

April 6, 2007 4:40 PM | Link to this

Another good source for finding local resources for fresh foods and organic foods is localharvest.org. You can find lots of goodies grown by local farmers. Fresher, non-processed, non-gassed, safer (think of the dog food scare?) foods and you’re supporting a small farmer.

I think the Dekalb Farmers Market is on Marta, so you don’t have to have a car. I’ve bought a 10 lb bag of organic oranges there for $7.99 and 10 lb bag of organic apples for $3.99 and they stayed good for weeks!

In the grocery store, you should shop the perimeter - produce, meat and dairy case. Everything on the aisles, save a few things like grains, pastas, etc. is processed food loaded with lots of unnecessary things like high fructose corn syrup which is really bad for you (do an internet search - MANY articles about this).

And to hll1955, your beef dinner and lunch worked out to be $2.17 per person for each meal. I didn’t include the milk because I can’t see that you 3 would drink the whole gallon in two meals. That’s WAY cheaper than any McDonalds “value” meal. Also, you can get turkey dogs ($3.99), buns ($.99), bag of baby carrots ($.99) and steam a lb. of green beans ($1.49) for $2.48 per person. Your hotdog meal was $2.41 (and I counted the Oscar Meyers as $2.50 a piece because I don’t recall seeing Oscar Meyers that cheap. Gwaltney, yes, but I’m not sure what goes in those.

Plus, for $1.50 or so, you could buy a bag of flour ($1.50 for a quart of milk) and make zillions of biscuits instead of buying $.99 canned rolls. Premake them and freeze them.

Also, grocery stores often have frozen veggies for $1 a bag (not $2.50 as yours were), so stock up when they do.

The important thing is to cook food yourself when you can instead of eating out, or premade canned/frozen things. Even the hotdog/mac-n-cheese meal isn’t as bad as if you went to Mickey Ds. Go to local farmers markets or roadside vendors and get what is in season. Buying asparagus in October is expensive is because it doesn’t GROW in October.

I’ll hush now.

By Jessamine

April 6, 2007 4:45 PM | Link to this

One last thing - on soy milk… I buy it because it last a LOT longer than regular milk. I was throwing out half of my milk because it spoiled 3 days after I opened it. My soy milk is good for several weeks so I’m saving money there. It’s $2.50 for a half gallon and I use all of it instead of spending $3.50 for a gallon of milk and throwing half out.

By kristin

April 6, 2007 4:54 PM | Link to this

Jessamine,

Not everyone in Metro Atlanta lives near the MARTA station. And are oranges and apples locally grown? Is it apple season? So your not eating locally.

By Jessamine

April 6, 2007 5:05 PM | Link to this

In regard to the apples and oranges, I was referring to the fact that they aren’t expensive (even organic) and last a while, not the 2 days someone mentioned in an earlier email.

Personally I do buy local apples, from Merciers in Blue Ridge, when they are in season, which will be July. I don’t buy a lot of apples out of season. When they’re not in season and I want some, I buy organic from the farmers market. I buy oranges from out of state because oranges aren’t grown in state. I buy local when it is possible. I didn’t say anywhere that you HAD to only eat locally.

I do hope folks explore their options, such as buying from CSAs (community supported agriculture groups) where you can get large boxes of fresh (yes local) fruits and veggies for $20-$25.

And, you can ride MARTA busses, not just trains. MARTA goes all over Atlanta - not very well, but it does. :-)

By fer

April 6, 2007 5:53 PM | Link to this

Harold, I beg your pardon but I shop at Kroger & Publix and am neither poor nor stupid nor do I not eat well. I eat whole grains, fresh veggies and fruits, minimal meats, low fat dairy products. I also shop at Sam’s and manage to find some healthy foods there. So take off your blinders and quit stereotyping!

By JW

April 11, 2007 9:16 AM | Link to this

Box of Mac & Cheese: $.59 1 pack of hot dogs: $2.50 Big Mac combo meal: $3.99 Quadruple bypass at age 55: $70,000

Knowing I’m in charge of what goes into my body at any price, not Kroger, Sam’s Club, the FDA, Ronald McDonald, U.S. Government: PRICELESS