Listening to National Public Radio has become a daily ritual during my short commute to and from work. This morning they aired a segment discussing the pending Farm Bill.
The two main components of the Farm Bill are subsidies and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, or food stamps). I have no desire to debate the pros and cons of SNAP or other benefits (yes, they’re necessary and a God-send for many; yes, some people abuse them).
What really caught my attention was the mention of Connecticut-based nonprofit, Wholesome Wave. The organization’s mission, according to their website, is to improve access and affordability of fresh, healthy, locally-grown produce to historically underserved communities. One way the organization accomplishes this goal is through the Double Value Coupon Program (DVCP), which, as the name suggests, doubles the value of SNAP dollars at participating locations in order to encourage recipients to buy more fresh fruits and vegetables.
I think this is wonderful on the surface; too many low income people live in communities—food deserts— with numerous convenience stores and bodegas and few full service groceries or produce markets. While most healthy food is NOT expensive, it’s understandable that a working mother would spend what little food budget she has on calorie-dense boxed meals instead of heads of lettuce or bunches of carrots.
There’s no doubt in my mind that these types of programs help the low income population; recently, however, I read that it’s actually the middle class who more frequently make poor food choices. I can’t remember the particular article I read, but this Room for Debate discussion offers several viewpoints on America’s food choices. Along the same lines, this article highlights a study suggesting the middle class are fast food’s most reliable customers.
If that’s the case, how do we reach people who can more easily afford healthy foods but choose to buy less nutritious options? Obviously it’s through education, but it’s much more complex than simply banning large sodas, removing vending machines, or telling people they should eat a salad instead of a Big Mac. (Note: I wholeheartedly believe it’s normal—and healthy—to indulge sometimes and have that Big Mac, ice cream sundae, second slice of cake, etc. I’m talking about the people who habitually eat poorly.)
Is there an organization similar to Wholesome Wave in your community?
What do you feel is the best way to reach people who choose to eat poorly?
After that food for thought, it’s time for the actual food I ate yesterday.
Breakfast: Oatmeal with cinnamon and pecans, topped with blueberries and blackberries.
Lunch: Spinach, carrot, celery, blueberry, and hemp seed salad with homemade balsamic-tahini dressing.
Snacks: 2 fig cookies, hot tea with lemon, and a banana (not pictured).
Dinner: Chicken and black bean quesadilla and a margarita (nothing says “margarita” like a snowman!)
Dessert: A cookie, of course. 🙂
Happy 12/12/12, everyone. I knew today was going to be a good day. Our merit raises came through and I had an excellent night at gymnastics. I kept moving the entire hour, hopping up on the beam whenever I had to wait in line. After watching a visitor to the gym do her round-off, back handspring, back tuck on the tumble track, I just decided to go for it and completed two. If only I found other exercise so enjoyable! 🙂
Eating 4 Balance says
That’s very interesting about the food stamps, and the push for healthier food support. I want to say that I’m surprised that the middle class make some of the worst food choices, but I’m not. That’s a tough problem to fix.
Your salad looks awesome! Love the sliced carrots!
And good job on your night of gymnastics. Sounds fun!
foodiecology says
Thanks!
Yeah, it’s kind of surprising because the middle class often have more education & access, but at the same time, it’s not because they also have more $ to spend on fast food , which isn’t all that cheap.