Part 2 – Recession Trends: Fresh Food on the Chopping Block

In part one, we discussed the impact of the recent economic downturn on our dietary habits: Americans are eating out less, and turning to takeaway and processed foods instead of fresh produce.
In one 2004 paper, Dr Drewnowski, director of nutritional studies at the University of Washington, Seattle, noted that obesity in the US is a socio-economic issue (Drewnowski, 2004). Highest rates of obesity occur amongst low-income populations, who often lack money, time, access to fresh produce and information to make healthy food choices. Dr. Drewnowski found that high-income earning women have the healthiest diets, with more nutritive value for every dollar spent.

Since the recession, as incomes plummet and stress increases, it seems more and more families, especially those in lower-income demographics, are making further cuts to their eating expenditure – often opting for quick, filling, discounted products which are marketed heavily as “super savers” or “value meals”. What shoppers may not be looking for is nutrition value, hidden additives, and portion size relative to the cost of the product.
While I’m not going to delve into the intricacies of economics, or the inner workings of the human psyche (phew!), you can basically narrow down the reasons for these alarming statistics to two factors:

It’s easier and faster to buy takeaway or an instant, processed meal . Or is it?

Ok, so we’ve all been there. You’re driving home, tired, you have five bucks in your pocket and Lost is on TV in 20 minutes. There’s nothing in the fridge, and the last thing you feel like doing is cooking. What could be easier than getting takeaway? Or a microwave lasagna from the store?

Yes, fast food is fast (surprise!). But home-cooking can be too. The secret to shopping and cooking quickly and healthily is in planning in advance. If you have a list of what you will be eating each week, you can get a better idea of your overall nutrition choices, and if you need to change them. If you can limit your grocery shopping to once or twice a week, you will not only save time and money, but you will be less inclined to take all those non-nutritious shortcuts like takeaway and instant meals. By the time you drive to get food each day, you can cook something just as quickly, which probably tastes better and is healthier for you. (Fooducate blog, 2008)

These days, fresh produce seems to cost more than processed food.

Yes, prices for fresh produce have spiked since the recession. Processed foods are discounted and marketed heavily. (NY Times debate, 2009)

However, have you considered the nutritive value per dollar of each of your products? Many experts claim that foods high in fat, sugar or salt can leave you feeling hungrier later on. Plus, over time your appetite suppression mechanism may be slowed, meaning that you will want to eat more (India Times, 2009). While processed foods may seem cheaper, you will probably need to buy more of them to give you the same amount of energy you need.
Also consider portion sizes, which are rapidly decreasing in pre-packaged products. While TV dinners and fast food meals may be cheap, they will only last you for one meal. For the same price, you could buy enough fresh produce to cook a larger, healthier meal, and have leftovers for the next day.

Finally, consider the cost of healthcare. Recent figures suggest the medical cost of obesity and obesity-related diseases in the US may be as high as $147 billion per year (CDC press release, 2009), meaning higher taxes and further strain on an already-suffering economy. Can we really afford to cut costs on our food choices?

Living healthier for less money is possible. This family of four (Captain Cooks blog, 2009) recently showed that it was possible to eat mainly organic foods for $7.16 a day! With a few adjustments to your routine, the economic downturn doesn’t need to affect your health and quality of life.

Tips for healthier, cost-effective eating:

• Pre-plan your meals, make a shopping list and shop less often.

• Try to avoid incidental/emotional spending, on things like takeaway coffees and store-made sandwiches.

• Think about the nutritive value of what you buy, and find foods that are healthy and filling – e.g. stop buying sodas, which contains many “empty” calories.

• Learn more about cooking techniques and the food you eat to get the most benefit from the food you buy.

• Shop around for the best deals, fresh markets, store brand products or use coupons -  but only for foods you actually want to eat. Don’t just buy something because it appears to be “good value”

• If you have the time/space – grow your own fruit, vegetables or herbs. This can be very rewarding, and cheaper in the long run.

References

Captain Cooks blog (2009) Feeding the family organic on $7.16 a day (Conclusion). Viewed online July 27, 2009: http://www.captaincooksblog.com/2009/05/04/feeding-the-family-organic-on-716-a-day-day-29-conclusion/

Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2009) Study Estimates Medical Cost of Obesity May Be as High as $147 Billion Annually. Viewed online July 27, 2009: http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2009/r090727.htm

Drewnowski & Darmon (2004) Food Choices and Diet Costs: an Economic Analysis. Viewed online July 27, 2009: http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/reprint/135/4/900

Fooducate (2008) Top ten tips for nutritious shopping in a recession. Viewed online July 27, 2009: http://www.fooducate.com/blog/2008/10/13/top-ten-tips-for-nutritious-shopping-in-a-recession/

India Times (2009) Fatty foods make you hungry. Viewed online July 27, 2009: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Health–Science/Health/Fatty-foods-make-you-hungry/articleshow/4624312.cms

New York Times Roof for Debate (2009) Food Prices: Myths vs. Reality. Viewed online July 27, 2009: http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/16/food-prices-myths-vs-reality/?em

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