Cheaper to be fat

My frustration today is with how much more expensive it is to eat healthy food than junk. Just to start...
- pop is cheaper than milk
- chicken nuggets are cheaper than chicken breasts
- chips and candy are cheaper than fruit
- breaded fish sticks are cheaper than fish fillets

Luckily I have the option of buying whatever I want for food, and I know that it's cheaper health-wise to eat well, but there have got to be some people out there who are overweight because they don't want to or can't buy fruit (I spent $6 on 7 apples today!)

Tue. Aug 14, 4:29pm

People aren't overweight because they cant' buy fruit. Unfortunately, we're a culture of super-sized, more for your money fast food. It has gotten people used to stuffing themselves for not a lot of money, not to mention the addictive quality of all that junk. You CAN eat well and not spend a lot of money, it's quality over quantity. Like anything new, it may take some time to figure it all out, but in the long run it's much cheaper than the cost of treating obesity related illnesses, not to mention knee replacement, bypass surgery, skin removal after the bypass and so on and so on and so on.

water is free
one apple cost less than a single bag of chips
a head of broccoli is comparable to a frozen bag of fries
preventative is cheaper than treatment

Tuesday, August 14, 2007, 4:43 PM

There is a HUGE message here....our food is SUBSIDIZED and there is a food INDUSTRY out there. All the processing that goes into Twinkies, etc is covered by the way the food industry supported by our government. This makes for a medical INDUSTRY too. Lots of sick people to take care of.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007, 4:50 PM

Even though healthy food is more expensive then junk food, staying healthy is still cheaper than being chronically sick. There are ways to eat healthy and it doesn't have to be SO expensive. You just have to be creative. For example, join a co-op and eat less meat.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007, 5:26 PM

I don't know if this was the point trying to be made but if you think about it poriton wise healthy food really isn't that expensive.
I also am blessed to live in a town with a farmers market, a grocery outlet, and a produce store that sells 1/2 price or better.
LIke the one poster said you have to think ahead and decide what you want and how much. I find I tend to buy more of something because it's on sale and then don't use it up fast enough.
But during the summer fruit is cheap and most veggies too. Winter time there are things in season. Also if you have room prepare things in advance and freeze them.
I look at how I used to eat and how I eat now and I would easily eat 4 or 5 times as much meat as I eat now. In a single meal. I would have 4 or 5 large meals a day. And drink 3 or more sodas a day. Now I drink water and 1 soda, 2 lite meals and one main meal and a snack at night. Yes the foods are more expensive but they last longer. As long as the rest of my family doesn't eat the larger portions.
Then think about what it does to your self esteem not to mention your overall health. The way I feel about myself as I lose the weight is worth any monitary cost.
And it's cheaper than those pre packaged diet plans and healthier too.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007, 6:43 PM

To try to eat REALLY healthy is expensive though. The amount of veggies and fruit I buy for just a couple of days for me and the bf, plus bread that does not contain HFCS, plus all natural, no hormone fed chicken, plus high fiber, low sugar natural cereals all are more expensive than alternatives. I am happy that I eat that way, I feel good, but if you really are buying enough fruits and veggies to get 9 servings a day (combined) for more than one person . . .it really adds up, fast!!!

Tuesday, August 14, 2007, 10:36 PM

This is the OP - I think I get the point that there are ways to save money on healthy foods. That's not the point I was trying to make, in general it is not cheaper (thank you 10:36!). Some of you are lucky enough to have choices in your shopping, I have one grocery store and that's it. Farmer's markets and food co-ops sound like fun, but there's nothing like that around here! And yes, it is true that you will save money on your health and that your health is more important...yada yada yada...all those things are true, but at the end of the day, where I shop, low-fat frozen yogurt is more expensive than ice cream, and 10:36 lists all kinds of other good examples!

Tuesday, August 14, 2007, 11:38 PM

To the OP

You have only one store to go to? where do you live? Do you have a car?

Wednesday, August 15, 2007, 5:09 AM

Starbucks 3.50
McDonalds Breakfast 4.28
Calzone and Pop for Lunch 9.98
Jack in the box for Dinner 6.14
Total 23.90 x 30 days = $717.00 a mo for 1
person

I know what I used to spend everyday eating out full time and it ranged between 20.00 & 30.00 a day. I don’t even come close to that with my new healthier life style. So I have a hard time buying its cheaper to eat out.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007, 5:45 AM

I get what you're saying OP. Granted, it's not going to be cheaper to buy the farm-raised salmon, the grass fed beef, all organic fruits and vegetables, etc. but a person really can eat well (or much, much better than they have been) with a little planning and it doesn't have to break the bank. And it doesn't have to be an all or nothing proposition, for some people if they just kicked the soda habit they'll drop 10 pounds! Changing eating habits is a major lifestyle change for many people and part of the appeal of these cheap, processed foods are that they're no-brainers, they're quick, and they're easy.

And go ahead and buy the real ice cream - just eat less of it!

Wednesday, August 15, 2007, 7:19 AM

I don't think anyone said it was cheaper to eat out, but that it is cheaper to eat junk food than to eat healthy. That is very true, at least in my area. Figure if you are a broke college student, you can buy ramen noodles for .25. That is a whole "meal", but to buy your own ingredients to make a healthy noodle dish would cost a few dollars. Not everyone has enough money to spend even $5.00 a meal. I know, I've been there, that's why it always annoys me when people say you can eat healthy for very little money. If one apple costs more than a can of chef boyardee, I don't know how it can be done.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007, 8:03 AM

this is just an excuse. A serving of rice and beans is how much? Some spinach on the side? A frozen Birdseye package of spinach (the good stuff) is only a buck and change and is insanely nutrient dense. Organic pasta sauce at whole foods is $2.50 if you want a bunch more good stuff for you.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007, 8:03 AM

If you want to eat cheaply, you should buy more than single-serving sizes. No matter if you're trying to eat healthily or not.

Frozen veggies are almost always cheap, and they're as good for you as the fresh ones.

You can buy a bag of brown rice that weighs several pounds (and will last months) for just a few dollars. Not much more than the small bags.

You can buy beans the same way. Yes, you'll need to soak them before cooking; they're not as "instant" as canned beans, but they end up tasting better too!

If you want to make chicken cheaper, don't buy the small package of skinless/boneless chicken breasts. Buy the whole chicken, and skin it yourself. Or, buy the big bag of frozen chicken breasts; it's less than a dollar a breast, and they're big enough to serve 2 people each, particularly if you cut it up into a stir-fry (w/ your frozen veggies, served over your brown rice.)

Check out your circulars on Sundays, and plan your meals around what's on sale. Plan your meals for the week first, then shop for them. That way, you'll have all the ingredients you'll need, and nothing extra sitting in the fridge, going bad.

When you make a meal, make extra, and before you serve the meal, pack up the extra in tupperware and freeze (homemade Lean Cuisine), or put in the fridge for tomorrow's lunch.

Learn to love the grill; it's a great way to give flavor to all kinds of lean meats. Chicken, fish, beef, shrimp, veggies, etc.

You can also cook with less expensive cuts of meat, and they can be perfectly tender if you soak them in a brine overnight before cooking. Or, if you cook them all day in a crock pot. I can make a stew in the crock pot for probably $8, and it'll feed me and my husband for dinner for at least 3 days. That's 6 very filling dinners for $8!

Anyway, in my opinion, it is way cheaper to eat healthily than to eat unhealthily. Sure, Ramen is cheap, but an hour later, you're hungry again, b/c it's all empty calories. And you could make beans and rice for the same price, and be full for hours.

When it gets expensive is when you're eating healthily, and others in your house aren't, so you have to shop both ways!

Wednesday, August 15, 2007, 10:19 AM

while your argument is valid to a point, i think it's important to put it into context. eating healthy should be a priority, even if it cost a little more. not just on a logical viewpoint but on a cost benefit analysis. type 2 diabites, cholestrol, heart problems are all expensive to treat.
i don't think it's a valid excuse to just say 'being fat is cheaper' it is an over simplistic argument but thank you for raising an interesting point

Wednesday, August 15, 2007, 10:36 AM

Cheaper to be fat?

Not hardly. Okay, maybe at the grocery store.

But not at the doctor's office. Excessive fat is associated with several major health problems, including diabetes, cardiac problems, stroke, and some cancers.

And not at the work place. Statistics show that overweight employees take more sick days than their thinner co-workers.

Being overweight isn't cheaper if you are a child, either. Overweight children are absent more school days than are their peers.

So maybe fat food is more readily availabe, cheaper, and easier to prepare. But who in the end is going to pay for the illnesses such a lifstyle costs?

In the end, you are. Maybe with your life.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007, 10:53 AM

i think a lot of you are making true arguments but aren't listening to what the OP is trying to say. you can go off on a tangent all day about how it saves medical costs in the future, but as the OP pointed out, that's not what she (or he) was talking about.

i'm in college, but i'm trying to be healthy. it IS easier and cheaper to eat crappy food. as someone mentioned above, ramen is .25 cents. and its more filling than youd' think. and if you get hungry again, you can just eat another one...taht's still just 0.50 cents. there's a student at my school who actually got scurvy (!!) because he was trying to save money and just ate ramen for a month. obviously that's not healthy for many reasons, but the point is that when you don't have much money, its harder to buy good food. and i certainly dont' think that eating rice and beans every day is healthy either.

because i'm trying to eat healthy, i spend about 40 dollars a week on groceries. which adds up to 40 x 52 = 2080 dollars a year on food. for a college student who's already trying to pay for college, that's a whole heck of a lot of money on simply food. and im hungry enough as it is trying to live by on those groceries I buy once a week.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007, 11:57 AM

Actually 7:19, farm raised salmon is cheaper than wild salmon-and wild salmon is better for you. Farm raised are fed hormones and antibiotics to keep them "healthy" while living in crowded tanks, and they don't feed off of the same natural foods wild salmon do, and have less omega 3's and other good things in them. The food the farmed salmon are fed even have dye added to them to give the fish the same pink color wild salmon naturally have. ick!!!

Wednesday, August 15, 2007, 12:21 PM

I remember those hungry days of being in school and trying to eat right. My husband and I were both challenged when we were in graduate schooll--and we had a little son to think about as well.

But you CAN eat healthfully, even on a budget. For example, you mentioned beans and rice. Well, that became one of our staples. It turns out that this particular combination is extremely healthy. For one, the proteins of each complement the other, making it a complete protein Beans and rice is the staple food of many Caribbean countries and with good reason. You CAN live on it--many people do. They add chile, which is high in the C vitamin, and no, they don't get scurvy.

Add some fruits, not the expensive ones, but those in season. Instead of chips, buy tomatoes, peppers and carrots. And don't eat out. Instead, spend that money on healthy foods you can cook yourself.

You can make yogurt yourself. We did, with powdered milk. We also made a lot of low-fat soups and stews. These were high in fiber, low in calories, and high in "goodness."

Something else I did was bake my own bread. The whole wheat loaves I made were far more nutritious--and healthy--than anything I could have bought.

No, you don't have to do everything we did. What I'm trying to say is think, create. You CAN eat healthfully on a budget!

Wednesday, August 15, 2007, 12:28 PM

I agree with you. When pop is cheaper than water, that's a problem! I try to buy organic when I can't grow it in my garden, but it's way more expensive than regular fruit and veggies.

I've decided it's worth it. It's something I am willing to do for my health. we only have one body, right!

Wednesday, August 15, 2007, 4:45 PM

It comes down to how lazy people want to be. It is very affordable to eat helathy, so long as you take the time to educate yourself on correct food choices, as well as plan ahead, and instead of doing a single serving meal prep plan for something to carry over into linch the next day.

Bottom line is - it takes time to prepare a cheap simple meal, instead of zooming through the drive thru, super sizing everything, and then sitting on the couch for the night.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007, 4:46 PM

I disagree with the original poster, I think it is so much cheaper to eat healthy. I love black beans and rice with sauted veggies, I could make a weeks worth for what it cost for one big mac and fries! I cook all natural, and I can promise you my food bill is not that much, beans, veggies, rice, fruit all sooo good.
Besides you are not taking into consideration the risk to your health eating all that junk food in the end that costs so much more. Coke is pure poison, nothing, absolutely nothing good comes from it.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007, 9:22 PM

We live in a world of convenience and face it, eating healthy isn’t convenient IT TAKES EFFORT, most cheep food is fast and easy it takes very little effort to cook or consume. It all boils down to choices and if you want to eat healthy you have to make the effort and if you’re a student part of it may require creativity but it’s still possible and if you choose not to make an effort then you made the choice and if there are benefits or consequences down the road then you only have yourself to thank.

Thursday, August 16, 2007, 12:45 AM

People are missing the OP's point. OP didn't say it was cheaper to eat out or eat at McDonalds, (he/she just bought a bag of apples), he/she is saying that at the grocery store it is cheaper to eat poorly.

Thursday, August 16, 2007, 7:33 AM

I don't think people aren't missing the point - they're offering many, many examples to the contrary.

Thursday, August 16, 2007, 8:49 AM

no, i don't think people are getting the OP's point. if you're at the grocery store, and you want something to drink that's NOT water (because why buy water when it's free ), soda is by far the cheaper option. something like orange juice is 4 dollars a gallon. even milk is more expensive. you're all just telilng her, well don't buy juice, just drink water.

or if you want a dessert treat and you decide to go get fro yo because you're in the mood for something creamy and cold, the unhealthier ice cream is cheaper (and usually on some 2 for 1 sale). all of you are again just saying, eat a banana instead.

when you're dieting, you shouldn't be in the place where you say, i am never going to buy juice or eat frozen yogurt. what a terrible and miserable life to live spending your whole time denying yourself of what you want. the point is that orange juice (i know has tons of sugar but anyway...) is supposed to be the healthier alternative that is still SOMEWHAT SIMILAR (as in has a taste). a banana is not ice cream. frozen yogurt is an appropriate healthier alternative to ice cream. and yes, healtheir alternatives are more expensive.

Yes, all that you guys are suggesting are "alternatives" but hell, everything is an alternative to something else. But that's not what the OP is talking about at all.

p.s. another miserable way to live your life: eating the same thing day after day after day becuase you're on a diet. rice and beans sunday rice and beans monday rice and beans tuesday rice and beans wednesday and on and on...seriously people. you've only got one life to live. make it a happy one at least.

Thursday, August 16, 2007, 10:43 AM

People often eat the same foods over and over again, and they're usually better off because of it.

People make choices all the time about what they 'should' eat versus what the do eat. If people with weight problems want to lose weight then they need to find alternatives to their current diet - what they're doing isn't working for them. You can't have it both ways. I'd eat crap all day long if I could, but I know the effects so I don't

Frozen yogurt is no 'healthier' than regular ice cream, we just perceive it to be and often eat more than we need b/c of those perceptions. Buy the good stuff and eat less.

OP said maybe people are overweight b/c they can't afford fruit - doubtful.

YES - crappy food is cheap, cheap, cheap. I get it. But with a little effort one can figure out a way to eat well and not break the bank.

Thursday, August 16, 2007, 11:38 AM

I beg to differ. Just try cutting your meat intake in half and replace it with beans. That'll really bring down the grocery bill. You'll also eat less when you're thinner so it won't matter if you're paying "extra" for all those yummy, fresh fruits and veggies.

Also, think of the long-term health insurance costs. Heart disease, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure - these all raise your premiums and your overall costs.

After all, health is wealth.

Thursday, August 16, 2007, 12:57 PM

Well said! Hear, hear!

Saturday, August 18, 2007, 7:14 PM

I'm trying to change to Meatless Monday to save on my grocery bill. Good quality meat is so expensive and there's no reason to eat it at every meal. Yes, beans are a very good option.

Saturday, August 18, 2007, 9:36 PM

Since there seems to be lots of people commenting on this thread who love beans, can you share some cooking tips? Honestly, beans do nothing for me taste wise. Just gross me out. But I know they would be a good thing to add to my diet. Ideas?

Saturday, August 18, 2007, 11:29 PM

I have found some good 3-bean chili recipes that I like.

I make 'salads' with corn, black beans, red onions, lime juice, spices, etc.

I add chickpeas (garbanzo beans) to salads.

That's about the extent of my bean consumption!

Sunday, August 19, 2007, 6:39 PM

You know what I hate? Bottled water in our school is more expensive than soda! And with the food they feed you in school, no wonder why a lot of kids are obese! I don't eat the food, i pack my lunch, but still, water more expensive than crappy soda? come on!

Sunday, August 19, 2007, 7:09 PM

In our school, a bottle of pop is $1.50, and a bottle of juice is $2.00. Both are insane, but you'd think they could manage to make the juice cheaper if they're so concerned about obesity!

Sunday, August 19, 2007, 7:35 PM

Hopefully more and more schools will get on the healthful food bandwagon, but it all comes down to money, unfortunately. It stinks water costs more than soda or juice (which is just as bad - calorie and sugar-wise) but it is what it is. It's still the best thing for you and if you're going to unload up to $2 on a beverage, better to do it on water than liquid calories.

Sunday, August 19, 2007, 8:18 PM

Why is anyone STILL paying for bottled water? Buy a water bottle and a water filter and you are set. I bought a PUR pitcher water filter and it tastes sooo much better (actually there is no taste at all) than the water I get from the water cooler at work.

Monday, August 20, 2007, 5:02 AM

Weighing in on the side of the OP, here: I'm a vegetarian (no expensive meat!), I don't eat out, I rarely eat a non-fruit dessert, and my food, which is mostly raw and cooked fresh vegetables I prepare at home, with plenty of rice and beans, costs about $600/month when I add up the grocery bills. That works out to $20 day. Some of that is organic, and some of it is not. The bottom line is that if you are going to cook fresh vegetables, they ARE expensive. And they are MORE expensive at the farmer's market than elsewhere.

Monday, August 20, 2007, 10:38 AM

I've wondered why so many of the poor folks in the u.s. are overweight. Wealthy people are thinner. How does this track back to the cost of junk food vs. healthy food?

Thursday, December 13, 2007, 1:23 AM

um simple. Those fit welathy people can afford to buy healthier food with a shorter shelf life and hire personal trainers. Or get surgery.

Lots of overweight people are malnourished.

Thursday, December 13, 2007, 3:27 AM

Yes, I get what you're saying. Some healthy foods are expensive compared to cheap junk. I stock up at Costco and Trader Joes, and choose lower cost fruits and veggies. There are veggies that are very expensive - but many of the most common are inexpensive for the most part - carrots, cabbage, celery, onions, brocolli at Costco. I even buy frozen veggies in large bags to put in casserole and soups and stews. I take advantage of what's on sale - and there's always something. Eating what's in season helps sometimes. Bulk goods like brown rice, oatmeal, and beans or split peas are inexpensive, even canned beans are a relative bargain. I check the weekly sale flyers and might run in to a store just for a bargain on red peppers or bananas. I have a big freezer in the garage and stock up on good stuff on sale. I make all our own food and I would say I spend less than $100 a week for all meals for two people lunches included.

Thursday, December 13, 2007, 7:33 AM

this is an example of a daily meal from a school book in southern africa.
Meal plan for a day:
Breakfast: Mealie (maize) meal with milk , or an egg with bread
Lunch: peanut butter sandwich and a fruit, for example, a banana
Supper: Baked beans or lentils or samp and beans with pilchards and some
raw salad.
THERE IS NO REASON FOR POOR PEOPLE TO BE MALNOURISHED IN AMERICA!!

Thursday, December 13, 2007, 9:03 AM

Everything is so expensive right now - it's crazy.

I'm guessing there's some middle ground. And there's more to the issue of obesity than just economics and being able to afford trainers and organic food.

With your average, overweight family - if they took all the money they spent on the junk food and high calorie beverages in the house and eating out - and I have to think the quantity is excessive, too - and put that toward better food (in smaller quantities) then that would have to help with some offset some of the cost.

Thursday, December 13, 2007, 10:08 AM

7:33, your average poor person can't afford the costco membership. Your average poor person may not be willing to take the bus to the grocer just for bananas. Where I live, food flyers come in the local newspaper, which many poor folk don't have delivered. And many of them have little experience in the kitchen, and don't know how to prepare foods like beans or oatmeal when there's no instructions on the bag.

10:08 I hope you're not assuming that hohos pop and McD's are why the average overweight family is overweight. The average middle class family perhaps but I can assure you, I can buy fish sticks and chicken fingers cheaper than I can buy chicken breast and fish, fries as cheap as potatoes, 2 boxes of cookies for the cost of a bag of apples (and which is going to store longer???)

Thursday, December 13, 2007, 11:20 AM

FArm raised salmon

But wait! Farm-raised salmon is no deal. Puhleaze, stay away from farmed fish. Friends do not let friends eat farmed fish. Farmed salmon is filled with crap they have to feed the fish in order for them to look like a nice healthy salmon caught in icy deep water.

Better to never eat salmon again, then to eat farmed salmon.

Thursday, December 13, 2007, 11:32 AM

I completely agree with the OP--when a bottle of water is 1.98 and a bottle of pop is 1.25. When the average price of apples right now in our state is 1.57 a pound, but i can buy a box of hoho's for 2.00. And to buy organic is even more expensive! If you want wholesome foods, you pay for it.

Thursday, December 13, 2007, 11:37 AM

I certainly don't mean to be rude...really, I don't... but it seems to me that people who say eating healthy can be inexpensive have never tried living on MY budget. I'm not using this as an excuse, in fact I do manage to eat fairly healthy because it is a priority to me but it is HARD. When my budget is stretched super thin, it's very tempting to me to buy a huge case of namen noodles (refined grain, trans fat, loaded with salt) for my kids because they love them and I would be paying less than 10 cents per filling meal. It's hard to pass that up and buy whole wheat noodles, veggies, and beans to make a complete stirfry meal. While this stirfry meal seems affordable, it's not the MOST affordable choice available. I make the heathy choice because it's important to me. I believe it's the single most important thing I can do with my money.

I just wanted to point out that people living under financial pressure DO have to make a conscious choice to eat healthy or eat cheap.

Thursday, December 13, 2007, 12:39 PM

11:20 - 2 boxes of cookies for the cost of apples is kind of my point. Large quantity of cookies vs. smaller quanity of something else that's a better choice.

Bottom line - the issue isn't as simple as chicken fingers cost less than chicken breasts.

Thursday, December 13, 2007, 1:46 PM

yes, but that bag of apples won't last as long on the shelf. If those apples don't all get eaten, money is wasted. However, cookies don't go bad, and cookies are always eaten.

Thursday, December 13, 2007, 2:38 PM

Cookies aren't the enemy. I think it's the issue of quantity and overeating. I could eat only beans and rice, but if I eat too much I'm going to be overweight. A person can buy all the processed goodies, and fish sticks, and Chef Boyardee they want and still eat only enough to maintain their weight.

What's being argued here, exactly? I'm confused. Is it that people can't afford to eat fewer calories than they need? Seems like eating less food would be a money saver no matter what foods you buy.
.

Thursday, December 13, 2007, 2:50 PM

PP, not all of us think that calories are the only things that determine weightloss. The point of this thread (since you seemed to have missed it) is that healthy food is more expensive than unhelathy food. I don't care how many calories are in a food, I don't think store bought cookies, chef boyardee or fishsticks are healthy.

Some of us are more interested in being healthy than skinny.

Thursday, December 13, 2007, 4:11 PM

I think the issue is that everyone is analyzing for one or two people. I got into a huge fight with my high school health teacher over this. Most families in the US today will not eat healthy food because it is more expensive and there's more people to feed. Is an apple cheaper than a bag of cheetos? yes, but a bag of cheetos is cheaper than a bag of apples and lets face it, it's not quality people look for, it's quantity.

Thursday, December 13, 2007, 4:32 PM

When my brother was in college he told me about all the things he was learning. He was studying to be an athletic trainer. He told me about how malnurished poor people are because of all the cheep foods they eat. He also said, and it hasn't left my mind for years, "Obesity is a disease of the poor".

When my husband and I chose to eat organic foods, we knew we would be paying more for groceries, but that it would be totally worth it. Instead of paying $80 at the grocery store, now we pay about $100. We could probably eat a little cheaper, but not much. We don't mind paying more because health is one of our top priorities.

BTW, I work in a very wealthy area, and most rich people are thin!

Thursday, December 13, 2007, 4:59 PM

I live in Los Angeles and the city council has recently forbidden all fast food chains from constructing new stores in 3 of the poorest areas of the city although the Subway chain has been given the green light. I believe there is a link between obesity and poverty - ironic as that might sound. But capitalism is all about supply and demand. People aren't standing in line for apples and granola, they want greasy fries and burgers. Once folks start seeing the benefits they'll reap from healthy eating then they'll demand more healthy options, there will be more competition and prices go down. Imagine fresh produce store on every corner rather than dingy fast food places. They may say I'm a dreamer, but - you know the song.

Thursday, December 13, 2007, 6:37 PM

Are we saying poor people or those of limited means are destined to be fat? They have no choice or control over it? Cookies, chicken nuggets and chips are they're only choices? And the suburbs are filled with overweight and obese people. They're not poor - what's they're excuse?

It's so interesting that the idea that there are low cost alternatives to fatty, sugary, high calorie foods sets off such a firestorm of debate.

Thursday, December 13, 2007, 6:54 PM

I don't think it's really a debate. The percentage of upper-middle class and the rich are not struggling with their weight (as a whole). They eat the best foods.

Thursday, December 13, 2007, 8:54 PM

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