tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4669538441242490462.post197795397714568527..comments2023-09-29T21:57:46.971+10:00Comments on Suburban Jubilee: What Value Do We Really Place On Food?Tanya Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04867118885094628168noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4669538441242490462.post-32213617747313775662012-10-06T10:30:05.317+10:002012-10-06T10:30:05.317+10:00I wasn't really shocked that the U.S. has such...I wasn't really shocked that the U.S. has such cheap food prices. Most of our staples (milk, corn) are highly subsidized by the government and grown on big corporate agriculture farms that over use the land and get paid by the tax payers for the glut. Having the $ to afford local foods, that are more expensive .. but accurately priced to allow the small farmer some income, makes you really choose where you will spend your $ for nutrient dense foods (fresh whole milk, grass fed beef, pastured pork/chickens). Our gov't is too entrenched in signing up people on public assistance programs that there is SO much abuse it would make your head spin. This has led to second, and third generations of people not able or willing to do what it takes to put food on the table .. not any reason to 'get off the welfare' system when they can re-qualify over and over again. Self defeating. In days past there was a social stigma that went with being on welfare. If you had it, you didn't want it for long. That is not true today. Top this off with our weak economy and prolonged high unemployment, we have a big mess. Mrs. Machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06644129213141875138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4669538441242490462.post-40499788931701146242012-10-05T15:17:11.569+10:002012-10-05T15:17:11.569+10:00Wow! Did I write THAT MUCH?? I hope you don't ...Wow! Did I write THAT MUCH?? I hope you don't mind...sorry.Naturally Carolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15999271127735997770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4669538441242490462.post-2304942470954003292012-10-05T15:15:23.175+10:002012-10-05T15:15:23.175+10:00Hi Tanya, I've visited Frugal Girl and had a l...Hi Tanya, I've visited Frugal Girl and had a little play on the map and a few points occurred to me. I really agree with Frugal Girl's comments about being reticent to pay more for a good cut of meat or better quality food generally and then spending heaps on inferior food via take aways. I've done that myself...I think it is the social aspect, pressure from kids, a spontaneous meal with friends and being tired that are the cause of this in my household. The best roast wouldn't necessarily solve this one. I was touched by a programme I saw recently that talked about poor people being more overweight than well off people due to them eating poorer cuts of meat..fattier ones and more bread and fried foods. Noteably all of those crumbed shaped things in the supermarket meat aisle are very cheap...but calorie dense. The only healthy option as I see it is to buy in season, on special and with an eye to variety, freshness and price...and when you are not well off, sometimes the vigilence needed is not there when you're tired. The food map..they probably assume we're all on the 'average wage' which hardly anybody is..I think Aussies are often spending far more than ten point something percent on their food bill, especially if you have a larger household...more like at least twenty percent. What do you think? By the way I am also of the opinion that due to the high Aussie dollar other countries are getting as much as they can out of us with their exports and some items sell for very much less in the countries of origin.Naturally Carolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15999271127735997770noreply@blogger.com