The Hunger Issue

While I am no longer surprised about the unfortunate situation regarding the lack of food (especially healthy food) in this country, I don't think I will ever be comfortable with it. When I look at this article and think about the children that I interact with on a daily basis, I feel like there is something that we can do.

Knowing that more farmer's markets are accepting SNAP as a form of payment is a great step in the right direction. They are combating the rat race of feeding impoverished families unhealthy foods. As the article suggests, the most affordable foods are the ones that are not good for you. They come pre-packaged and loaded with sodium, mostly for preservation purposes. Realistically, it is difficult for a family of four to eat well-balanced meals everyday with $200 in food stamps if they are buying fresh meats, fruits, and vegetables. It is more economical for them to buy the unhealthy inferior goods.

Aside from cost and accessibility to these foods, there is another issue that plagues some families regarding healthy eating options and that is time for preparation. Many families below the poverty line have parent(s), sibling(s), guardian(s), etc. that must work long hours which doesn't provide much time to prepare a quality meal. After 12 hours of work it is quicker (and quite frankly a lot easier) to throw a TV dinner in a microwave than to actually cook a full meal. Quick dinners, frozen foods, packaged foods, and processed foods serve as a relief to many families as it saves time and energy.

The solution to this problem is multifaceted. As a start, healthy foods should continue to become more accessible. Once families know that they can get it, they may begin to consider other food options. After they know that it is there, we have to make it affordable. That means either give out more SNAP to families that receive it or lower prices of the foods that they should eat. Given the state of our economy, option 2 is probably more likely.