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Alexandria is right that some people can't afford anything other than the cheapest food. Coupons are only for processed food -- you don't get a coupon for "buy 1 lb. carrots, get a pound free!" More like "50 cents off Red Baron frozen pizza".

It's true that none of us, rich or poor, should eat based on taste. Many things that simply taste good are horrible for you. High Fructose Corn Syrup-laden soda and MSG-loaded flavored potato chips come to mind. Those things aren't cheap, either!

Moving on to the world in general (NOT speaking about Alexandria here!  :wink:)...

In fact, many poor people eat MUCH WORSE than they need to. I've seen countless poor families load up their carts at Wal-mart with junk food, potato chips, cases of soda, blue/green/red jugs of artificial drinks (0% fruit juice) and so forth. Some even go so far as to buy alcohol and cigarettes! They certainly can't blame their bad health on their income, since many of those things cost QUITE A BIT! Some people are even dumb enough to buy single serve packages of food/snacks/drinks.

Just like there's no excuse for a poor person's house to look like a dump. Throwing away garbage doesn't cost you anything. Bleach/water/newspaper/paper towels are pretty cheap. If you can't afford paper towels, use old towels or rags. Go to garage sales and buy old clothes and use those to clean. It doesn't cost ANYTHING to pick up a broom and dustpan, or to put your used clothes in a box or hamper or something. Baking soda is dirt cheap, and will solve cat urine and other odor problems. When there's a will there's a way. Some people just "don't care" (they don't have the will to live clean) but decent people WILL care.

I even believe it's charitable to dab some baking soda under your armpits if you're going to forego deodorant as a penance -- there's giving up vanity, and then there's consideration/charity for others! Baking soda is a perfect compromise -- you smell neutral, but you don't smell fragrant. Baking soda is dirt cheap.

Padre Pio lived under the vow of poverty -- but you can bet his cell wouldn't have been described as a "s###hole" or a dump. It was simple, spartan, frugal, poor -- but there's never an excuse for "dirty". He didn't have food crusts on the floor, old pizza boxes, stinky robes from last week in piles on the floor, piles of junk on his desk -- you get the picture.

We aren't supposed to scandalize our clean Puritan-protestant brethren. Being Catholic doesn't mean living in chaos, disorder, filth and germs. The Jesuits actually dealt with THIS VERY PROBLEM when they tried to evangelize India. The Portuguese ate more meat (and had body odor to reflect this) and didn't bathe much. The Indians bathed often and ate a completely different diet. It was a huge (and un-necessary) obstacle for the Indians' conversion to the Catholic Faith.

Read about Roberto De Nobili:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberto_de_Nobili

Matthew

Quote from: EcceAgnusDei

Quote from: Alexandria

How long will you be prolonging your life by eating this way?

Some people barely eke out an existence as it is and simply cannot afford to spend any more money on food because there is no more to spend.

Some people have no medical insurance and, by the time they find out that they have a life-threatening disease, they will only have a matter of weeks to live.

Not to attack you, just to give you another perspective on things.

It doesn't matter what you do or don't eat.  You can't change what the Eternal Father has deemed for you.   :pop:

You also have free will and you can choose to eat twinkies every day and sit on the couch or exercise and eat healthy food. God might factor that into your plan or if he doesn't you'll just have to live the length of life God planned for you very sick/unhealthy. So really, eating healthy is worth it and so is spending that extra money for the best quality you can afford. It really makes a difference.

I knew that my post would be misunderstood and shouldn't have gotten involved in this.

Such are the times in which we live.

I understood you perfectly dear.   I've always tried to eat healthy and raised my children the same.  But sometimes, outside or even inside influences (husband) don't help. But that aside, as whole foods become trendy, they become expensive.  I never thought they I would see the day, that dry pinto beans would cost over a dollar a pound, ouch!  When the food budget is small, the best way to go, is ethnic grocery store shopping. Those expensive grocery store pintos are half the cost at the Latino market.  Low sodium soy at an Asian market is the same price for a liter than the eight ounce bottle at your local supermarket. Farmers' market are good options, but even cheaper than that, roadside stands.   If you can, grow your own. I grow enough tomatoes, beans, and hot peppers in a very small backyard to put up for the winter.   There's always a way around most things darling, you just have to find it.   And a few prayers don't hurt either.    

Personally, I think we have all become overly obsessed with our food.  We are spending far too much time worrying about whether this will kill you, if this has pesticides, if these are grown with hormones, if this, if that.  Enough.  For most of us that live on a very tight budget and/or food stamps, we have very few choices.  We simply cannot purchase fresh fish 5 days a week at the local market.  Last week I bought fresh Alaskan Whitefish.  It was $20 just for two of us.  I can't afford organic anything unless it's on sale and even then I'm not certain it's that much better.  What I can do is buy my produce from local farmers, which is what we do in the growing season.  That is quickly coming to a close.  We have also eliminated all junk food and sodas.  We don't eat out unless we absolutely must.  When I can, I buy whole chickens which usually aren't pumped up with hormones to make 4lb breasts.  I don't buy ANY prepackaged food like macaroni and cheese, boxed rice, boxed potatoes, etc.  I do buy prepackaged pasta noodles though.  I make my own bread, except for sandwich loaves because I can get that cheaper.  I buy dried or fresh beans.  We purchase our eggs from a friend who has a farm--I only buy grocery store eggs if necessary.  We can buy fresh milk here, but it is very expensive.  We can't afford $40 a week for milk.  

We are totally aware that the food industry in America is a product of government intervention and big corporations.  It's suppressive to the poor.  It's one sin that cries out to heaven for vengeance.  God will hear our cries.  Until then, we must all do the best we can.  But we can not stop paying our mortgage to buy expensive food so that we can live healthier lives.  We must do the best we can, try harder, think rationally, and pray to God to end this insanity.  

Buy local when you can.  Stop frequenting McDonald's, Burger King, Applebee's, etc.  Grow a garden.  Befriend people with farms.  Plan carefully.