bite my words

Dispelling nutrition myths, ranting, and occasionally, raving

Tag Archives: poverty


by 4 Comments

Food bank fare

http://www.cbc.ca/ns/community/blog/2012/11/27/foodtree.jpg

I was at the grocery store on the weekend and as I was leaving I noticed a display in support of our local food bank. It was one of those pre-made packages where you pay something like $5 and items to feed a family of four are donated to the food bank. I didn’t get a very close look at all of the contents but I did notice a package of Kraft Dinner. Perhaps it’s the dietitian in me. Perhaps I’m too much of a food snob. Whatever the reason, the inclusion of Kraft Dinner in this package really bothered me.

Kraft Dinner is pretty inexpensive. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen boxes of it on sale for $.99 before, possibly even less than that. Even when it’s full-price I think it’s only marginally more than that. Wouldn’t it be better to donate something that food bank users might have more difficulty purchasing? Perhaps something with a little bit more nutrition, and something which doesn’t necessitate the purchase of other more expensive foods (i.e. milk and butter or margarine) to prepare? Why not buy some pasta and a jar of sauce, for example.

Pick up an extra (or extras) of something that you’re buying for yourself or your family, rather than relying on the prepackaged selection in the store. Some other nutritious non-perishable items include: whole grain crackers or cereals, canned tuna or salmon, canned beans, powdered milk or shelf-stable milk, nut butters, canned fruit (in juice or water), canned vegetables. Even better, donate money directly to the food bank so that they can purchase fresh food for their customers. Spices and condiments are also a much neglected category when it comes to foods banks. Think how much better you can make the most basic meal taste if you have some herbs and pepper.

Think outside the blue box of orange pasta when donating to the food bank.


by Leave a comment

Nutritious Food For All!

After taking yesterday off in a show of support for the SOPA/PIPA protest I’m glad to be back!

For some reason this letter to the editor made it into one of the daily digests of nutrition articles I receive. Although I am not entirely sure what his point was I still felt compelled to comment on a few of the statements he made. He mentions that many seniors are able to eat healthy diets on meagre pensions. This is not, in fact true. Many seniors living on pensions or government benefits are struggling with food security. In Ontario we do an annual costing of a “nutritious food basket” which we then use to determine if particular families and individuals are able to afford a basic nutritious diet. These results consistently show that seniors are one of the populations that may be unable to afford a basic diet. In addition, as dietitians we often hear about seniors surviving on a diet of “tea and toast.”
The author seems to be implying that because seniors can afford a nutritious diet with a limited income that those living on disability pensions or other forms of social assistance must be mismanaging their funds if they are unable to afford a basic nutritious diet. He also mentions that there are people working multiple jobs who are still living in poverty. This is an unfortunate perception that I hear all too often, that there’s a “deserving” poor and an “undeserving” poor. People should not be categorised into deserving and undeserving. No one wants to live in poverty. Everyone deserves the right to a basic nutritious diet. Unfortunately, there are many people in Canada (nearly 10% of the population) who, for various reasons, are unable to afford a basic nutritious diet. Letters like this only serve to further perpetuate negative stereotypes.


by Leave a comment

Food security

Contrary to popular belief, not all dietitians work in hospitals or client counseling settings. I work in public health and my primary program area is food security. Even when talking about food security with colleagues in different positions I’m met with constant confusion. No, it’s not about locking up our food and protecting it from terrorists. It’s about making sure that everyone is free from hunger. That everyone has access to nutritious, affordable, safe, personally and culturally acceptable foods at all times. And that these foods are accessible in a way that maintains human dignity. Many Canadians are affected by food insecurity. It’s a continuum, and it’s not usually a constant state of being. Some people are food secure at certain times of month, or year, and not at other times. According to the most recent Stats Can data 7.7% of households in Canada were food insecure at some time between 2007 and 2008. Food insecurity can have a direct impact on health. Without a nutritious diet people are more likely to suffer from chronic diseases, have poor birth outcomes, and perform poorly at work and/or school. Food costs are going up, as are many other expenses (such as gas, rent, and utilities) which can impact on the ability to purchase adequate healthy food. Food banks, soup kitchens, and meal programs provide some immediate relief but they are not a long term answer to the core problem, poverty. We need widespread systemic changes in our food systems, social assistance programs, and minimum wage rates. Everyone deserves the right to afford a nutritious diet.

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 528 other followers