Chapter 7
There is no longer just one food pyramid for all; there are 12 individually tailored models for different age groups and men versus women. Along with these differing food pyramids, Oldways Preservation and Exchange Trust of Cambridge, MA developed food pyramids for different cultural groups including; Mediterranean, Asian, and Latino Diet Pyramids that incorporate habits of various cultural groups in the United States.
The main difference between these pyramids and the standard USDA Pyramid is that the culturally diverse pyramids illustrate proportions of food to be consumed and not exact serving sizes. Also, the Oldways pyramids show foods specific to the different cultures and suggest consumption amounts over a period of 2 to 3 days, weeks, or even months in contrast to the USDA guide. These different guides highlight the fact that what we often is deeply tied to our cultural background. Because the United States full of people from many various cultures, it is important to recognize the differences in health and diet among different cultures. What may be healthiest and best for one may not be for another because different cultures have different beliefs about what should be eaten.
Day 1:
Healthy Food Menus
Breakfast:
-Bowl of Kashi “Go Lean Crunch” with a cup of skim milk ($4.00)
-1 Banana (.54 cents per pound)
-2 cups of Orange Juice ($1.89)
Lunch:
-1 large salad with tomatoes, onions, romaine lettuce, cucumber slices, and low fat Italian dressing (about $6.00)
-1 granola bar (box = $5.26)
-2 cups of water apple juice ($1.89)
Dinner:
-1 half-cup whole-wheat spaghetti with one-forth cup organic marinara sauce and two ounces ground turkey. ($3.19 + 6.95 + 8.89)
-2 cups cooked green vegetables such as asparagus, spinach or broccoli ($3.05)
Total = About $41.66
Junk Food Menu
Breakfast:
-1 Pop-Tart ($3.09)
-1 Coca-Cola ($1.00)
Lunch:
-1 Big Mac Meal with fries (5.99)
-1 Large Dr. Pepper ($1.00)
Dinner:
-2 Hot Dogs ($4.32)
-Oreos ($3.06)
-2 Beers ($2.99)
Total = $21.45
Day 2:
Healthy Food Menu
Breakfast:
-1 Bowl of Kashi “Go Lean Crunch”
-1 Banana
-One Cup of Orange Juice
Lunch:
-1 Bowl of Amy’s Lentil Soup
-5-6 Wheat Thins with Humus
-1 Cup of V8 Juice
Dinner:
-One Cup of Broccoli
-1 Chicken Breast
-One Cup of Organic Wild Grain Rice
-2 Cups of Water
Junk Food Menu
Breakfast:
-2 Bowls of Capitan Crunch
-1 Coca Cola
Lunch:
-6 Chicken Nuggets
-2 Servings of French Fries
-1 Cup of Soda
Dinner:
-3 Beef Tacos
-Several Servings of Nachos
-2 Beers
Day 3:
Healthy Food Menu
Breakfast:
-Organic Yogurt with Granola and Berries
-1 Cup of V8 Juice
Lunch:
-Sandwich with whole wheat bread, low fat cheese, turkey, and light mayo
-1 Glass of Water
-1 Banana
Dinner:
-Tofu stir-fry with organic frozen vegetables, silken tofu, and light teriyaki sauce
-1/2 Cup of white rice
-1 glass of red wine
Junk Food Menu
Breakfast:
-2 Bowls of Capitan Crunch
-1 Soda
Lunch:
-2 Slices of pizza
-3 pieces of garlic bread
-1 Soda
Dinner:
-1 Hamburger
-6 cookies
-1 Cup of water
Day 4:
Healthy Food Menu
Breakfast:
-Organic yogurt with berries and granola
-1 cup of orange juice
Lunch:
-Wheat thins with hummus
-1 Cup of Broccoli
-1 Cup of V8 Juice
Dinner:
-1 Cup of green beans
-2 Servings of organic wild grain rice
-1 Chicken breast
-1 cup of water
Junk Food Menu
Breakfast:
-2 Pop-Tarts
-1 Cup of water
Lunch:
-Chicken Sandwich with mayo and white bread
-Large serving of French fries (about 1 cup)
-1 Soda
Dinner:
-3 Slices of pizza
-5 Cookies
-1 cup of water
Day 5:
Healthy Food Menu
Breakfast:
-1 Bowl of Kashi “Go Lean Crunch”
-1 Banana
Lunch:
-1 Large Salad with low fat Italian dressing
-1 Organic granola bar
-1 Glass of V8 juice
Dinner:
-1 Serving of whole grain pasta with low fat organic marinara sauce
-1 Cup of broccoli
-1 cup of skim milk
Junk Food Menu
Breakfast:
-2 Pop Tarts
Lunch:
-1 Big Mac Meal with Fries
-1 Milk Shake
Dinner:
-3 Slices of Pizza
-2 Tacos
-1 Beer
Total for Healthy Food Menu = Around $208.03
Total for Junk Food Menu = Around $105.50
It is clear that it is much more expensive to eat a healthy diet than a poor diet consisting of primarily junk food. It costs almost twice as much to eat healthy than to eat food of lower nutritional quality. It is obvious that although people of low socioeconomic status may want to make good food choices, it may not be possible for them to spend such a great amount of money on food for their family per week. With bills to pay and children to feed, it would be difficult for the lower class community to justify spending such an absurd amount of money on healthy, expensive food. Therefore, it makes sense that those of low SES are often unhealthy and in poor shape due to their diet made up primarily of junk food. It is important for these people to be educated on the importance of eating healthy and how it will greatly benefit themselves and their families. We should work to create healthy, low-cost menus for the lower class so that they can still eat properly while saving money.
I also found that the healthy diet cost more than the junk diet. However, my difference was much less than yours and my overall budgets for each diet were also less. I found that using canned or frozen fruits and vegetables can drastically reduce cost while still providing the needed nutrition. I also tried to use Walmart brand or off-brand products, which typically taste the same as the name brand version. I think that both of these alternatives can be used by people of lower socioeconomic status to stretch their budgets and eat a healthier diet.
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ReplyDeleteLike you I also had a large difference between my healthy food costs and junk food costs (around $50). However, I tried to not only make a health menu, but to try to make it as cheap as possible. I found that other than the cost effective techniques that Kelly listed above, the following ways to cut costs also worked: 1) Use coupons to purchase the sometimes more expensive healthier alternatives and 2) Buy ingredients than can used for than one meal each week. Some people do not care to eat leftovers, but if you're trying to eat healthier on a budget they help reduce costs tremendously.
ReplyDeleteYour findings for the differences between the cost of a healthy diet and a poor diet make sense. Where did you find these prices? Did you select top brand names, or did you select the less expensive store brands? Most healthy food choices are more expensive, but I was able to find some Kroger Brand healthy food items that were significally less expensive than some of the name brand junk foods. Most grocery stores also have no charge for membership, such as the Kroger Plus Card or the Food Lion VIP Card. I believe if people of lower SES and lower education were provided with knowledge on how to look for healthy but less expensive store brand foods, they could eat healthier and save some money.
ReplyDeleteMy post on healthy versus unhealthy food was similar to yours. I found that it was a great deal more expensive to eat healthy due to the high price of nutritional foods. Both of our unhealthy list included junk foods such as hamburgers, fries, chicken nuggets, and pizza. I liked how you included the beverages for each meal as well. I did not think about that. Listing beer and other alcoholic beverages was also smart because these drinks are not beneficial to one's health. It is important for people of lower socioeconomic statuses to have access to the same nutritional foods as everyone else, regardless of how much money they have.
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