Everywhere we look there are articles about America’s “Obesity Epidemic” and the rise of Type 2 diabetes in children. We are finding that it is the low income population that struggles the most with obesity, so why are obesity and Type 2 diabetes so closely related to low incomes in this country?
The simple truth is expressed clearly by George Orwell in The Road to Wigan Pier, his book about the grinding poverty experienced in the North of England in the 1930s:
“The peculiar evil is this: that the less money you have, the less inclined you feel to spend it on wholesome food … When you are unemployed, which is to say when you are underfed, harassed, bored, and miserable, you don’t want to eat dull wholesome food. You want something a little bit “tasty.” There is always some cheaply pleasant thing to tempt you. Let’s have a three pennorth of chips! Run out and buy us a two-penny ice cream! Put the kettle on and we’ll all have a nice cup of tea … Unemployment is an endless misery that has got to be palliated.”
This simple truth, that people want to eat tasty food, is why our goal, with SuperFood Drive is to increase the amount of delicious and nutritious food items that end up in the hands (and mouths) of those in need. Together with educating the community about what types of foods to donate (whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, fruit, vegetables, etc), we are putting a focus on educating recipients on not only why eating healthy is important, but also how to turn a food bank meal into a gourmet meal. All it takes is some spices and creativity and you can turn your bland rice or lentils into a brown rice/lentil pilaf with dried cranberries and pecans or tuna and pasta in to a whole wheat macaroni tuna salad (with salt, pepper, dried basil and thyme). Add cinnamon, walnuts and dried blueberries to your rolled oats in the morning and now we’re talking tasty!
Tags: food, healthy food, low income, nutrient, nutritious, tasty
childhood obesity…
I found Food bank food can be tasty too! ” SuperFood Drive on Wednesday when I was looking for stuff on childhood obesity. Thank heavens that there are so many people out there taking this seriously now. It’s already too late for a lot of people bu…