Some miscellaneous gripes

I just got back from a mega-shopping at the Tivoli Giant (which I love - it's brand new has free parking and is much less IGNANT than the O St Giant)

I spent a small fortune. My diet has always been pretty decent. But lately I have been on a decidely healthier kick (accompanied by working out again) and eating a lot more fresh fruits and vegetables. I'm not complaining - all of the work is starting to pay off and my waist is slimming...

But my grocery bills are BULGING! Why is it that nutritious, healthy food costs like 3x "conventional" food? Seriously! Just trying to find stuff without trans-fats is bad enough but trying to knock out high-fructore corn syrup (which I knew was in everything but really it's in EVERYTHING - start reading labels... you'll see) is a killer. Basically it costs big bucks to not eat like crap.

But that is so out of reach of so many people out there. I think it's no wonder why this country is so obese and rife with health problems. If you are poor or low-income - the difference between eating good food versus processed food could be not eating a meal or two a day! So in order to stay full and not go hungry these people have no choice (really they are forced to either price out of their budget or cut down on food intake) so they do what they think is the practical thing to do - and end up with all sorts of maladies as a result. That sucks!

Case in point - you can do something at Giant to feed a hungry family. $7.99 or something will feed a whole family of four... Sounds good right? Small price to pay... But it's largely CRAP. Mac & Cheese, processed rice, high sugar granola bars etc.

And it's not just po' folks either. Us people in middle income (especially the grad student/underpaid university worker types) need to watch budgets carefully. I for one am really pulling back from my old spending habits (which were never lavish by any standards) and clipping coupons, search for bargains, buying smartly and in bulk etc... I've had to really force myself to buy more expensive items (which is CONTRARY to my Yankee sense of frugality) because they are better for me.

So sad how socio-economics is making our fellow Americans fatter, sicker and at risk for disease. When are we going to do something about it?