GhettoRacingKid
Sous Chef
while a health club helps and you can excersie more muscle groups.
Last time i checked taking a walk or jog around town was free.
Poor People Can't Afford Healthy Food?
- Thread starter GrillingFool
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
- Status
while a health club helps and you can excersie more muscle groups.
Last time i checked taking a walk or jog around town was free.
Dina
Executive Chef
I totally agree with you. When we were young, mother used to walk to the nearby grocery store with my siblings and I to get our groceries. That was basically our exercise since we weren't school aged kids yet. Although it was a humble and safe neighborhood where we grew up, mom wouldn't allow us outside much unless she was out there watching us. So in essence we didn't get much exercise as a normal 3-5 year old should have. Our groceries consisted mostly of red meats, chicken, rice, beans, vegetables and fruits. Mom would make sure that the first 5 foods listed had a good helping of oil or butter. Ick! Oh but it was SO good back then and we didn't even know the difference. One thing that was never missing from our table were FLOUR tortillas...not good. We were not fat kids but more on the pudgy side...lol
On the other hand, DH and his 3 siblings were raised by the ocean in Central America. Their diets consisted of fresh seafood everyday and lots of their local fruits and vegetables. They had the beach nearby to swim and run all over. He had a very healthy lifestyle by just living near the ocean.
Now that we have our family, an education and higher income, I have better knowledge of what a healthy lifestyle consists of. I make sure my family gets a good nutrition and exercise in their daily lives. We have a very safe neighborhood with beautiful scenic trails to exercise. They're all involved in some type of sport in school as well. I try to get whole grain pastas, rice, breads and baking flours. Add more seafood, poultry and lean cuts of meat WITHOUT extra added oils when cooked. Lots of fresh fruits and veggies (sometimes steamed NOT covered in butter) and salads with no added fats. I think that a lot has to do with being conscious and educated of what we consume and how we prepare foods as well as the area where we live.
When you are worried about how you are going to pay the electric bill and where the rent money is going to come from this month and how on earth you are going to be able to buy school clothes and whether or not they are going to reposess your car and will the gas company wait another month and will I still have a job tomorrow...nutrition kind of takes a back seat. "Comfort food", isn't notorious for being nutritious.
DramaQueen
Head Chef
I just came back from the grocery store where I saw something I've seen very often and had to post about it. The family in front of me had food stamps, a load of the most outrageous junk food AND a carton of cigarettes and 2 six packs of Budweiser. Now I understand that the food stamps can't be used for the cigarettes or beer but don't you think that at nearly $5 per pack for cigarettes and whatever beer costs, these very overweight people could buy something more nutritional? Notice how many of them smoke next time you see this. Being poor doesn't make you fat.
DramaQueen
Head Chef
Sorry to disagree but comfort food is some of the most nutrional food you can eat. Chicken and dumplings, chicken soup with veggies, meatloaf, pot roast, I could go on but you get the idea. People tend to load their freezers with the "on sale" TV dinners, burritos, tacos, pizza, bisquits and sausage gravy, and some other horrific stuff with no nutrional value. They're cheap and they're quick and they're garbage.
I've never thought of chicken and dumplings, as being good for you. Mine certainly isn't, it's loaded with sodium and it's high in fat but it sure does taste good! And then there's the mashed potatoes with gravy and mac and cheese...well, maybe some folks recipes are "healthy" but mine are geared more towards taste and less towards nutrition. Which is fine as long as all things are in moderation.
DramaQueen
Head Chef
Chicken and dumplings are made from scratch so you add the sodium yourself. Why do you have so much? Trim the fat from the chicken. As for the mac and cheese, cheese is not unhealthy. Just don't load it on. Everything in moderation, including moderation.
BreezyCooking
Washing Up
I totally agree with DramaQueen.
Unless you're making your "Chicken & Dumplings" & "Mac & Cheese" from some commercial mix, where exactly is all that fat & sodium coming from? From YOU!!
I don't add salt to ANYTHING. If we feel something definitely needs a dash of salt, we add it at the table. And as for fat - that's definitely something you can control during the cooking process. You just need to educate yourself a little better Mama.
Unless you're making your "Chicken & Dumplings" & "Mac & Cheese" from some commercial mix, where exactly is all that fat & sodium coming from? From YOU!!
I don't add salt to ANYTHING. If we feel something definitely needs a dash of salt, we add it at the table. And as for fat - that's definitely something you can control during the cooking process. You just need to educate yourself a little better Mama.
Ouch!
Southern dumplings are made from flour, shortening or lard, and buttermilk. The salt brings out the flavor. I know there are a lot of places around the country that call thick noodles dumplings but down here in the south, a dumpling is a big 'ol clump of biscuity goodness. As far as mac and cheese, sure I could use skim milk and low fat cheese and fake butter but it just doesn't taste good. I like to use cheddar cheese...have you looked a the nutrition facts for cheddar cheese? 532 calories per cup with 385 of those calories coming from fat with 820 mg of sodium. 1 tablespoon of butter is 100 calories with 100 calories coming from fat. 1 biscuit is 357 calories 148 of those from fat with 586 mg of sodium.
I think I need to steer clear of this thread.
Southern dumplings are made from flour, shortening or lard, and buttermilk. The salt brings out the flavor. I know there are a lot of places around the country that call thick noodles dumplings but down here in the south, a dumpling is a big 'ol clump of biscuity goodness. As far as mac and cheese, sure I could use skim milk and low fat cheese and fake butter but it just doesn't taste good. I like to use cheddar cheese...have you looked a the nutrition facts for cheddar cheese? 532 calories per cup with 385 of those calories coming from fat with 820 mg of sodium. 1 tablespoon of butter is 100 calories with 100 calories coming from fat. 1 biscuit is 357 calories 148 of those from fat with 586 mg of sodium.
I think I need to steer clear of this thread.
GrantsKat
Executive Chef
DramaQueen
Head Chef
No, don't steer clear of the thread. Steer clear of the lard; and you don't need to use low fat milk and cheese. Just don't put so much on. Half the cheese and half the butter will still give you great mac and cheese. I've done it and it's very good. Cheese contains a lot of sodium so you only need a pinch on your own. If you're eating a whole cup of cheese with your portion of mac and cheese, you need to cut your portions waaayyy down.Ouch!
Southern dumplings are made from flour, shortening or lard, and buttermilk. The salt brings out the flavor. I know there are a lot of places around the country that call thick noodles dumplings but down here in the south, a dumpling is a big 'ol clump of biscuity goodness. As far as mac and cheese, sure I could use skim milk and low fat cheese and fake butter but it just doesn't taste good. I like to use cheddar cheese...have you looked a the nutrition facts for cheddar cheese? 532 calories per cup with 385 of those calories coming from fat with 820 mg of sodium. 1 tablespoon of butter is 100 calories with 100 calories coming from fat. 1 biscuit is 357 calories 148 of those from fat with 586 mg of sodium.
I think I need to steer clear of this thread.
Okay, forget the big ol' clump of dumplings and put the chicken over noodles or brown rice. It's delicious and has a lot of nutrition. You CAN eat healthy and cheap, y'all just don't want to.
Stay with us. BTW here, from your website, is the reason for the overload of calories and fat: Deep fried chicken, mashed potatoes with butter and gravy I'm assuming, a mess of greens, cornbread and sweet tea. Lordy woman, you could DIE.
Attachments
jpmcgrew
Executive Chef
I love all the foods mentioned I don't worry about the calories,salt and fat I just don't eat it on a regular basis. I wait until I get a craving maybe twice a year then I go ahead and indulge. Anyway I think we are getting off topic here. Mama you go ahead and make what you want to make, after all Paula Deen is a very rich woman because of her style of cooking.
DietitianInTraining
Sous Chef
I absolutely agree... Mama's food Rocks!!!!!!!
BreezyCooking
Washing Up
Mama's food may "rock", but it's decidedly unhealthy as a steady diet.
I'm not into synthetic low-fat alternatives, but do make a MAJOR effort to ensure my daily cooking is sensible. And that said, I obviously fully agree with DramaQueen that there's no need to necessarily change your recipe(s) - just eat less of them, beefed up with healthier sides (cooked greens/veggies/salads, etc.).
When I go out to eat, I do have whatever I want, knowing full well that my regular sensible eating more than makes up for it. But we eat out maybe twice a month. If we dined out more, I'd be more careful as to what I ordered.
I'm not into synthetic low-fat alternatives, but do make a MAJOR effort to ensure my daily cooking is sensible. And that said, I obviously fully agree with DramaQueen that there's no need to necessarily change your recipe(s) - just eat less of them, beefed up with healthier sides (cooked greens/veggies/salads, etc.).
When I go out to eat, I do have whatever I want, knowing full well that my regular sensible eating more than makes up for it. But we eat out maybe twice a month. If we dined out more, I'd be more careful as to what I ordered.
A walk or jog around many poverty-stricken areas may be not just free but also deadly.
First of all I'd like to say thank you to JP, Suzi, Beginner Chef and luvs for your kind comments.
This is getting way off topic so I am going to say this in my defense and then I'll leave this thread. I was only trying to defend the "poor" people out there by trying to see things from their perspective. Right or wrong, that's the way I see it.
In defense of my cooking, if you take a look at my website you will find plenty of "healthy" recipes like grilled honey mustard chicken, Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Wings, Chicken Noodle Soup, Pork chops and rice, grilled shrimp, glazed salmon and oven barbecued chicken just to name a few.
So, please don't be so quick to pass judgement.
This is getting way off topic so I am going to say this in my defense and then I'll leave this thread. I was only trying to defend the "poor" people out there by trying to see things from their perspective. Right or wrong, that's the way I see it.
In defense of my cooking, if you take a look at my website you will find plenty of "healthy" recipes like grilled honey mustard chicken, Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Wings, Chicken Noodle Soup, Pork chops and rice, grilled shrimp, glazed salmon and oven barbecued chicken just to name a few.
So, please don't be so quick to pass judgement.
DramaQueen
Head Chef
Too bad Mama left so soon, she would have realized that no one is passing judgement, least of all me since I think Southern cooking is some of the best food around. But it is unhealthy for the most part and it doesn't have to be; I don't care if you're a rich southerner or a poor one, what you put into your mouth and the amount you eat is the reason people don't eat a healthy diet. It seems that the original poster had a point with the question as to whether poor people eat a more unhealthy diet because they can't afford better food.
I'll say it again, they CAN eat healthier even though they have little money, they just choose not to.
Sorry Mama but you just didn't get the point I was trying to make. And just for the record, that picture of the southern fried chicken, greens, mashed potatoes, and cornbread is awesome. I can do without the sweet tea.
I'll say it again, they CAN eat healthier even though they have little money, they just choose not to.
Sorry Mama but you just didn't get the point I was trying to make. And just for the record, that picture of the southern fried chicken, greens, mashed potatoes, and cornbread is awesome. I can do without the sweet tea.
ironchef
Executive Chef
LOL that's true. I wouldn't see myself going out for a jog in Compton or Watts. Maybe JKath, but not me...
- Status
