Fruit and vegetable consumption by poorer families falls 30%

[Pete]

This is the sort of headline that will be ignored by most folk, but it perfectly illustrates one aspect of the cuts on the poorest people in the country. It will probably be forgotten in a few days - but it's impact shouldn't be underestimated. Pensioners especially, the unemployed and minimum wage earners and their children will not be getting the healthy and nutritious diet that they should, resulting in health problems later in life. But then, Cameron doesn't give a monkeys about the underprivileged and vulnerable - just as long as his mates get more and more money.

From the Guardian website:

Households in the lowest tenth of incomes were buying only 2.7 portions of fruit and vegetables a day at the end of 2010, the latest year for which figures are available, while the average household continued to buy about four portions per person, according to statistics from the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

[therealjr]

I have to say that this has sod all to do with the economy and more with CBA.
From Sainsburys online
You can buy a bag of apples for 90p
8 bananas for £1.15
5 oranges for 70p
Carrots £1 a kilo
Cauliflower £1.20
Broccoli £2/kilo

Alternatively of course a multi pack of crisps is £1.20 2 litres of Coke £1.98 and a bar of dairy milk £1.99!!

[Pete]

What's CBA?

[therealjr]

Can't Be A***D!!!

[Pete]

Working on the theory that all poor, unemployed or old people are just chavs?

[christa]

I could be wrong, but the fact is that fruit and veg isn't all that expensive if you
know where to buy and what to do with it. There is an awful lot of people who doesn't
seem to know what to do with an eggplant or beetroot...or whatever it might be.

And if it is a reflection on our financial status it's probably because most people tend to
spend more money on treats and other things they don't need when they least can afford to.
We all do that one way or another, but of course if you're on benefits something else have to
go.

[Pete]

Good point - if folks are down in the dumps maybe they just think f*ck it! I'm buying a big bar of chocolate...

Actually, this is borne out by Christmas sales figures where Tesco screwed up big style relying on price cuts - and yet the luxury goods figures were up.

[christa]

Yeah...and around Christmas it's crazier than ever with things and goodies that we usually
wouldn't buy. A lot of families struggle like crazy during the holidays and there are a lot who
will have to choose between the food or the presents. And with kids around...well, if you told
them that Santa exist, the veg and fruit is definitely out the window.

[k4blades]

Yep, I'm with JR on this one.
The chattering classes always making excuses for the poor about not eating fresh fruit and veg, yet when you actually look at prices, its cheaper to eat fresh fruit and veg, even more so if you grow your own.
Just like those who blame lack of reading skills on costs, but books can be hired for free from the library, not to mention that schools are constantly sending reading books home with the kids to learn.
Yet they seem to be able to afford computer consoles.
And poor people, statistically are more likely to smoke, more likely to buy lottery tickets, and so on.

We all make choices in life, but some people just make poor choices, or maybe we should ban people from buying crisps because they are too un-educated to make the right choice? 

[Fly]

Not sure if the phrase, 'Brought up, not dragged up', works here.
Over the last say, 30 years, have more kids been dragged up by their parents with a CBA attitude.
No jobs bla bla bla
These kids are now having their own kids, born with a CBA attitude.

Am I lucky to have been brought up from within a working class family ?
If I, find it hard to believe, how the mind of a CBA family enviroment works,
how the hell does a politician, on his/her wages.

Hope this makes sense 

[Slacker]

The demise of functions such as Youth Service and Sure Start will exacerbate the situation. There is a generation growing up and having their own kids who know no better from their own parents about health eating and need support.

[therealjr]

The demise of functions such as Youth Service and Sure Start will exacerbate the situation. There is a generation growing up and having their own kids who know no better from their own parents about health eating and need support.

But surely the people mentioned in the original post have benefited from things like Sure Start etc and stiil CBA.
Nice try at trying to score political points but to be honest your signature sums up your contribution quite nicely.

[Slacker]

Some can't be bothered others know no better

[therealjr]

So Sure Start was a waste of time effort and money then?

[k4blades]

Some can't be bothered others know no better

Thats a bit lame. I can't accept that anyone is so un-educated that they would think a bag of crisps is more healthier than an apple.
Its not about knowledge, is about attitude.

Oh and by the way, teaching your kids to say please and thank you doesn't cost anything at all.