Fresh Food vs. Fast Food (Atlanta, Cleveland: low income, neighborhood, camp)

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by AnsleyPark

The real challenge is that many children are not being taught the lessons of fresh vs. fast. They don't know it's important. And, even if they do, they are still at the mercy of their parents' decisions. You are lucky - your family made sure you received good, wholesome food and understood its importance. Way too many kids these days don't have such an advantage. And, ultimately, obesity is the number one contributor to heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and numerous other diseases that cost our society so much money, burden the health care system and destroys lives. Unfortunately, it begins with the habits of childhood.

That's true. I am grateful that my blue collar/non-affluent family was able to grow vegetables and practice some form of self-discipline--whatever else they did/did not do. 'Live simply'--I don't think it is that difficult for anyone.

We ate a lot of dried beans, turnip greens and sweet potatoes--if there wasn't money for meat or sweets. Good thing,too--since diabetes and high blood pressure afflict many in my family.

Let the campaigns to teach basic nutrition be aggressive.
I never cared much for processed meats---I did eat too many cookies and too much candy. Wouldn't recommend that.
We could learn a great deal from the Asians and those from Mediterranean areas about really good nutrition. jmo.

[Lagwagon113]

Well, first of all I don't think anyone is going to McDonalds 7 days a week instead of grocery shopping. However, if you are surrounded by fast food you are more likely to grab something a few times a week for lunch.

It is a class issue as well. I work around a lot of college educated folks and there is a real social stigma about eating fast food. They wouldn't be caught dead in a McDonald's. It is viewed as beneath them.

I have some working class friends as well and its no big deal to stop at a McDonald's because there isn't that social stigma.

Me personally I tend to avoid fast food but I have been known to grab a Big Mac from time to time when I am craving some crappy food. I just don't tell my holier than thou colleagues about it haha.

Then there is also the argument about what is considered fresh food. To some of my colleagues regular grocery stores aren't even good enough. They have to shop at a Whole Foods or another similar type store. These places can be a bit pricey for the average Joe. So maybe the country as a whole should make an effort to make healthy food more affordable and available for everyone.

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by Lagwagon113

Well, first of all I don't think anyone is going to McDonalds 7 days a week instead of grocery shopping. However, if you are surrounded by fast food you are more likely to grab something a few times a week for lunch.

It is a class issue as well. I work around a lot of college educated folks and there is a real social stigma about eating fast food. They wouldn't be caught dead in a McDonald's. It is viewed as beneath them.

I have some working class friends as well and its no big deal to stop at a McDonald's because there isn't that social stigma.

Me personally I tend to avoid fast food but I have been known to grab a Big Mac from time to time when I am craving some crappy food. I just don't tell my holier than thou colleagues about it haha.

Then there is also the argument about what is considered fresh food. To some of my colleagues regular grocery stores aren't even good enough. They have to shop at a Whole Foods or another similar type store. These places can be a bit pricey for the average Joe. So maybe the country as a whole should make an effort to make healthy food more affordable and available for everyone.

lol--We could all do more.

I don't think any commercial entity could possibly cook veggies as well as I do --even if there were 'Fast Food' vegetable only franchises --I don't think they would be patronized as well as MacDonalds, Taco Bell and the others.

[DONNIEANDDONNA417]

Originally Posted by AnsleyPark

The real challenge is that many children are not being taught the lessons of fresh vs. fast. They don't know it's important. And, even if they do, they are still at the mercy of their parents' decisions. You are lucky - your family made sure you received good, wholesome food and understood its importance. Way too many kids these days don't have such an advantage. And, ultimately, obesity is the number one contributor to heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and numerous other diseases that cost our society so much money, burden the health care system and destroys lives. Unfortunately, it begins with the habits of childhood.

very well said

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by DONNIEANDDONNA417

very well said

Another responsibility for public education. I am not inclined to cut quite as much slack for parents. Maybe we need a pre-parenting test--if you can't pass the nutrition segment then you can't have children--what about that?

[AnsleyPark]

Originally Posted by TakeAhike

Another responsibility for public education. I am not inclined to cut quite as much slack for parents. Maybe we need a pre-parenting test--if you can't pass the nutrition segment then you can't have children--what about that?

The nutrition segment along with inumerable other segments!

[atlyoungin]

Originally Posted by AnsleyPark

The real challenge is that many children are not being taught the lessons of fresh vs. fast. They don't know it's important. And, even if they do, they are still at the mercy of their parents' decisions. You are lucky - your family made sure you received good, wholesome food and understood its importance. Way too many kids these days don't have such an advantage. And, ultimately, obesity is the number one contributor to heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and numerous other diseases that cost our society so much money, burden the health care system and destroys lives. Unfortunately, it begins with the habits of childhood.

I agree, but then I'd also like to add that the real challenge isn't about the lessons of fresh vs. fast, but the access. Why is there such limited access to fresh food in Southwest Atlanta? I grew up in SW ATL and the unavailability of fresh food was a big reason for me deciding not to live there now. Why isn't there a Fresh Market, Whole Foods or Trader Joes in the Cascades/Camp Creek area?

[testa50]

Originally Posted by atlyoungin

I agree, but then I'd also like to add that the real challenge isn't about the lessons of fresh vs. fast, but the access. Why is there such limited access to fresh food in Southwest Atlanta? I grew up in SW ATL and the unavailability of fresh food was a big reason for me deciding not to live there now. Why isn't there a Fresh Market, Whole Foods or Trader Joes in the Cascades/Camp Creek area?

Grocery stores just don't locate in parts of town preceived to be rough areas. I once tried to figure out all of the locations of Kroger and Publix ITP. I believe there were 3 Krogers south of I-20, and there were roughly 25 north of I-20. Publix had something like 15 north of I-20, and zero south of I-20. (Granted, south south side is geographically smaller.)

To me, the issue isn't so much a lack of Fresh Market, Whole Foods, TJ's on the south side: there's literally nothing at all across large swaths of land besides corner stores (which tend to sell almost exclusively processed foods, with a wayward banana here and there) and fast food outlets.

The concept of a "food desert" is well-founded: Food desert - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

SW Atlanta is most certainly one of them.

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by atlyoungin

I agree, but then I'd also like to add that the real challenge isn't about the lessons of fresh vs. fast, but the access. Why is there such limited access to fresh food in Southwest Atlanta? I grew up in SW ATL and the unavailability of fresh food was a big reason for me deciding not to live there now. Why isn't there a Fresh Market, Whole Foods or Trader Joes in the Cascades/Camp Creek area?

I buy my produce at Kroger, Publix and Ed's. Not 'The Freshest' but enough to sustain life. Living in the glorious North part of Atlanta. I wouldn't spend my hard earned money--what little I have --at Whole Foods--even though it is not far from my home.

Sometimes I do trek over to the DeKalb Farmers' Market--every 3 or 4 months. Frozen vegetables work pretty well in my nutritional plan. Almost every chef on the Food Channel agrees that although fresh is better--frozen is not a bad alternative.

[PKCorey]

Originally Posted by testa50

Grocery stores just don't locate in parts of town preceived to be rough areas. I once tried to figure out all of the locations of Kroger and Publix ITP. I believe there were 3 Krogers south of I-20, and there were roughly 25 north of I-20. Publix had something like 15 north of I-20, and zero south of I-20. (Granted, south south side is geographically smaller.)

To me, the issue isn't so much a lack of Fresh Market, Whole Foods, TJ's on the south side: there's literally nothing at all across large swaths of land besides corner stores (which tend to sell almost exclusively processed foods, with a wayward banana here and there) and fast food outlets.

The concept of a "food desert" is well-founded: Food desert - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

SW Atlanta is most certainly one of them.

Its a Publix on Cascade and Camp Creek as well as Kroger on Cascade near 285 and closer to West End on Cascade as well as Cleveland Avenue so ....those are all south of I-20?

I do agree, I don't understand why those 3 stores are not on the Southside. Seems the income level for the area would support the stores easily...