Is Junk Food Really Cheaper?

Op-Ed Columnist New York Times

Published: September 24, 2011

readers comments

The original Article by Mark Bittman New York Times

 

Is it only me that finds an interesting parallel to this article, and  the 100 plus comments? We ARE concerned for the health and welfare of our fellow human beings and often like doctors, we get  preached as to what a healthy life style choices should be, how to practice them, and wonder WHY!, WHY?  doesn’t everyone else simply follow along? It’s often too easy to image that  people from all walks of life should have no problem doing what is best for them.  we often hear “what I do and preach is the way to go” . Trying to steer the public into a behavior that betters one facet of their lives is the message heard from many sources.  The argument whether one choice is better than another is going to be argued incessantly. After making choices about food , should we move on to health care, personal finances, lets say how saving for retirement is also easy as pie to do and all the reasons we should avoid credit cards and payday loan services?  Some of the respondents comments highlighted that the options of persons are  limited and it’s the life style they are  in that conditions their choices.

So do I cringe when a family member brings home a highly processed food or snack? Or perhaps a lottery ticket and a pack of smokes instead of the head of broccoli?   Possibly, but at the time I respect their choice and maybe gently nudge them to consider alternatives. I won’t dare appear self righteous as we all can’t be straight as an arrow, healthy as an ox or bring home 6 figures.

The general overview is that the people are constantly bombarded  by a variety of sources, selling, manipulating them in directions that some see as ridiculous.

Bittman makes his point, and I see his point of view, through food, and glad that others recognize that it’s only one factor that’s maddeningly slow to change.

Life styles don’t change overnight.