Why Don't Americans Eat More Fruits and Vegetables?

at 9:55 AM

Is it perhaps that Americans simply don't like fruits and veggies? Is it the cost?  Some may think that produce seems expensive compared to meat.  But as Marion Nestle, the author of 'What to Eat' explains, it is not that produce is artificially too expensive, it's because meat is artificially cheap.  The government subsidizes its cost by supporting farmers who produce feed for animals.  But surveys show that expense is a major barrier that prevents people from eating fruits and vegetables.  So some USDA economists have actually crunched some numbers and found that... GASP! You can eat the full daily complement  of servings recommended (at the time of the study it was 3 fruits and four vegetables) for only 64 cents (in 1999 dollars).  You may ask how is this possible?  The answer lies in portion size. 

But as the nutrition guru, Dr. Nestle puts it, cost can not be the only barrier that keeps people from eating fresh produce.  The study shows that it is not the absolute cost of  produce that seems high, but its cost per calorie.  Basically you get a lot more calories for the price of burgers and fries than for spinach and carrots.  In addition, the companies that grow fruits and vegetables don't have the advertising dollars that companies producing sodas and candy bars do.  Food and Beverage producers spend more than $35 billion (yes billion) annually to market their products and very little of this goes to promotes fruits and vegetables.  Out of every dollar we spend on fruits and vegetables, only 18 cents goes to the companies that grow them; the other 82 cents goes to everyone else, storage companies, trucks, packaging, displays, etc. 

This all means that fruits and vegetable growers really don't have the kind of money to put into advertising that is available to say, Coca Cola or Kellogg.

My bottom line: When you're at the grocery store, start putting items in your basket that are not regularly advertised on TV.  More than likely you will be buying things that are healthier and better for you.