Why ‘Just Cook More’ Isn't the Universal Solution to #HealthyEating

Opinion: Not everybody has the time or means to cook healthy meals from scratch, so let’s not pretend it’s that simple.

by Christine Byrne, MPH, RD

"Federal food assistance programs like #SNAP (food stamps) are designed to help low-income individuals buy food they couldn’t otherwise afford, but these benefits can only go so far. Processed foods are generally cheaper than unprocessed or minimally processed foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and meats. Even with SNAP benefits, cooking with mostly unprocessed foods 'requires a huge amount of planning and maneuvering,' De Master says, and in some regions where fresh foods are more expensive, it often isn’t possible at all.

"Cooking healthy food also takes time, a luxury that many don’t have. A basic sheet pan dinner of chicken and potatoes will take about an hour from start to finish—but many people, especially shift workers or working parents, likely don’t have this much time to wait. Brenton and her coauthors find that time is an issue for many. 'Even middle-class mothers who do have the money to cook healthy meals don’t necessarily have the time,' she says."

https://getpocket.com/explore/item/why-just-cook-more-isn-t-the-universal-solution-to-healthy-eating?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us

#FoodInsecurity #BasicIncomeForAll #PackagedFood #FastFood #FoodDeserts