Individuals Spending A Lot Less On Real Meals But More On Unhealthy Foods

By Cornelius Nunev


Americans have it good, in a sense, in that we spend less than many other first-world countries on food, which is fairly important. Granted, farming subsidies do have a fair bit to do with it. However, we have also been spending more on processed foods than almost any type of food item.

Food spending compared to other nations

In contrast to other developed countries, Individuals spend less cash on food each year. Still, the average American income is $50,000 per year, and that is not quite enough cash to look after a typical family of four with pets.

In contrast to other nations, the United States is not looking too bad since the typical British family spends 9 percent of the annual outlay on food and the typical French family will spend 14 percent. Mother Jones points out that Americans only spent six percent of the $32,051 annual outlay for 2009. That adds up to $6,372 total on food for the year: $3,753 for food in the home and $2,619 for food from the home.

The cost of food in America decreasing for the past 30 years is the biggest reason, according to the NPR article.

Maybe Michelle has a point

Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that now, about 8 percent of yearly outlays is used on food. That is much better than the 13 percent we saw in the average household in 1982 though.

During that time, only one fruit and vegetable increased in price, and this consists of grapefruit with a 6.5 percent increase and bell peppers with a 34 percent increase. No meats have gone up in price. In fact, the cost of steak has dropped 30 percent from 1982 going from $7 a pound to $4.90 a pound on average. Overall, food costs have decreased a ton.

You can certainly see changes in what individuals are spending most of their cash on now compared with 1982 though. Now, individuals spend about 21.5 percent of the spending budget on meats when it used to be 31.3 percent. Now, people spend 22.9 percent on processed foods and sweets when people used to spend 11.6 percent. Fruits and vegetable expenses have stayed almost the same though since they are now at 14.6 percent and they used to be 14.5 percent. Michelle Obama's plan to help kids get healthier is well justified whenever you consider these statistics.

Exploring the subsidies

According to Mother Jones, part of the reason we pay less for groceries is decades of farming subsidies, which amounted to $261.9 billion from 1995 to 2010. Since 1970, the amount of corn produced in America has gone tripled, rising from 4 billion bushels to 12 billion last year.

The price of meat went up 8 percent in 2011, and the price of grain doubled. This just shows that prices are beginning to go up, according to Forbes.

Having low prices does not help the farmer, according to the Daily Green. About 15.8 percent of the cost of an item sold will go back to the entity that produced it, according to the Department of Agriculture, which is why subsidies are needed.




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