February 20, 2013
www.gfb.org
Vol. 31 No. 8
FOOD CHECK-OUT WEEK GIVES TIPS FOR BETTER NUTRITION ON A BUDGET Eating healthy while on a budget is possible for most Americans, if they’re willing to invest some time in strategic shopping. During Farm Bureau’s Food Check-Out Week, Feb. 17-23, Farm Bureau volunteers and staff will focus on spreading the word about how consumers can stretch their grocery dollars with healthy, nutritious food. The price of unprepared, readily available fresh fruits and vegetables, such as lettuce, bananas, whole carrots, apples, broccoli and tomatoes, has remained stable compared to dessert and snack foods, according to studies by the United States Department of Agriculture. This suggests that the price of a healthy diet has not changed relative to an unhealthy one. Farm Bureau offers shopping tips for achieving better nutrition on a budget, including knowing your budget, planning home-prepared meals that include fruits, vegetables, lean meats and whole grains, shopping at competitively priced supermarkets close to home while checking prices online or in newspaper adds and clipping coupons. For more tips on maximizing your nutrition and your food budget, visit http://www.fb.org/index.php?action=events.foodweek. Food Check-Out Week, now in its 15th year, also highlights the variety and dependability of America’s food supply, made possible by America’s farmers. According to the most recent information (2011) from the USDA’s Economic Research Service, American families and individuals spend, on average, less than 10 percent of their disposable personal income for food. In comparison, Italian consumers spend 14 percent; Chinese consumers spend 33 percent and Pakistani consumers spend 46 percent. On average, farmers only receive 16 cents out of every dollar spent on food. The rest of the dollar covers wages and materials for food processing, marketing, transportation and distribution. Recent food price increases are due primarily to higher energy costs associated with processing, hauling and refrigerating food products. To celebrate the safe and affordable food supply our country enjoys, Georgia Farm Bureau is asking its county chapters to hold events in their local communities to educate the public about eating healthy and shopping on a budget. Many county Farm Bureaus are accepting cash or canned food donations to assist the hungry in their communities as well as cash to provide food assistance to the Ronald McDonald House in Atlanta. Each year, the Georgia Farm Bureau Women’s Committee rotates the state donation to a different Ronald McDonald House. In previous years, donations have been made to the Ronald McDonald Houses in Augusta, Columbus, Macon and Savannah. If you would like to make a donation visit your county Farm Bureau office.