What's the positive side of an economic downturn?
Healthier eating.
When money gets tight, we're likely to cut back on more expensive food. And there's nothing more expensive than highly processed convenience food. Food that's usually high in sugar, salt and fat.
When your budget is tight, whole foods like seasonal fruits and vegetables, grains and legumes are the smartest choice. Just compare the cost of an apple to a store-bought snack bar; a bag of lentils to a can of prepared soup; plain brown rice to a packaged rice mix. At the cash register, real food is the winner.
When it comes to good nutrition, real food wins hands down.
People are funny. When money is tight, their budget forces them to buy smart. But when things get better, they go right back to their old habits. At the start of the recession, sales of ready-made store-bought salads (the ones laden with salt and fat) fell significantly in Israel. Lately, with money flowing easier, sales are back on the rise.
I'm not wishing for hard times. But we could all learn something about eating well by spending less.
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