Eating Healthy is Only for the Rich?

I recently read an article that stated that only rich people could afford to eat healthy. Seriously?

I had to check my childhood memories on this because I don't remember growing up wealthy, but I do remember eating mostly organic food. Why? Because we grew it. I'm not certain I ever ate a store bought vegetable until I moved so far away from home that it wasn't convenient to take my mom's canned vegetables on a plane!

I cannot understand why more people do not grow their own vegetables. I mean, you can grow a lot of stuff under a fluorescent light or in a small container on a window sill. Today I will be planting lettuce for window containers because it's getting too chilly outside, and I have just the sunny window to keep me in lettuce all winter! If my daughter and I can't eat it all, the rabbit will be more than happy to nibble on it. 

I understand that fresh food in the grocery store is expensive. Hell, even I pass up grapes that are almost $4.00 a pound (this hasn't been a good year for grapes anyway.) But I don't have to pay almost $4.00 for a bag of lettuce; not when I can grow my own for a few pennies for weeks and weeks of food. I'll take that action any day.

To the people that are on food stamps, I wonder if they know that food stamps can be used for fruit and vegetable seeds and plants at greenhouses. And you don't have to actually can the harvest (I've never done this.... too time consuming.) Freezing actually preserves more of the nutrients anyway, and I invested in one of those vacuum packaging gadgets to prevent freezer burn. I love it!

So why don't more people grow their own food? Is it because we've become such a lazy society that it's just easier to run to a store? A garden takes time. Keeping the plants nurtured so they produce food, takes time. Saving money takes time. Do I have to mention the long-term health benefits of fresh food, or have people begun to choke on that information? Better you, than your wallet. Don't ya think?

Give the Rich a Run for Their Money,

Grow it Yourself

To grow your own savings and good health: Get an empty coffee can; throw some dirt in it, seeds on top, a little more dirt, put it in a sunny window, water it every other day or so. See what comes up in two weeks. Go to sites like eHow that will give you tons of user friendly gardening tips. Read a couple of articles on each subject to get the best overview for what you want to grow and what space and light is available. You don't have to be rich to enjoy some of the privileges of the wealthy.... I don't know of any truly wealthy farmers, but I know a lot of healthy ones.