One thing that might make a big difference is that poor people generally can't afford to buy only on sale. Another is the environment they live in, a lot live in urban areas and even more don't have cars or access to transportation and conveniently located and large supermarkets.

I priced the same meal at my supermarket and it was at leat $5 more. Where are you getting the cheap ground turkey? At my market, both ground beef and turkey was $3/lb. and broccoli was $1.49/lb.

As I said, not being able to have the freedom to shop sales or the availability of reasonably priced produce might be a large factor. I know when I was growing up, fruit was an occassional treat, mostly during the summer. With a large family, you can't afford fruit when it costs more than a couple of dinners would. We were lucky if we got a bad of apples and oranges and those had to be pieced out.

Unfortunately that's very true. When you are poor, you can't afford a freezer OR a car. Many LC savings are then out of reach.

One thing I noticed about the meal comparisons is that they all included meat. When you're poor, you often don't eat meat. Period. Or it's a smidge in a goulash or casserole.

Many poor people (I've been one of them) know it's not the best way to eat, but what can they do? With three kids and five dollars staring at you, you go for cheap volume.

Another crisis is that this family situation just gets worse as the kids get older. They hit their teenage years and their appetite doubles and triples. I used to stretch milk with powdered stuff and we ate day old bread, because my brothers could wipe out a fridge in an evening.

And yes, you do get government cheese, but most of what the government gives is powdered milk, elbow macaroni, and rice.

Low carbing is not the issue here. It's that cheap processed stuff is cheap processed stuff. That's what the poor can afford, and that's what they get given to them.

As one of those counted as poor...it is extremely difficult to LC. I live in the midwest were even being in beef and pork country it's often cost prohibitive.
Fresh veggies...I buy frozen mostly as fresh is also cost prohibitive except during the spring and summer months when we can get locally grown cheaper. The winter months are the worst, NOTHING is cheap. We have a local low end grocery store where I buy most of my food and can buy much cheaper but the selection is not good.
I buy a lot of burger and chicken...fresh and frozen. I don't have a freezer but a familymember does so if I find something cheap I buy it, re-package it, and store it there till I need it. I make dishes that last more than one meal also.
I shop 4 different stores...including our non Super Wal-Mart just because it's cheaper and I'm lucky enough to be within walking distance of all of them.

One more thought...I do agree that most of the recipes in the Atkins and other LC books are geared toward foods that are found strictly in one area where what we call "exhotic" foods are grown.
Being in the midwest we live in a mainly meat and tators area. Foods such as Salmon, Orange Roughy, even artichokes are either non-exhistant or very cost prohibitive.
Marcia

My husband was just ranting about this. He said the microwave oven was the worst invention for people to have in their homes because it means that they don't have to learn how to cook.

I consider that our family is almost in a desert. There is the local store where things are not as fresh a very overpriced. There is the midline store 35 minutes away where we can shop if necessary, and I often have practices there so I can pick up things if we need them. The majority of our shopping is done once a week one hour away. We spend about $100 a week for a family of 4 not counting things like diapers that we buy at Walmart. Some weeks are more expensive if we get fresh fish or want to try new things. Some weeks are cheaper if we get good deals on meat. Also, the whole family isn't low carb but they are lower carb.

Tuna, eggs, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, salad dressing, frozen or canned vegetables, frozen berries, and cheap meat make up the majority of our shopping. Oh, and milk for the girls.

Beth

I guess I am an oddity. As a single parent, on a very tight budget, I consider myself poor - yet low and behold, I can afford to LC easily. Once I deducted the costs of eating out, snacks, pops, chips, candies, lunches, etc, and then starting buying less expensive cuts of meats, veggies in bulk, etc, it LOWERED my grocery bill substantially. This way of life can be followed by anyone - it is simply a matter of learning to cook and budget - agreed, it is hard to give up the convenience of microwave cooking and fast food, however, in the long run, my child adn I will be much more healthy.