This IS an interesting thread.

I think the way we, as a society, decide what foods to eat and where we decide to buy them speak volumes about what is most important to us... $$$. Most people are inclined (or, in some cases, arguably forced) to shop where food is least expensive, which leads us to places like Walmart, where a person can find healthy alternatives but is often dissuaded from purchasing them when he realizes the significantly higher cost of a freshly-prepared meal versus the heat and serve junk food on prominent display throughout the store. Factor in the time saved by not needing to cook (time is money, don't you know?), and you've got an easy sale to most Americans.

Of all the crimes being committed against humanity in the name of corporate greed, perhaps the one I find most disturbing is how we are made to pay more for raw ingredients that add up to a healthy meal than we pay for highly-processed, mass produced crap that fills our bellies (and tends to make them bigger, despite leaving us malnourished). I do my best to fight falling into the trap of supporting this trend, but I often fail, many times without even thinking about it. Popping a pizza in the oven and being done with it has a big appeal at the end of a long work day, especially when our busy lives present us with more obligations to entertain after dinner.... Which brings me to my next point:

If we're to have all the toys and services that make our lives seem somehow more worth living, we need money; more of it today than ever before. For most folks with kids, that means we need two full-time incomes. For some, that means both parents get home right around dinner time. Not only are both short on time, but they are also lacking the energy or will power to cook a healthy meal. For others, that means that Dad gets home and tags out with Mom, who works at night (or vise-versa). Mom just got out of bed, and Dad is tired and ready to relax. No cooking happening here either. Either way, the end result is often dining out (the "dollar menu") or heating up some pre-made gut filler, both of which play into the hand of Food, Inc. perfectly, but neither of which provides the nutrition the family should be getting.

I fall away much more often than I would like, but I do the best I can to combat this racket. My wife and I agreed early on that we wanted one of us to be at home with the kids and maintaining a healthy household during the day. It hasn't been easy, but we've managed to get by on my income alone. I don't have a lot of toys, but I have enough to keep me reasonably happy. Most evenings, we sit down to a home-cooked meal. Those meals don't always fit the fit and trim diet plan, but they do consist of a protein, a vegetable, and a starch (usually potatoes or rice of some sort), so they are at least well-balanced.

Like RR, I buy a lot of whole foods, and it shows in my grocery bills, which are my single largest expense every month. I also buy local whenever possible. I can sympathize with those of you who claim that shopping at Walmart, etc. is your only viable option; there are situations where that is very much the case, for a variety of reasons. All I ask of my fellow citizens is that when they compare costs of items at various retailers, they consider ALL the costs, and the social costs in particular. Often times, I suspect they would find that it's worth a few extra pennies to keep the independent businesses in town open. I also encourage everybody to eat good food, no matter what that means to you. Many of you go to great lengths to find e-0 gasoline for your boats, so why turn around and fill your body up with crap?