Believe it or not, Americans spend less on meals than the majority of their counterparts in developed nations. Though less is spent all around, more is being used on unhealthy foods and sweets than on more nutritious fare.
Good news for nation
In contrast to other developed countries, Americans spend less cash on food each year. Still, the average American income is $50,000 per year, and that is not quite enough cash to take care of a typical family of four with pets.
Compared with other nations, the United States is not looking too bad since the typical British family spends 9 percent of the yearly outlay on food and the typical French family will spend 14 percent. Mother Jones points out that Individuals only spent six percent of the $32,051 yearly outlay for 2009. That adds up to $6,372 total on food for the year: $3,753 for food in the home and $2,619 for food away from the home.
Largely, according to a recent article by NPR, it has to do with the cost of food in America steadily decreasing over the past 30 years.
Cause of Michelle's campaign
In 1982, the average household spent 13 percent of the yearly outlay on food, which means we are actually doing better now. This is regardless of the fact that the amount spent has increased to about 8 percent now, according to recent Agency of Labor Statistics data.
During that time, the cost of most food groups has decreased; in some cases considerably. For instance, the cost of steak has dropped 30 percent, from $7 per pound in 1982 to $4.90 per pound in 2012. No meats have gone up in price. Only one fruit and one vegetable increased in price in that time, those being grapefruit and bell peppers, the costs of which increased by 6.5 percent and 34 percent, respectively.
What some may view as troublesome is how much is used on what type of food. Meats dropped from 31.3 percent of food expenditures in 1982 to 21.5 percent of expenditures in 2012. Vegetables and fruit stayed broadly the same at 14.5 percent in 1982 and 14.6 percent in 2012. However, processed foods and sweets doubled from 11.6 percent in 1982 to 22.9 percent in 2012. The First Lady could be criticized for advocating feeding kids more fruits and vegetables, but she could be on to something.
Exploring the subsidies
Mother Jones explained that the agriculture subsidies have helped produce more food making costs go down. In fact, the amount of corn produced manufactured from 1995 to 2010 in America increased from 4 billion bushels a year to 12 billion bushels. In that same time frame, $261.9 billion in subsidies have been given out.
The price of meat went up 8 percent in 2011, and the price of grain doubled. This just shows that prices are beginning to go up, according to Forbes.
Having low costs does not help the farmer, according to the Daily Green. About 15.8 percent of the cost of an item sold will go back to the entity that produced it, according to the Department of Agriculture, which is why subsidies are needed.
Good news for nation
In contrast to other developed countries, Americans spend less cash on food each year. Still, the average American income is $50,000 per year, and that is not quite enough cash to take care of a typical family of four with pets.
Compared with other nations, the United States is not looking too bad since the typical British family spends 9 percent of the yearly outlay on food and the typical French family will spend 14 percent. Mother Jones points out that Individuals only spent six percent of the $32,051 yearly outlay for 2009. That adds up to $6,372 total on food for the year: $3,753 for food in the home and $2,619 for food away from the home.
Largely, according to a recent article by NPR, it has to do with the cost of food in America steadily decreasing over the past 30 years.
Cause of Michelle's campaign
In 1982, the average household spent 13 percent of the yearly outlay on food, which means we are actually doing better now. This is regardless of the fact that the amount spent has increased to about 8 percent now, according to recent Agency of Labor Statistics data.
During that time, the cost of most food groups has decreased; in some cases considerably. For instance, the cost of steak has dropped 30 percent, from $7 per pound in 1982 to $4.90 per pound in 2012. No meats have gone up in price. Only one fruit and one vegetable increased in price in that time, those being grapefruit and bell peppers, the costs of which increased by 6.5 percent and 34 percent, respectively.
What some may view as troublesome is how much is used on what type of food. Meats dropped from 31.3 percent of food expenditures in 1982 to 21.5 percent of expenditures in 2012. Vegetables and fruit stayed broadly the same at 14.5 percent in 1982 and 14.6 percent in 2012. However, processed foods and sweets doubled from 11.6 percent in 1982 to 22.9 percent in 2012. The First Lady could be criticized for advocating feeding kids more fruits and vegetables, but she could be on to something.
Exploring the subsidies
Mother Jones explained that the agriculture subsidies have helped produce more food making costs go down. In fact, the amount of corn produced manufactured from 1995 to 2010 in America increased from 4 billion bushels a year to 12 billion bushels. In that same time frame, $261.9 billion in subsidies have been given out.
The price of meat went up 8 percent in 2011, and the price of grain doubled. This just shows that prices are beginning to go up, according to Forbes.
Having low costs does not help the farmer, according to the Daily Green. About 15.8 percent of the cost of an item sold will go back to the entity that produced it, according to the Department of Agriculture, which is why subsidies are needed.
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