victoria2dc

Can you give me food plan for the Standard American Diet? I am doing an analysis of the COST of Paleo vs SAD. Where do I find that information?

victoria2dc

I should have been a little clearer: probably nobody here eats a SAD diet, but I'm hoping that there's a NUTRITIOIST/FOOD SCIENTIST or someone who has the information on the annual cost (for 1 adult) who eats SAD.

The argument is not to discuss the reasons why SAD is not healthy or to praise the wonders of Paleo, but it's about cost.

Any help is appreciated.

Newbie...
Vicki

Machka 

Breakfast: 2 egg mcmuffins, 3 hashbrowns, and a jumbo coffee filled with sugar and creamer

Snack: Costco muffin

Lunch: Big Mac, extra large fries, extra large milkshake, extra large coke

Snack: Large bag of potato chips

Snack: Chocolate bar

Dinner: the local "All You Can Eat But The Only Veg You'll Find Here Is Creamed Corn" place on the main highway

Snack: Large chocolate bar from Costco

Snack: Large bag of potato chips



Am I close?

I'm sure you could do the rounds and add up the cost of all that.


For Paleo, you'd have to see if you could join a hunting trip. Good thing hunting season is coming soon in the northern hemisphere!!

Rowan

Unfortunately, in your zeal to try to be transparent, you actually are just doing that, aren't you? Maybe you should declare who is funding your research comparison, what it is for, and why you can't do the calculations yourself.

Machka 

You know this is a Cycling forum right? Not a Nutritionist forum. You'd be closer if you tried MyFitnessPal.

wolfchild

Too many variables to come up with exact cost...Depends how much food a person eats daily...I would say that following paleo would be at least 2x or 3x maybe even 4x more expensive then SAD diet...Reason why a strict paleo would be more expensive is because a lot of people who follow it, buy organic and grass-fed meat and dairy, organic vegetables and fruits and wild caught fish. The same goes for organic fruits and veggies. A handful of organic or wild berries which is about 300 calories can cost as much as an 3000-4000 calorie meal at McDonalds or some other fast food place. It's a lot cheaper and economical for most people to get calories from junk food then whole foods.

Gaelen

You're forgetting all the ramen noodles! Diversity is very important!

Machka 

Oh yes, right ... of course!!

wolfchild

A lot of poor college/university students have survived on nothing but ramen noodles.

pdlamb

Close, but that last bag of potato chips might be replaced with a pint of ice cream. With nuts and hot fudge sauce and canned whipped cream, of course. You already had one bag of potato chips in the afternoon.

-)

wolfchild

That's pretty close, but you forgot to mention 3 gallons of soda pop. A person needs to drink something with all that food.

victoria2dc

Thanks for the comments folks! I'll go now. Sorry to have bothered you.

HAPPY BIKING...

steve-in-kville 

I've been paleo pushing three years now. I learned that eating this way can be expensive, or it can be done on a budget. Just like everything else in life.

Machka 

I'm curious ... is there a reason you came to a cycling forum to ask your questions?

victoria2dc

I thought you would be knowldgeable, friendly people who would be helpful.

Sorry to bother you. If someone can tell me how to unsubscribe, I'll do it and find some help somewhere else.

Dave Cutter

I'd search for an actual government site... but this should give you an idea:

Average Cost of Food per Month for 1 Person (Official Government Data)

Machka 

As cyclists, the foods we choose to eat are whatever we've determined will help us cycle more efficiently. For example, there is some thought that eating protein and carbs in a 1:4 ratio immediately after a ride is beneficial for recovery.

I would venture a guess that most of us do not follow a particular named diet, and probably not a "standard American diet" (many of us come from other countries) or paleo (although there are a few here who do follow paleo). We are also not nutritionists.

Are you a cyclist?

Gaelen

If you're really looking for a food cost on the SAD just look at the traditional food pyramid and cut out most of the veggies. With a Paleo diet your biggest cost will any meat of decent quality or better. A lot of cost, actually. Another factor with SAD is how much food we throw away. My sister throws out most of her leftovers because nobody will eat them.

My biggest problem with the SAD is that nothing is standard. Lots of people eat lots of different things, especially household to household. If you had a specific question about certain items of this diet, then maybe we could be more help.

FWIW, I've been vegan for the past month and find myself shopping more often, but, overall spending less on groceries. Mostly organic and/or from the local farmer's market, too! Unfortunately, Machka's description, and our additions, are pretty damn accurate. On the whole, we eat whatever is convenient because we don't have enough time to make a proper meal and actually eat something good. I've convinved myself, after losing 3 people over the last year to diseases that are completely preventable, go invest in my health now in the form of good eating to compliment my already active lifestyle. Completely unstandard for the majority of Americans who think a bunch of pills will save them after the fact.

I'm sorry you came here looking for anything other than opinions.

Have fun riding your ride!

DXchulo

$250/month for one person is surprising to me. I budget $200 per month and I always thought that was pretty low. I'm somewhat frugal and I almost never eat out. I would have guessed at least $300 per month.


How much do they give people who are on food stamps?

Gaelen

It depends. In TX
https://https://yourtexasbenefits.hhsc.texas.gov/programs/snap

Dave Cutter

For a lot of people.... $300 is a lot of money. Where many of us "decide" how much to budget for this-and-or-that... some merely work with what is left-over. So the average numbers... may have little practical use.

I don't have a clue. I would guess for me (and many others) the idea of "food stamps" is pretty dated. I have heard of several 'programs" that distribute food by various means.

DXchulo

I'm not exactly rolling in dough. It seems backwards to eat on what's "left over," since our main 2 needs in life are food/water and shelter. I always budget those first and go from there.


I wonder how many people actually keep track of what they spend on food. Less than half, I would guess. I'd bet that most who don't keep track are underestimating how much they spend, much like they'd underestimate how many calories they're taking in if they aren't keeping track. Fast food, eating out, Starbucks, etc. will kill that budget fast. I've worked a lot of different jobs and it seems like the average person doesn't bring lunch to work, for example.

DXchulo

Interesting. About $200. Food is relatively cheap in TX, is it not?


I wonder how many of those people just use that $200 vs. adding in some of their own money.

victoria2dc

Yes, you showed up in a search and I figured that serious bikers would know nutrition. No funny motives.

Now tell me how to unsubcribe please. I tried and couldn't do it.

Thanks!

FBOATSB

Sorry, this is a serious biker gang. No way out