FOOD: A modest proposal

I think I’ve found the perfect solution for getting more food in the food banks (see Bare Bank Blues, Feb. 4 Press). Those of us who hesitate about spending an outrageous amount for a food item and continually see the price increase every time we shop: JUST STOP BUYING. That way the big suppliers and stores will have more to give to the food banks, less it goes to waste. (Don’t forget, they write this off their taxes.)

That leaves us with eating less or eating more things i.e. grains, beans, rice etc. The poor get the good things free at the food bank, we get what’s left.

Doesn’t sound good, does it? Maybe it’d work if the food we buy didn’t cost so much which means the average family would buy more and the less fortunate could also buy more and the stores would sell more before it goes to waste, but then the poor on food stamps and welfare would have to eat things that were not so expensive (but still nutritious. Of course, we couldn’t have that, could we?

A lot of us (seniors) ate good food when we were kids, things like oatmeal, beans, rice and a little beef or chicken. We had a mom who packed a paper bag (which we brought home) for our school lunch. We didn’t get to eat (at taxpayer expense) a free breakfast, a free lunch and then go home to a meal supplied by the food bank with items that a lot cannot buy at a store.

So we’ve got a choice. Eat less, eat more things we don’t like or go to the FOOD BANK.

PAUL UNDERWOOD

St. Maries