If you're like me, you enjoy eating salads a lot. Nothing can beat the fresh crisp taste of lettuce, cheese, dressing and various other ingredients. They're great for vegetarians and for those who are watching their health.
But a problem that plagues many salad lovers is the price tag for a salad. Here at Wright State, an 8 oz. salad with a packet of dressing can easily cost you $5 or more. That's more than a hamburger up at the Union Market. What makes these tasty lunches so expensive?
I did some research on this matter and came across a very familiar piece of legislation: the Farm Bill.
In simple terms, it is a bill that dictates how much farmers get paid to grow (or not grow) certain crops, or to raise (or not raise) certain farm animals for meat and dairy. It also dictates what can be distributed in food assistance programs and in schools.
What I found was quite alarming. According to statistics for Federal Subsidies for Food Production from 1995 to 2005, about 74% of all farm subsidies go towards producing meat and dairy. About 13% go towards grains. About 11% go towards the oils, sugars, alcohol, and such. About 2% go towards nuts. And less than 0.5% go towards fruits and vegetables.
So in essence, only 0.5% of the billions of dollars in farm subsidies goes to farmers who grow fruits and vegetables for the public market. Thus, not as much gets produced, hence higher prices.
Of course, another major influence to food prices is transportation (which is a whole different ball game). But unfortunately, something like that might not be seen happening for years to come.
So the decision for now is whether to purchase that $5 salad or to go for something cheaper and more filling but less healthy. Ultimately that choice is up to you.
However, one thing I might suggest is that you vary it up each day. Instead of settling for the less healthy alternative to save money, why not buy a salad once or twice per week? Better yet, why not make your own salad at home and bring it to campus? Not only will you save money by making it yourself (if you don't let the food go to waste), but you can make the salads just the way you want, and you satisfy your body's need for variety. It's a win-win situation.
