vegetable demand

Flat and falling would seem to be the answer to the statement above.  Despite a growing population and a fairly consistent message from the media that Mom always was right about eating your veggies for better health, demand for the green stuff seems less than it was 20 years ago.  Part of this perception may be the overall supply.  With better refrigeration and handling techniques and new sources of supply around the world, there is more variety on a 12 month basis than ever before.  Enter any supermarket produce department and you are overwhelmed by the number of choices.  But check the grocery carts at the checkout and many are devoid of fresh vegetables.  Highly processed foods predominate among the consumer selections.  It was recently calculated that to eat a very healthy diet low on processed foods would require the expenditure of about $1.50 per person per day for the average family.  That doesn't seem like very much, until you multiply that out over a week's time and for a family of four it comes to almost $30/week.  Of course, that is only the equivalent of 3-4 packs of cigarettes per day.  What it really comes down to is better education and subsidies so the poor can afford to eat better.  As always, easier said or blogged than done.