I just finished reading an article in the San Diego Union Tribune that states that Grocery prices are up 7.5% this past year. The article goes on to say that 40 percent of shoppers are buying more frozen or boxed foods than fresh meats, fruits and vegetables than the previous year due to decresesd economics. The executives at Hormel the makers of Spam say that they have doubled shifts to meet the increase in demand for Spam. As a health professional I see huge problems with this type of diet down the road. The body needs genuine replacements parts to regenerate and thrive. That means that as humans we need to eat whole non processed fresh food. I might suggest that before folks go out and buy spam or boxed mashed potatoes etc that they look for alternative ways to buy whole fresh foods. Check local farmers markets, and ethnic food stores for great prices on whole foods. Also if you have a patch of ground start growing vegetables. Seeds are very cheap. Get together with neighbors and start a coop are buy dry items like beans, seeds, and nuts in bulk.
If you do not invest in your health by providing the body with the nutrients it needs you will have to spend much more later on sickness and disease management.