Money plays a role in how well we eat, but according to a new safefood study, factors like time, education and even car ownership can be just as important in determining the nutritional value of a daily diet.
The study, commissioned by the island-wide Food Safety Promotion board, used data from the Household Budget and the National Budget Surveys of a random sampling of households. Lower-income households reported difficulty in purchasing fresh foods, but the study also revealed that 50 per cent of all households purchase foods high in fats and sugars.
According to safefood director of human health and nutrition Dr Cliodhna Foley-Nolan, fast-paced living has boosted bank accounts but starved our appetite of healthy food choices.
"What we're finding now is that people who might be privileged in terms of income but are also time-poor, have problems eating as they should," she said. "Between commuting and childcare issues and everything else, it can be quite a problem."
Ad campaigns targeted towards busy parents and professionals haven't helped either.
"The time issue has been perhaps over-emphasised by certain marketing groups saying that certain foods are convenient," said Dr Foley-Nolan. "Many everyday foods which are not particularly highly-processed are highly convenient, like frozen vegetables, or a chicken breast or even a banana. That's not what we've become accustomed to thinking about as fast food."
The study also found that what we eat is often determined by how difficult it is to transport it to our homes and store it. Having a car gives shoppers the ability to stock up on fresh foods, but it's an expensive advantage: in the Republic, car ownership costs an average of €94.78 per week.
Dr Foley-Nolan believes that car ownership also plays a role in the divide between urban and rural households. In rural areas, where more people own cars, households spend more on meat, fish and poultry and come home with a higher total on their grocery receipt than their urban counterparts.
"People living in urban settings are spending less on food, so their diet is generally less nutritious," she said. "That's partly tradition but also accessibility: in the country you have to have some type of car, whereas in the city, when you're lugging bags and one or two children, it's tough."
But whether we're strapped for cash or time, Dr Foley-Nolan said that simple changes can make a major difference in any diet.
"When we're commuting long distances, having something in the car like fruit or popcorn means we don't grab the nearest so-called convenience food when we get home. It's a change in mindset."