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Blaming "the breakdown of family" is a rather privileged view.

Consider that in the US, wages for lower income families haven't kept up with inflation for decades. That means even when a family consists of two parents, there often isn't enough money to make ends meet, and one or both parents often end up working a second (or third) job. When you have both parents working more than 40 hours a week, are you really surprised that they don't have the energy to cook from scratch?

Even in the case of "broken" families, a mother and her children that escape domestic violence are probably still better off overall, even though it's harder for them to make ends meet. I'm sure you wouldn't advocate that they stay in a harmful environment just to maintain the family structure?

Finally, and perhaps most important, many people live in food deserts. --They don't have easy access to reasonably priced raw ingredients. In some neighborhoods, the corner store is only place for them to buy stuff, and processed foods are often cheaper than the meager selection of raw goods.




> Even in the case of "broken" families, a mother and her children that escape domestic violence are probably still better off overall, even though it's harder for them to make ends meet. I'm sure you wouldn't advocate that they stay in a harmful environment just to maintain the family structure?

I think you're reading into GP's comment a lot that isn't there. I didn't even see a value judgment in their comment, let alone a suggestion that a mother and child subject to domestic violence should stay in that environment purely for maintaining the family structure.


I don't know anybody's advocating for people to stay in abusive relationships. Maintaining the family structure means keeping a close bond with the people you love as much as possible. If they don't respect you enough, and you can't work it out, leave, and find someone who does respect you. And build a family bond there.


"When you have both parents working more than 40 hours a week, are you really surprised that they don't have the energy to cook from scratch?"

Yes, because cooking costs like zero energy. The physical activity consists of standing for some 20-30 mins.




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