Bad Economy to be Good for Your Diet in 2013

For the 32nd consecutive year, The University of Alabama’s Office of Media Relations offers predictions from faculty experts for the coming year.

The bad economy may be good for your health in 2013, a University of Alabama nutrition expert predicts.

Swings in the economy will fuel a continued trend toward shopping at farmers markets as the local or “slow food” movement gains momentum in the coming year.

This could help many save money while eating healthier in 2013, says Dr. Kristi M. Crowe, assistant professor in the department of human nutrition in the UA College of Human Environmental Sciences.

Crowe says farmers markets not only eliminate the inflated overhead fees that are passed along to consumers but also make it possible to meet the farmers face-to-face and ask specific questions about where and how their goods were grown.

“People are looking to reconnect with their food,” she says. “Ask the questions and get to know your farmer. That’s what the slow food movement is really all about.”