Sally MacKay: Health Coalition Aotearoa Spokesperson on the high costs of health food

It seems like it's virtually impossible for families on a benefit to afford healthy food. 

Research shows two-children families receiving financial assistance would be 200-dollars short if they bought low-cost nutritional kai. 

Health Coalition Aotearoa spokesperson Sally Mackay told Ryan Bridge it's clear low-income families are doing it tough, with drastic increases in food parcel demands. 

She says they're most concerned about the impacts on children's learning when they arrive to school hungry. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Soaring food prices are taking a toll on our kids.
This is published a new report published this morning. It's
published in the Journal of Royal Society of New Zealand
by the University of Auckland. It found food basket prices
increased by thirty five percent in the six years from
twenty eighteen to December of last year. This is for

(00:22):
healthy food for families. It means it's virtually impossible for
a family on a benefit to afford healthy food, and
with more than one third of kids being overweight or obese,
it's even more reasons to be concerned. The Health Coalition
alto Are Food Policy Expert Advisory Group co chair Sally
McKay is with us. She's a nutritionist. Sally, good morning, Sally.

(00:47):
Can you hear me? I think we might have to
try and get us Sally. Are you there?

Speaker 2 (00:55):
Yes?

Speaker 1 (00:56):
I am there. We go tell me how concerning? Is
one of the interesting things I read in the report.
Just five point four percent of kids aged two to
fourteen years eat the recommended veggies per day.

Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yes, that is very concerning. And the recommendations for vegetables
did actually change in the last few years, and the
recommendation is now a little bit higher than it was,
which is another reason why that figure does look so low.
But even before the recommendations changed, many of our children

(01:31):
were not getting enough vegetables every day.

Speaker 1 (01:34):
Are they too high the recommendations I was having a
look at it. I think it's if you're twelve to thirteen,
it's five veggies per day and two pieces of fruit
per day. I mean, is that a bit much? I
mean if ninety five percent of kids aren't doing it.

Speaker 2 (01:50):
Well, the recommendations, I guess are something to aim for.
And even if you can get close to those recommendations
then that would be better for you health. With vegetables,
the more you eat the better. So yeah, if you're
getting close, then that's not so bad. And we do
do a little bit better on the fruit as well,
But still about half of our children don't get enough fruit,

(02:13):
and those recommendations are quite manageable at only two pieces
per day.

Speaker 1 (02:18):
What is the impact of the last few years on
low income families when it comes to healthy food.

Speaker 2 (02:27):
Well, we've seen that there's a lot more food parcels
that have been given out and the latest data on
food in security in New Zealand shows that one in
five children in that household, they often or sometimes run
out of food. So obviously this impacts those children that
don't get enough to eat, and in particular it impacts

(02:50):
their learning when they're at school, and that's what we're
really concerned about.

Speaker 1 (02:54):
And this is basically this research is basically a new
tool to measure the cost of feeding care as well.

Speaker 2 (03:01):
Yes, so we have that New Zealand has a food
price Index and they publish the prices of about over
one hundred foods every month, and so this way we
can keep track of what it costs to feed a
family very easily with this tool that has been developed.

Speaker 1 (03:20):
The sad thing here is those families who are on benefits.
I mean, you know it is hard when you're on
a fixed income like that. Surely we need to be
encouraging more families into work.

Speaker 2 (03:33):
Well, we need to. I mean for some families, the
reasons they're on the benefit because it is difficult to
work and they need to be on it. So, yes,
while we do want some families to work, we want
those that have to be on the benefit to be
able to afford healthy food. And often it's the other
cost like the rent and the transport and the electricity.

(03:57):
That mean that there's not very much left over for
food at the end of the day.

Speaker 1 (04:01):
Yeah, sorry, no, I was referring to the job seekert there.
Does this include does this research look at the schools
providing lunches for kids, families who might be gardening or
growing their own food that kind of stuff.

Speaker 2 (04:16):
No, it doesn't, and we have done some other research
that shows obviously if you are gathering or growing your
own food from other sources, then that will bring that down.
And the Healthy School Lunch's program that does provide a
free lunch to about a quarter of our children. Of course,
that is going to help those families with their budgets

(04:40):
and research has shown that it does reduce the food
budget per week. So we're pleased to see that the
government has kept the Healthy School Lunches program and it
would be great if it could reach more children.

Speaker 1 (04:53):
All right, Sally, thank you very much for your time.
It's doctor Sally McKays. She's with the Health Coalition. Olt
Head Eye for more from Newstalk st B.

Speaker 2 (05:01):
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Speaker 1 (05:04):
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