Is healthy food really more expensive?

ClumsyArtist

I keep hearing online and in conversation with friends and coworkers that it's so much harder to eat healthy because healthy foods are more expensive. I am torn on the subject because I know produce can be expensive and can depend on your area. But I also know that when you eat healthy, you buy less junk foods and maybe even less food overall. I'm curious, what are your thoughts? It is a cop out or it is eating healthy really cost prohibitive?

Carnivor0us

It's not cost prohibitive if you plan it right.

It also depends on what you consider 'healthy'. Some folks won't eat any produce that's not fresh, and that can add up. I eat a lot of frozen veggies, with the exception of a big bag of spinach I buy once a week.

Eggs are cheap, and so is chicken and fish.

If you're not an organic, free-range-grass-fed only type of person, good food can be really cheap.

abbylg1983

I think it's pretty expensive to eat healthy. You could buy chips, crackers, helper meal foods, etc. at the dollar store. Meat and fresh produce gets really expensive, especially if you eat a lot of it. My grocery bill has more than doubled since I've been on a mission to make dinners and eat more vegetables (although, on the flip side, I do spend less on eating out). But I'd not argue that eating well will cost more money.

ced1389

I think it's a copout. Yes, fresh food goes bad more quickly, but that's why it's good for you! I completely agree that if you're buying healthy food, you're consuming less and it will even out.

To be totally honest, when I was buying pizza rolls and poptarts and doritos (whatever it was), I was also going through it a lot faster. So just because I was spending less per shopping trip, I was running out of food and would end up having to go back. Now I buy all my fresh stuff and do all of my shopping once a week. We never run out inbetween and I'm actually spending LESS on groceries than I did before.

I think another culprit to this crazy idea that eating healthy is "so expensive" is all that lean cuisine, healthy frozen meals stuff. Not saying they're a bad choice, but you spend 3 bucks a pop when you could make the same thing yourself for less AND ACTUALLY BE FULL AFTER! Crazy, I know.

Food for thought.

dym123

For me it kind of evened out, yes I'm spending more for healthier foods, but I eat out less and instead of hitting the stores after work, I go straight home to workout.

cwolfman13

I spend about the same...

LAW_714

I think there are a lot of factors involved.

If you live in an urban food desert, fresh fruits and veggies may not be as available to you. And it's probably never going to be cheaper than McDonald's value meal dollar menu.

From my personal experience (which of course is context based), I tend to find produce in the grocery store to be one of the cheaper things relative to many processed foods, certainly cheaper than packaged cereal or chips or Stouffers meals, etc.

But, again, it's going to be based on availability and what exactly you're buying (and where.)

redhead1910

I spend about $80 a week on organic groceries, but that's for me AND my boyfriend. It is totally possible to eat healthy on a budget. The only thing that even makes my bill more then $60 is the vast amount of protein supplements and vitamins I have to buy lol.

GRUNO

For me it kind of evened out, yes I'm spending more for healthier foods, but I eat out less and instead of hitting the stores after work, I go straight home to workout.

I find this is true for me as well.

I also think people tend to make false comparisons. They'll say things like I can get five dollar menu burgers for the price of a pound of apples. But what they don't do is compare apples to apples. A jar of unsweetened applesauce is around $2.00. Or you can get a 5 pound bag of dry rice for the price of one or two of those hamburger helper/rice-a-roni meals. So, if you are buying whole foods to cook at home and skipping on the processed, ready made food you are likely going to spend less. It will certainly take more time to prepare food but it shouldn't really cost more.

magerum

No.

kganc001

Personally, I don't go out to eat nearly as much and I make a lot of my meals at the beginning of the week. While the initial cost may be a little high ($60-$70 trip every 2 weeks), the cost per meal is significantly cheaper than before I changed my eating habits.

I don't think it's a cop out, I think it's more of a lack of knowledge or understanding about the most cost effective products to buy for your goals.

GRUNO

If you live in an urban food desert, fresh fruits and veggies may not be as available to you. And it's probably never going to be cheaper than McDonald's value meal dollar menu.

I don't disagree with you that for many people fresh fruit is going to be pricey. But I don't consider fast food burgers a valid comparison--canned and frozen fruits and veggies can be a very good option and the price per serving is likely going to be less than that burger.

Then that gets me off on another issue--serving size--if people were eating proper servings of food they could get more meals out of less food.

toutmonpossible

It is more expensive -- compare the price of milk that hasn't been made with cows treated with antibiotics with the regular kind. Good fresh produce and meat and seafood are expensive. Still, you should try to eat as healthily as possible. More broadly, follow political initiatives that challenge subsidies to companies that profit from producing unhealthy products, such as high fructose corn syrup, which gets added to many processed foods.

If you belong to a food coop, that might net better prices. But that requires organization and commitment.

PandaCustard

My husband and I have totally different eating habits. I try to eat very healthily; he eats a lot of pizza rolls and junk food. We go half and half on our grocery bill, and I notice I spend significantly more on his groceries than mine for an equal amount (and I have celiac disease, which is effin' expensive). So no, in my opinion, I don't think eating healthy is more expensive; quite the opposite. I'm so glad he approached me this week asking me to help him eat healthier... saves on grocery bills and his health!

EDIT: Honestly, I think it depends on the area. Fresh produce in my area is pretty cheap.

jessichri

If I don't have time off to go to the farmers market for veggies, yes its much more expensive (at least in my area). I can definitely attest to the fact that it is much cheaper to buy a frozen pizza than to make your own healthier version or to buy a boxed meal versus creating your own.
That being said, if you plan it just right you could probably save some money if you don't need to buy too many ingredients for each meal. That's where it gets you. You think its cheaper to make your own spaghetti sauce until you realize the tomatoes are 2.99 a pound, and basil and oregano is 99 cents each, etc...
But as others have said, it depends on your definition of healthy and how much processed/pre packaged food you intend to eliminate. I just buy healthy when I can and not worry about it if I have to eat pb&j and chef boyardee for a week when Im broke.

Meg_Shirley_86

I kinda think it's either a copout, or that they really don't know their options and aren't willing to get a little creative to make their budget work. While you get more calories for your buck with junk, you get better nutrition if you avoid it.
I feel like the food we eat and feed our families is just about the most important investment you can make.
Since we began eating healthier, we've saved a ton, but it does mean that I make two trips to the farmer's market each week and prepare most of our food myself. Even if it did cost more to eat healthy, I'd cut back elsewhere (not that there's much to cut back on!).

jakesfitness

i think it kind of depends on you. some people buy all Organica lots of fancy ingredients, and top of the line name brand type stuff. But you can buy good fresh food and spend less money. It just like bying any kind of groceries, if you smart about what you buy then you dont spend as much.

also agree with everyone saying its cheaper than going out... and you also know what your eating when you make it at home.

frugalafterfifty

I don't think so. I buy in-season and bulk of items and either freeze, can or dehydrate what I can. It all goes into how much effort you want to put into it. For example: I'm hooked on cauliflower and egg whites that I make into a crust. Everytime I see cauliflower on sale I'll pick some up and freeze it. I can get a case of banana's for less than $12. I'll freeze them and have them for smoothies, banana oat cookies and bread for months. Better than paying 58 cents or whatever for a pound.

I used to spend a lot of money on chips, cookies, tastycakes, etc. Now that goes to healthy food.

mrsriisky

It just depends on how you eat. I find that I spend more on groceries when I'm eating healthy because I love to have fresh produce and more variety to keep me engaged, but I spend much less on eating out. So it balances out for me.

jaimrlx

It is more expensive, considering I used to spend $80 every month in groceries that was mainly junk food. Think: 12 pack ramen.

Now I go to the store every week to buy veggies, meats, etc; it's about $30 every time I go. However, the money is spread out, so it's not bad for my personal budget, though everyone budgets differently.

Veggies are just as cheap as a box of Mac & Cheese in my area, but lean meats? Holy cow. Good cheeses, organic food, etc.. all super high priced. If you have a Trader Joe's, go there. It's SO amazingly cheap (for healthy food) and awesome.

Portion control is the main bit. Teach yourself that, and you'll be eating less of the healthy stuff and won't have to spend $200 in healthy foods every month. One box of Hamburger Helper, I can eat that in one sitting. An entire bag of veg takes me 3 days.

samlankford

some things are more but you just have to know what to buy and where... get seasonal produce, or frozen veggies... sometimes I will get organic but rarely...

successby50

Try feeding 3 growing teens as healthy as you can!! Fresh fruit is always gone in my house before it goes bad, lol. I have to pick and choose what to purchase depending on seasonality and price. I'd love to have avocados and mangoes in the house all the time, but at a dollar for just one (!), I just can't do it. That bag of apples doesn't last the week, and quite frankly, just apples gets boring after awhile! Comparatively, a bag of cookies comes in at 4 dollars, and lasts all week. The garbage cereal is about 6 bucks depending on sales, and the "healthier" cereal is the same for half the size.
Yes, I have found it is much more expensive to feed your family well, but it's worth the cost, and we do the best we can

Espressocycle

Fresh produce is expensive and does not supply many calories. However, bananas, sweet potatoes, onions, cabbage, carrots, onions and green peppers are all pretty cheap and you can do a lot with just those. Not to mention chicken and lean pork, brown rice, dry or canned beans... especially if you make a big pot of something and freeze portions, you can get your cost per day pretty low, like maybe $4-5/day per adult. That said, it's true that you could also just buy 4 McDoubles or other dollar menu fast food and get your calories that way, but the fast food joints lose money with those items in hopes of making it up on soda, so that's why.

BoomstickChick

I think it's false you buy less if you eat healthier. You can get a pack of ramen for 2 bucks that will last how long? A head of lettuce and some other veggies last a few days.

Basically, if you have no income in your home, you eat **** food because it's what you can afford. Eating healthy goes out the window.

BeachIron

No. Not for me. I became overweight on a diet of steakhouse food and red wine. A diet made up primarily of dairy, eggs. frozen chicken and fish, ground beef, frozen veggies, fresh veggies, tortillas, and cheese has been a huge costs savings for me.

rachelklewis3

I think it can be. My mother-in-law and I recently went grocery shopping together. We both filled our carts with the about the same amount of items. Mine was mostly produce, whole grain pasta, dairy- minimal junk. Hers was mainly frozen meals and junk food. Her bill was about $40 less. This is where it's debatable, though- her food will last forever in her house with just her and her younger son. I feed a family of four, prepare 3 meals a day, and I know that I can make that food last for about 2 weeks. So in a nutshell- I spent more at one time, but in the long run I feel I am saving- in more ways than one!

cpalumbo89

I think if you only shop the outer edges of grocery stores, then what you've avoided spending will equal out to what you've bought. No more chips or crackers (even the healthy ones) instead buy fruit and cheese and hummus to snack on. it'll equal out.

nvpixie

I don't think it's much more expensive if you shop the sales and buy in-season produce. If you store the produce properly, you can extend how long it keeps.

Blueberries are a great price right now at most of the grocery stores in my area so I bought a bunch and will freeze a lot of it for smoothies or adding to recipes later. The same method works for strawberries and bananas, and I'm sure other fruits as well. I buy a lot of meat on the "manager's specials" and then freeze it as soon as I get home. I got chicken breasts for half off yesterday. I froze half and used half right away in chicken soup.

The trouble of higher prices mostly comes in when people don't have access to different grocery stores or only access to small stores that don't carry a lot of fresh produce. I've noticed that in most cases, the smaller the store, the less variety and higher prices.

megleighd

Not if you plan. I spend the same amount (or less)
I buy some fruits and veggies but also buy frozen so the fresh doesn't go bad before I can get to them.

Also, I lost the desire to eat fast food or eat out. So really I am saving lots!

herblackwings39

I honestly think a lot of it is dependant on where you live. I'm sure it's cheaper to buy fresh if you have grocery stores, ethnic markets, various farmers markets, etc at your disposal to find the best prices. If you live in an outlying community where whatever you have the option of buying is flown in or shipped via boat....forget fresh. Just buying food will cost a fortune. I live somewhere with 2 small grocery stores in easy driving distance. There's not a great deal of choice in what's carried and if I don't buy produce when it's on sale I'll end up paying $5 for strawberries or $3 a pound for apples or $4 for a small container of berries.

Kristy7418

I have to admit for ME it's a tad more expensive. I don't even do organic and all that. I try to get all I can from Aldi's. I get paid twice a month and I used but all my food for the two weeks when i got paid. With fruit and veggies I can't do that anymore. And my food bill is a bit higher. Not a whole lot but a bit. Which kinda hurts because I really don't have much money between paycheck to paycheck but it's not stopping from eating healthy and losing this weight.