Is healthy food really more expensive?

Natmarie73

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

Unfortunately that is me ^^, and it's not cheap at all. 1 dozen free range organic eggs = $11.00ish. Lucky I don't eat a lot of eggs
I do buy a lot of local produce from the local farmers market once a week which is sometimes cheaper than Woolies/Coles and sometimes not.

I'll easily spend upwards of $200 - 300 a week on healthy food/groceries and eating out without batting an eyelid but I live in Perth and thats just how it is.

jenilla1

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.

I agree. :drinker:

miam4nia

I reckon healthy food is actually cheaper because when I am focused on my health...I tend to plan my meals more often out of necessity, which requires going out an buying the right ingredients in order to eat more healthily.

When I'm not concerned about eating healthily, I tend to buy lots of groceries that have a tendency to go bad! I get too lazy to cook, I order out or go out to eat more often, and my groceries always end up going bad! I definitely save more money on being healthy than when I'm not focused on it....

also I don't buy many snacks or drinks while i'm out while i'm being healthy...but then eventually i think your stomach gets smaller and you generally eat less food, which means you save money!

miam4nia

You can't put a price on health. Cut out something else from your life to compensate if it's too much. For example, cancel your cable subscription to compensate. That is a win win because it keeps you off the couch and let's you buy healthier food. Also, not eating out as much helps as well.

Yes! Pay for health now, save in the long-run; or, buy junk now and pay for illness and obesity-related diseases later.

Exercise doesn't have to cost a ton either. Good running shoes and a good sports bra (for us ladies) = $75. Then, run on trails. No gym fee required. :happy:

I think what you said makes the most sense out of anything! If you look at it in the short term, the people who don't have much access to healthier and fresher foods might have to spend more on eating healthy, but in the long term their habits might save them from medical conditions and large medical bills!

Thus, eating healthy is cheaper in the long - term.

Carnivor0us

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

Unfortunately that is me ^^, and it's not cheap at all. 1 dozen free range organic eggs = $11.00ish. Lucky I don't eat a lot of eggs
I do buy a lot of local produce from the local farmers market once a week which is sometimes cheaper than Woolies/Coles and sometimes not.

I'll easily spend upwards of $200 - 300 a week on healthy food/groceries and eating out without batting an eyelid but I live in Perth and thats just how it is.

Can you find a person that has chickens? I get mine from a local chicken/egg farmer (is that what you call them?) And I get 4 dozen for $12. I can understand if you can't get them that cheap but do you have that option in Australia?

I don't eat a lot of fresh produce because I can't afford it. I eat mainly frozen produce. I also don't eat out.

Natmarie73

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

Unfortunately that is me ^^, and it's not cheap at all. 1 dozen free range organic eggs = $11.00ish. Lucky I don't eat a lot of eggs
I do buy a lot of local produce from the local farmers market once a week which is sometimes cheaper than Woolies/Coles and sometimes not.

I'll easily spend upwards of $200 - 300 a week on healthy food/groceries and eating out without batting an eyelid but I live in Perth and thats just how it is.

Can you find a person that has chickens? I get mine from a local chicken/egg farmer (is that what you call them?) And I get 4 dozen for $12. I can understand if you can't get them that cheap but do you have that option in Australia?

I don't eat a lot of fresh produce because I can't afford it. I eat mainly frozen produce. I also don't eat out.

Yes we definately have that option, especially if you live close to the country as I do. I'm too lazy to look around for them though so I just grab a carton when I'm in the organic store.

Mrsallypants

Perhaps depends on the food and the diet? Really, healthier eating means calorie controlled eating, the fewer calories you eat the less expensive it is.

Leaner forms of ground beef are more expensive than fattier ones, god forbid you want more protein than fat in your ground beef. Yet leaner steaks (e.g. eye of round, sirloin tip side steak, top round, bottom round, top sirloin) tend to be less expensive than fattier cuts of steaks (e.g. Ribeye, Filet Mignon, T-bone, New York Strip).

Eggs can be bulked up with liquid egg whites, Quaker instant oats is pretty inexpensive compared to expensive boxed cereal and far healthier.

Not much of a price difference I believe between skim milk and fattened milk. Whole grain bread is more expensive than white, and expires far quicker than white. Fruits and veggies expire pretty fast unless frozen.

If you buy a lot of different oils such as olive oil, flax see, sunflower you will see some pretty hefty prices. Add a few supplements such as green tea supplement, calcium, fish oil, whey protein, and things can become very expensive.

suremeansyes

Fruits and veggies do not expire THAT fast. I produce shop only once a week and I don't ever have anything go bad on me within that week. If your fruits and veggies are going bad, if ANYTHING you have is going bad, that means you are buying too many groceries.

FreshKrisKreash

It's a heck of a lot cheaper than fast food that every thinks is soo cheap. Since when is $3 for a burger, $2 for fries, $1 for a drink and God knows what else cheap. $6 or more per meal. I spend less than $4 a day on my healthy foods.