Getting frustrated over the cost of healthy eating?
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clafairy1984
Posts: 253 Member
it feels like sometimes most of my wages go on food shopping! I know it's worth it, and i have no intention of swapping to processed rubbish. But sometimes i find it difficult. I soend so much more than my friends and family, sometimes double! it's just so frustrating, especially when i wotk out what that difference is over the month. There must be a cheaper way of doing this. Im spending £300 - £350 a month, whereas other people seem to be spending about £250. Seems so unfair that wanting to look after myself financially effects other things. That proce difference could be a holiday, or redecorating....sulking
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What are you buying that costs you so much?0
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I buy fresh good quality fish and meat, fresh veg and fruit, nuts etc. All meals are prepared fresh and i use processed ingredients as little as possible. I have soups for lunch, and green smoothies for breakfast, snacking on homous and veggies, nuts etc inbetween meals. There are 2 adults and a 5 year old. I'm even careful about wastage, with any leftovers being taken for my partners lunch at owrk, or being chucked into smoothies and soups. I create meal plans and tend not to devaite from my shopping list or get tempted by deals. Only way i can think to reduce the cost is to buy frozen ingredients and lower quality meat, and substitute for more proccessed foods, all things i dont really want to do.0
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I can't say I have experienced the same. Are you sure you are counting everything? Eating out, drinks, pantry staples? Comparing families with the same number of adults and children? What ARE you buying? Everything organic? Frozen vegetables? What do you drink? Do you cook yourself? Do you throw away food sometimes? Do you shun carbs? Lots of healthy foods are cheap, and they go a long way.0
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Nuts are just a rip-off, I agree.0
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Since buying more whole foods and less processed our shopping bill has gone from £100 a week to £70. Where do you shop? We shop at Aldi as it's so much cheaper.0
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i find it costs less to eat fresh food. processed / prepackaged foods cost more per serving than making the same thing yourself.
all meat is 'processed' byt he very fact it is taken off the animal, so if you're spending extra money on something that claims not to be, just go to the regular grocery store. i buy frozen chicken, beef, pork, fish (not the breaded kind, regular frozen fish).
you can also get frozen veggies (not in sauces or anything). and use what you want as you need it. i generally prefer fresh but in the winter especially, frozen is usually more cost effective.
i eat rice and pasta in moderation, and both are cheap. bags of apples, oranges, grapes and bananas are relatively inexpensive.
you do not have to get the more expensive organic versions of foods, as it makes little, if any, nutritional difference.0 -
If you're losing weight, you could basically save money because you're eating less food. (But of course with a family to feed, your situation is different) Maybe you can take advantage of offers and sales? Some out of season items are gonna be very expensive fresh.0
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SizeTenByTeatime wrote: »Nuts are just a rip-off, I agree.
Nuts are expensive, but a serving size is 1/4 cup, so it goes a long way. They are also calorie dense, so I limit my daily intake of nuts.
I have been doing this for almost 4 years now. My grocery bill is less than what it was before I joined MFP. Using the guidelines for serving/portion sizes was an eye opener. My use of overly processed foods is minimal. We rarely eat out. I use mostly fresh fruit, veggies, meats. Some frozen fruits and vegetables, and low sodium canned beans, and canned water packed tuna. We don't have a cow, so dairy products are processed, but again, stick to portion size. I cook from scratch. Doing a lot of cooking on the weekend for the coming weeks meals. I use no prepackaged convenience foods. It really is less expensive, this way, at least for us.
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Fresh food is cheaper than pre-made (what people call processed) foods
so meal plan
buy to your meal plan
shop on offers
cook in bulk, portion and freeze
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A few suggestions for you:
1. Buy frozen meat and fish - no difference in nutritional value but for comparison 1kg Frozen chicken breast fillets are £4 in Asda whereas fresh is £3.50 for 500g, almost twice the price.
2. Add some frozen veg instead of all fresh, again no difference in nutritional value but up to half the price.
3. Switch to a cheaper supermarket if you don't already use them. I do almost all my shopping in Lidl and Farmfoods with occasional trips to Asda for certain things (other supermarkets are available).
4. Decide what is most important to you - good food at a good price or food ethics. A barn raised chicken egg tastes no different to a free range one from a shop (home kept free range are definitely tastier though) but will be up to 20p cheaper per half dozen. I understand and accept that some people like their food to be organic and well raised but to me it comes down to price pure and simple.
Following those principles my weekly shop averages £20 to £25 (single male preparing all his own food - no prepackaged or convenience).0 -
I dont understand why it's working out so much more expensive for me. Typical day, like today, consists of wholewheat toast with avocado and tomato with a green smoothie, homous and veggie sticks as mid morning snack. Soup, ryvita and piece of fruit for lunch, mid afternoon treat of couple squares chocolate. Dinner protein with lots of veggies, tonight im making a sausage a root vegetable bake.0
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i dont like to buy frozen meat and fish, as often pumped full of water, meaning you actually get less for your money. My Dad used to work in a eat proccessing factory, and was a fisherman for a while, and he's told me so many stories of what they do to the meat/fish before it's frozen.0
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£350/month isn't that bad! We are a family of four and I have spent over £100/week for the last two weeks in Aldi and that doesn't cover everything we eat in a week.0
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Tomw86 How are you managing this? i spend 70 - 100 for 2 adults and a child0
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sounds to me like you are shopping twice, once for the family and once for yourself, try to get the family in on some of the healthier food choices that you are eating, or even better, you eat what they are having, just watch your portions, that is more realistic anyway, you eventually have to learn to eat those same foods but in moderation unless you plan to eat separate meals your entire life0
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I also suggest frozen veggies over fresh. "They" (no I don't have sources materials at my finger tips, so nobody ask) are finding that frozen veggies may be more nutritious than fresh. They are frozen quickly after harvest where as fresh are stored and may travel for days before reaching the stores, losing nutrients the whole time.
Plus frozen is considerably less expensive. For example right now cauliflower is $2.10 for 1/2 of a tiny head, It is $2.60 for 500g frozen.
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I get the Aldi everyday essentials dark chocolate. 30p for 100g bar. It lasts me all week as there are 20 squares.0
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clafairy1984 wrote: »i dont like to buy frozen meat and fish, as often pumped full of water, meaning you actually get less for your money. My Dad used to work in a eat proccessing factory, and was a fisherman for a while, and he's told me so many stories of what they do to the meat/fish before it's frozen.
I agree. A lot of sodium added to frozen chicken/turkey as well. Fresh is better, but it is more expensive unless you can get it on sale.
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clafairy1984 wrote: »Tomw86 How are you managing this? i spend 70 - 100 for 2 adults and a child
By being very careful with what I buy, I tend to eat the same things most of the time as I'm a creature of habit and this knocks on to my shopping lists.
Before I switched to eating better and to eating the right size portions I was spending upwards of £35 a week on food shopping plus another £15 on takeaways.
And maybe the frozen food industry used to have a few tricks of the trade but I don't notice my chicken or fish shrinking any more than when I do use fresh.
Also my idea of processed food might be different to yours, for example canned tuna doesn't register as 'processed' to me but a ready meal does. £70 a week for two adults and a child is not bad either.0 -
It doesnt help that i have an active family, who are constantly hungry. My OH cycles 8 miles a day to and from work, and plays American football (so has a massive appettite) plus we hit the gym together 4 times a week. I walk up to 5 miles a day too. So we may be eating bigger portions compared to less active families. According to the papaer this morning 'healthy eating' costs up to 1/3 more than regular eating, whatever that is. I'm trying to put in perspective, to feel less depressed about it by thinking how much my bill comapares to take out of restuarant prices. Just frustrating knowing that other in my family are eating for £40-50. Fair enough there are lots of 'cheats' and not overly healthy, but it frees up money for activities and non food related treats. Atm it feels like my wages are just going on food and the gym.0
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