cost of healthy food vs unhealthy food
nomoyoyoing
Posts: 159 Member
I've heard it said that unhealthy food is less expensive than healthy food. I don't believe this to be true. I know it's highly subjective, but what do you think, generally speaking? I think cost sounds like an excuse. Correct me if I'm wrong..
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Replies
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I think unhealthy food is cheaper.
For example,
Ground beef compared to steak.
Chicken breasts compared to chicken thighs or legs.
I agree with it.
But it's not an excuse.
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I believe that unhealthy food is less expensive. A box of mac and cheese, or Hamburger Helper, is far less expensive than say, chicken, fresh vegetables and a potato.0
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Boxed foods (Hamburger Helper, mac and cheese, pasta) are certainly cheaper than fresh food. I haven't eaten boxed foods in so long, I don't know if the prices have changed in the last 10 years, but those were certainly cheaper before. Of course, the prep work is probably a deterrent for those not experience with cooking. I'm not excusing people for it but I'm saying that there are many factors involved in eating healthier. The cost is the initial hurdle - buying the produce and lean meat and poultry (and fish), but the second hurdle is learning to cook with these ingredients and putting in the effort and time to cook rather than just heat something up from a box.0
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NaturalNancy wrote: »I think unhealthy food is cheaper.
For example,
Ground beef compared to steak.
Chicken breasts compared to chicken thighs or legs.
I agree with it.
But it's not an excuse.
Chicken thighs and ground beef are unhealthy?0 -
Honestly, I think it can either way. You can spend a fortune on ready prepared food but you can also spend a fortune on basic ingredients. I do think that the more people you have to feed, the easier it is to spend less on ingredients. To feed our five children and very hungry husband on a limited budget, I buy an awful lot of bulk and caselot sales.
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To me, yes, but I have to have food shipped so all things are more expensive.0
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I'm not sure what your criteria is for "healthy food", but I can make plenty of food that's cheaper, per serving, than prepackaged/convenience food.
Chicken and lentil soup. Chicken and veggie soup. Broccoli and potatoe cheese soup. Chicken chili on a baked potatoe. 8 servings at least per recipe and each serving is less than $1 Vs $1 box frozen Mac n cheese. The really cheap kind.
I think it's really convenience that drives price, not "healthy".0 -
I buy stuff on sale and freeze. I also buy in bulk when on good sale. I am very poor and can not afford "junk food" often.0
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I'm not sure what your criteria is for "healthy food", but I can make plenty of food that's cheaper, per serving, than prepackaged/convenience food.
Chicken and lentil soup. Chicken and veggie soup. Broccoli and potatoe cheese soup. Chicken chili on a baked potatoe. 8 servings at least per recipe and each serving is less than $1 Vs $1 box frozen Mac n cheese. The really cheap kind.
I think it's really convenience that drives price, not "healthy".
Great points.0 -
NaturalNancy wrote: »I think unhealthy food is cheaper.
For example,
Ground beef compared to steak.
Chicken breasts compared to chicken thighs or legs.
I agree with it.
But it's not an excuse.
What makes ground beef less healthy than steak, or chicken thighs less than chicken breasts? Maybe if you get ground beef with the most fat in it, but leaner ones would be just find. I don't think there is that much difference between different chicken meats either nutritionally. Frankly, I don't like the healthy/unhealthy food description as it is quite amorphous and undefined. A better way to think of food would be more nutritious and less nutritious. Purchasing carefully I am sure a person can eat good nutrient dense foods at a price comparable to less nutritious foods. The difference would be seen in shopping carefully, in the amount of work that would be needed for food preparation, and likely in less variety in food seasonally especially if one wants fresh veggies rather than frozen.0 -
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Define healthy.0
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I think that all the cost balances out in the end. If you "save money" buying unhealthy food, you're probably going to end up spending everything you saves and more in medical bills later. If you pay a little more now and buy healthy food, you'll save money by not having as many medical problems. I prefer the latter option.0
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It depends....
I just bought a 5 Lb bag of red potatoes for $1.99. I make a lot of beans and buy them dried in bulk...about $.99/lb. I also buy brown rice in bulk for about the same...and oats. Frozen veggies are very often on sale...for fresh, things like cabbage keep well and are cheap. I see chicken on sale all of the time...especially if you're doing parts or whole chickens rather than buying an already trimmed breast or something. Lean ground beef is also pretty inexpensive...pork tenderloin tends to be a good value as well as it is relatively cheap and goes a long way....eggs are a pretty cheap staple as well...
In my experience, a lot of people don't know how to shop...and a lot of people probably spend more on processed foods and "junk" foods than they really realize...especially if they eat out often.0 -
I think it's more laziness then anything. I made chicken with rice and mushroom soup. For me it's three servings. Not very expensive. It takes time to cook, but it's worth it. I like to cook big meals, then freeze some for later.0
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Ground beef or steak? The main difference is up to the person. The body DOESN'T care. It just systematically breaks down any food/drink down to simplest form to be absorbed. It doesn't distinguish the source.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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I just posted this in another thread...
I think it can go either way, depending on what you buy.
I am able to feed 5 people on a limited amount, easily. Under $5 a meal, no problem. If we go to mcdonalds and each get 1 thing off the dollar menu it costs more, and we get less volume for the meal. If we order off the mcds menu without care to the cost...it can easily be $30 to feed us all.
I can think of a bunch of home made meals off the top of my head that will feed 5 people for under $5.
Pulled pork sandwiches, with frozen green beans. $1.29/lb for pork butt...need 1.5#, bag of hamburger buns from aldi $0.85, bag of frozen veg $1.....under $4, or $5 if you want 2 bags of frozen veggies
spaghetti w marinara or alfredo with broccoli...$1 pasta, $1 marinara or $1.99 alfredo, $1/bag of frozen veg....between $3 & $5 to feed 5
Polish sausage broccoli bake half a pack or aldi parkview polish sausage links ($3.99 / 12 pack)..$1.98, $2 for two bags of frozen broccoli..half bag of shredded cheese $1 ..$5 total
Pork chops and itialian rice $1.49/lb thin cut pork chops (1 1/2lb), 1/4 bag white rice ($1.59/bag), $1 jar marinara, bag frozen peas....$4.65
Lentil tacos or taco salad...half bag lentils $1.29/bag), jar salsa ($1.49), 2 packs corn tortillas from aldi $0.48/ea...head of lettuce $1.29.... half bag of shredded cheese $1...$5.42
Chicken soup....chicken drumsticks $0.59/lb....3lbs, bag babybcarrots $1, half bunch celery $1, 1 onion $0.75, half bag noodles $0.50....$5
Some of these prices i have to shop around for or stockpile, but many i can get nearly every week. I dont use coupons.
yes, i could also feed my family for under $5 on processed foods....3 boxes of aldi mac n cheese and a bag of frozen veg is $2.50. 4 packs of ramen, a bag of frozen veg and a couple eggs is $3.
Or i could buy ready to eat frozen meals and pay $6 for a small tray of frozen encor mostacholli, and need 2 in order to feed my family...plus the $ for a side.
It just depends on how you shop, what you eat, and how you plan.0 -
Healthier foods are cheaper.
You might have a fistful of coupons for a lot of boxed salty carbs, but it's not going to be food that fills me up and keeps me full. I have to eat more of that stuff or at least eat it more often since I'm hungry again much sooner. Adds up $
I stock up on meat when it's on sale - family size packs that I break down to weights that fit my per meal calories. Beans and grains are super cheap in bulk. Same with basic veggies either in season or frozen. Specialty items I try to get on sale too. Eggs I buy by the box of 2.5 to 5 dozen. We go through a lot of eggs.
I have a vast array of different grocers to shop at and with my normal travels I never have to go out of my way to get to any. No one has great deals on everything so it's good to know who is best at what.0 -
My students did this as a lab after watching fed up. They had to price out a fast food meal for their family and make something that hit the ideal of healthy (within guidelines for sugar, sodium, fat etc). The fast food was cheaper in all 40 reports.
I then had them prepare a month of meals based on what they would get in our area from SNAP (the video focuses a little on poor children). Some were able to come in on target with "healthy foods" but most were not. Those that came in on target shopped multiple places (walmart, target, trader joes) and repeated a lot of meals that included things like beans and rice.0 -
twinmom_112002 wrote: »My students did this as a lab after watching fed up. They had to price out a fast food meal for their family and make something that hit the ideal of healthy (within guidelines for sugar, sodium, fat etc). The fast food was cheaper in all 40 reports.
I then had them prepare a month of meals based on what they would get in our area from SNAP (the video focuses a little on poor children). Some were able to come in on target with "healthy foods" but most were not. Those that came in on target shopped multiple places (walmart, target, trader joes) and repeated a lot of meals that included things like beans and rice.
I think that shows they can't shop properly. A fast food meal for my family would be 20 at the cheapest and could be up to 40 if no value menu. I can make at least a couple healthy meals for 20.0 -
Nutrient dense choices tend to be pricier - however, it is very doable depending on the choices0
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I have recently learned how to shop the sales. I always thought I did great before and have always stockpiled. But now that I meal plan BASED on the sales that week, it has made a huge difference in our grocery budget. And cooking from scratch has become much cheaper.
Before, I would choose a recipe and then plan grocery shopping. Planning my shopping and then looking for recipes based on what I can buy on sale saved a bundle.0 -
AmazonMayan wrote: »twinmom_112002 wrote: »My students did this as a lab after watching fed up. They had to price out a fast food meal for their family and make something that hit the ideal of healthy (within guidelines for sugar, sodium, fat etc). The fast food was cheaper in all 40 reports.
I then had them prepare a month of meals based on what they would get in our area from SNAP (the video focuses a little on poor children). Some were able to come in on target with "healthy foods" but most were not. Those that came in on target shopped multiple places (walmart, target, trader joes) and repeated a lot of meals that included things like beans and rice.
I think that shows they can't shop properly. A fast food meal for my family would be 20 at the cheapest and could be up to 40 if no value menu. I can make at least a couple healthy meals for 20.
I agree with this. Is it easy to feed healthily, yet cheaply? Not in the beggining...it takes quite a bit of effort in the beginning. Once you get the hang of it though, it becomes very easy. You just have to learn the ins and outs. What meals you enjoy that are inexpensive...what substitutions you can make to save money...where to shop for the best deals.
Its not unlike calorie counting....its a bit hard in the begining, but once you learn where to look for calorie counts.....how to weigh/measure accurately....what substitutions you can make to save calories... and what you prefer to eat for your calorie budget....it becomes easy.0 -
AmazonMayan wrote: »twinmom_112002 wrote: »My students did this as a lab after watching fed up. They had to price out a fast food meal for their family and make something that hit the ideal of healthy (within guidelines for sugar, sodium, fat etc). The fast food was cheaper in all 40 reports.
I then had them prepare a month of meals based on what they would get in our area from SNAP (the video focuses a little on poor children). Some were able to come in on target with "healthy foods" but most were not. Those that came in on target shopped multiple places (walmart, target, trader joes) and repeated a lot of meals that included things like beans and rice.
I think that shows they can't shop properly. A fast food meal for my family would be 20 at the cheapest and could be up to 40 if no value menu. I can make at least a couple healthy meals for 20.
I agree with this. Is it easy to feed healthily, yet cheaply? Not in the beggining...it takes quite a bit of effort in the beginning. Once you get the hang of it though, it becomes very easy. You just have to learn the ins and outs. What meals you enjoy that are inexpensive...what substitutions you can make to save money...where to shop for the best deals.
Its not unlike calorie counting....its a bit hard in the begining, but once you learn where to look for calorie counts.....how to weigh/measure accurately....what substitutions you can make to save calories... and what you prefer to eat for your calorie budget....it becomes easy.
All well said. For a while, the most expensive stuff (per item) I was buying at the grocery was snack foods my kids requested-- chips, goldfish, m&ms--with little nutritional value compared to, say, a dozen eggs that cost less.
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I just posted this in another thread...
I think it can go either way, depending on what you buy.
I am able to feed 5 people on a limited amount, easily. Under $5 a meal, no problem. If we go to mcdonalds and each get 1 thing off the dollar menu it costs more, and we get less volume for the meal. If we order off the mcds menu without care to the cost...it can easily be $30 to feed us all.
I can think of a bunch of home made meals off the top of my head that will feed 5 people for under $5.
Pulled pork sandwiches, with frozen green beans. $1.29/lb for pork butt...need 1.5#, bag of hamburger buns from aldi $0.85, bag of frozen veg $1.....under $4, or $5 if you want 2 bags of frozen veggies
spaghetti w marinara or alfredo with broccoli...$1 pasta, $1 marinara or $1.99 alfredo, $1/bag of frozen veg....between $3 & $5 to feed 5
Polish sausage broccoli bake half a pack or aldi parkview polish sausage links ($3.99 / 12 pack)..$1.98, $2 for two bags of frozen broccoli..half bag of shredded cheese $1 ..$5 total
Pork chops and itialian rice $1.49/lb thin cut pork chops (1 1/2lb), 1/4 bag white rice ($1.59/bag), $1 jar marinara, bag frozen peas....$4.65
Lentil tacos or taco salad...half bag lentils $1.29/bag), jar salsa ($1.49), 2 packs corn tortillas from aldi $0.48/ea...head of lettuce $1.29.... half bag of shredded cheese $1...$5.42
Chicken soup....chicken drumsticks $0.59/lb....3lbs, bag babybcarrots $1, half bunch celery $1, 1 onion $0.75, half bag noodles $0.50....$5
Some of these prices i have to shop around for or stockpile, but many i can get nearly every week. I dont use coupons.
yes, i could also feed my family for under $5 on processed foods....3 boxes of aldi mac n cheese and a bag of frozen veg is $2.50. 4 packs of ramen, a bag of frozen veg and a couple eggs is $3.
Or i could buy ready to eat frozen meals and pay $6 for a small tray of frozen encor mostacholli, and need 2 in order to feed my family...plus the $ for a side.
It just depends on how you shop, what you eat, and how you plan.
Impressive! Good for you.0 -
I think the excuse eatting healthy costs more is bs. Check out prices on Doritos? Fast food? NOT cheap. I guess if you are comparing steak to romaine noodles...yeah it costs more
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I think that a lot of it depends on where you shop. Here in my small town, unhealthier foods are more expensive than the healthier ones, unless I shop at the local produce store, which I do often. The owner does what she can to keep costs at a minimum, even of imported foods, whether it's produce or other things. So I almost always go there for my produce because it's cheaper in my small town than in the local supermarket.
Being a working woman on a low income, I've had to learn how to budget & to shop wisely, & I often go to the nearest city for deals that're much better than I can find here in my own town. I'm usually out there about once a week anyway, & taking the time to go where the deals are pays off.0 -
NaturalNancy wrote: »I think unhealthy food is cheaper.
For example,
Ground beef compared to steak.
Chicken breasts compared to chicken thighs or legs.
I agree with it.
But it's not an excuse.
Ground beef and chicken thighs/legs aren't less healthy.
Also beans are cheaper than either.
So I disagree. If you are committed to eating cheaply there are ways to do so.
Food is pretty cheap in the US anyway, so I don't worry about it. Bone-in is usually cheaper, though, and other chicken parts (or off-season turkey) so that can be a strategy.0 -
I know that I spend less when I'm logging because I barely buy any sweets or snacks. Also, fresh fruit and veg are very affordable in Germany while some convenience foods are both more expensive and less edible than in the US or UK.0
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