Costing a lot more money to eat healthier! :(

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  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
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    You don't need low calorie and fat-free foods to lose weight. I've lost 42 pounds eating the same foods as my overweight non-dieting husband, just less of them. I have done cruel things like add more beans and vegetables to our dinners, but basically the same meals as we've always eaten. I still cook with plenty of butter, lard, white rice and flour. We actually spend much less on groceries now because we don't have to buy me as much junk food. I don't know where you are, but in the western US it costs more to buy prepackaged cookies, chips, soda, and things like that than raw whole vegetables, meats, beans, and grain products. There is absolutely no advantage to organic and you don't need pre-washed and cut products. Also, my tap water water costs less then a penny a gallon. Can't beat that.
  • littlechiaseed
    littlechiaseed Posts: 489 Member
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    I get alot of staples at the dollar tree, I get brown rice, beans, some frozen veg and fruit, oatmeal, spices. It's really a goldmine for basics.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,160 Member
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    There is also a longer term cost to NOT eating in the right way based on one's own body needs.
  • sarahsweeney90281
    sarahsweeney90281 Posts: 2 Member
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    Eating healthier CAN get costly, but doesn't have to be. I personally find that I save more money by eating healthier, because I'm buying less processed foods, but those that I do buy, I buy less of and make them stretch. Fat-free, sugar-free and low-calorie labels may sound good, but tend to cause your grocery bill to go up, if you're buying a lot of those items - that's where they get you, because the items sound like they'll be good for you, but they tend to be pretty pricey.
  • Skyblueyellow
    Skyblueyellow Posts: 225 Member
    edited January 2017
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    Sounds like I should move to Michigan to get cheap produce!!!

    Sometimes I luck out and find fresh produce that is ugly and the store is selling it at a nice discount, but that selection goes pretty fast. Bananas are always affordable here. Right now raspberries are about $5 a pint. Bummer. Chicken (boneless/skinless breasts) is usually $1.99/lb now. It used to be almost $3/lb but local stores lowered their prices last year (yay!). Avocados are on sale this week (3 for $5).

    In the summer, when farmer's markets have more produce to sell, I can get things for less money. So from May-September you can scoop up some nice deals. Some things freeze well (like berries and fresh corn) and you can stock up and freeze, especially if you are using them for smoothies.

    I'm jealous of some of the prices you guys have for food. I live immediately outside of a city, so perhaps that is why food here is more spendy. I just looked and we actually spent $165 this week on groceries, and that was with coupons, shopping sales, and buying things in season. I don't think that is awful when you consider that is feeding 4 people at 3 meals a day (ends up at $2.29 per meal and per person when accounting for eating one dinner out).
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
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    Skyblueyellow wrote: »
    Sounds like I should move to Michigan to get cheap produce!!!

    Sometimes I luck out and find fresh produce that is ugly and the store is selling it at a nice discount, but that selection goes pretty fast. Bananas are always affordable here. Right now raspberries are about $5 a pint. Bummer. Chicken (boneless/skinless breasts) is usually $1.99/lb now. It used to be almost $3/lb but local stores lowered their prices last year (yay!). Avocados are on sale this week (3 for $5).

    In the summer, when farmer's markets have more produce to sell, I can get things for less money. So from May-September you can scoop up some nice deals. Some things freeze well (like berries and fresh corn) and you can stock up and freeze, especially if you are using them for smoothies.

    I'm jealous of some of the prices you guys have for food. I live immediately outside of a city, so perhaps that is why food here is more spendy. I just looked and we actually spent $165 this week on groceries, and that was with coupons, shopping sales, and buying things in season. I don't think that is awful when you consider that is feeding 4 people at 3 meals a day (ends up at $2.29 per meal and per person when accounting for eating one dinner out).

    Sounds like you're doing good with what resources you have, costs can vary so much from one area to another!
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
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    Just eat what your family does, but bulk it with large salads. Weight loss isn't about the type of food that you eat/don't eat, it is all about calorie deficit (eating all the calories that mfp has given you).
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
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    addicted2cola wrote: »
    crzycatlady1 wrote: »
    Skyblueyellow wrote: »
    Where is this that fresh fruits and vegetables cost less than processed foods? A lb of apples is 2.95/lb. The same lb of boxed mac n' cheese is $1. A bag of mandarin oranges are $6.99. Even iceberg lettuce is well over $1/lb! Zucchini? That costs $2/lb this time of year. I live in a highly agricultural area as well. Cucumbers (.68/lb) and broccoli are super affordable right now so we eat a lot of that. Five lbs of potatoes is $4.99.

    In the winter in a cold climate I rely on frozen vegetables. We shop sales for our protein and plan meals around those sales. For my family of 4 (my boys are 6 and 7) I spend about $130-140 a week, and that doesn't include things like dog food, tissues, shampoo, etc. To be totally transparent I could spend less if I wanted to but I enjoy eating and, well, I like what I like!

    I think that this is highly regional. If you can't afford it, use canned/frozen veg to bulk up meals. No need to buy separate foods. Yes, there are some foods that are bought that only I eat, some that only the kids eat, and some that only hubby eats just because of snack preferences. For example, I do LCHF and enjoy salami and provolone roll-ups for a quick snack at night and no one else touches salami.

    It will depend on location and available stores but I only buy fresh produce when it's on sale and then I supplement with frozen. I also make my menu plan around what's on sale and walk into the store with cash and a plan of action lol.

    This week at Aldi and Meijer I got (fresh and on sale)-
    -5lbs clementines $4.88
    -5lb russet potatoes $1.29 *
    -3 containers of raspberries $3.75
    -pint blueberries $1.59
    -2 containers of blackberries $2.58
    -2lbs red seedless grapes $2.78
    -bag mini sweet peppers $2.50
    -bag of spinach $1.49
    -3lbs apples $2.99

    -and then I bought several bags of frozen Californial Blend vegetables for $1 each

    I don't buy it unless it's cheap :D

    *kicking myself for not getting a couple more bags since potatoes store well, so I'm going to try and get back to the store yet this week and buy more!


    I'm incredibly jealous lol. Where do you live (roughly)? A bag of spinach here is nearly $6, grapes are $4.99/lb and a pint of blueberries is $5. Unless I pick them in the summer, then they're free! :smile: I tend to buy a lot of frozen veggies (Presidents Choice has FANTASTIC frozen veggies), and then I buy whatever fruits and veggies tend to be on sale. Sometimes, they seem more expensive than junk food, but really they do more than one meal, so they turn out to be the same cost or cheaper.

    @addicted2cola do you have a Giant Tiger nearby? Some GTs have produce. I bought a bag of fresh spinach for $1.50 this weekend.
  • addicted2cola
    addicted2cola Posts: 43 Member
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    cerise_noir wrote: »
    addicted2cola wrote: »
    crzycatlady1 wrote: »
    Skyblueyellow wrote: »
    Where is this that fresh fruits and vegetables cost less than processed foods? A lb of apples is 2.95/lb. The same lb of boxed mac n' cheese is $1. A bag of mandarin oranges are $6.99. Even iceberg lettuce is well over $1/lb! Zucchini? That costs $2/lb this time of year. I live in a highly agricultural area as well. Cucumbers (.68/lb) and broccoli are super affordable right now so we eat a lot of that. Five lbs of potatoes is $4.99.

    In the winter in a cold climate I rely on frozen vegetables. We shop sales for our protein and plan meals around those sales. For my family of 4 (my boys are 6 and 7) I spend about $130-140 a week, and that doesn't include things like dog food, tissues, shampoo, etc. To be totally transparent I could spend less if I wanted to but I enjoy eating and, well, I like what I like!

    I think that this is highly regional. If you can't afford it, use canned/frozen veg to bulk up meals. No need to buy separate foods. Yes, there are some foods that are bought that only I eat, some that only the kids eat, and some that only hubby eats just because of snack preferences. For example, I do LCHF and enjoy salami and provolone roll-ups for a quick snack at night and no one else touches salami.

    It will depend on location and available stores but I only buy fresh produce when it's on sale and then I supplement with frozen. I also make my menu plan around what's on sale and walk into the store with cash and a plan of action lol.

    This week at Aldi and Meijer I got (fresh and on sale)-
    -5lbs clementines $4.88
    -5lb russet potatoes $1.29 *
    -3 containers of raspberries $3.75
    -pint blueberries $1.59
    -2 containers of blackberries $2.58
    -2lbs red seedless grapes $2.78
    -bag mini sweet peppers $2.50
    -bag of spinach $1.49
    -3lbs apples $2.99

    -and then I bought several bags of frozen Californial Blend vegetables for $1 each

    I don't buy it unless it's cheap :D

    *kicking myself for not getting a couple more bags since potatoes store well, so I'm going to try and get back to the store yet this week and buy more!


    I'm incredibly jealous lol. Where do you live (roughly)? A bag of spinach here is nearly $6, grapes are $4.99/lb and a pint of blueberries is $5. Unless I pick them in the summer, then they're free! :smile: I tend to buy a lot of frozen veggies (Presidents Choice has FANTASTIC frozen veggies), and then I buy whatever fruits and veggies tend to be on sale. Sometimes, they seem more expensive than junk food, but really they do more than one meal, so they turn out to be the same cost or cheaper.

    @addicted2cola do you have a Giant Tiger nearby? Some GTs have produce. I bought a bag of fresh spinach for $1.50 this weekend.

    Nah, no Giant Tiger here. I wish we did now! We do have a No Frills that normally has produce on sale though. And I've been told that the Spinach at Costco is pretty cheap, but then I'd have to drive all the way across town and the gas would pretty much eat up the savings lol. And I'd actually have to buy the membership haha. I find that shopping for the sales forces me to mix up my meals and experiment anyway, so that's actually a good thing!
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
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    jennybearlv wrote: »
    You don't need low calorie and fat-free foods to lose weight. I've lost 42 pounds eating the same foods as my overweight non-dieting husband, just less of them. I have done cruel things like add more beans and vegetables to our dinners, but basically the same meals as we've always eaten.

    Bwahaha.. I love this comment. This is exactly what I do when making a batch of 'rice and beans' (which my boyfriend got used to always having for lunch during the 7 years he lived in Puerto Rico).
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    It has been mentioned, but maybe not emphazised: Buy in season = buy cheap. Buy broccoli when broccoli is cheap. Buy cauliflower when cauliflower is cheap. You have to be flexible. You have to plan and eat up everything. You have to know how to cook, not just follow recipes.

    Lol, just be a little housewife'y.
  • theisaacvixon
    theisaacvixon Posts: 4 Member
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    look into which stores are less expensive for certain types of items. for instance, one store sells fresh fruits, veggies and bulk items for less, but the more expensive store may sell packaged itmes you enjoy for less.
    Look up delicious recipes (Pinterest is good for this) that dont have as much junk in it that your whole family will love.
    for my family, we've noticed a sma!ler grocery bill with more satisfaction.
    Meal Prep would save time throughout the week as well.
    All the best!
  • clrss1
    clrss1 Posts: 17 Member
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    I try to keep costs low by eating lots of lentils and making big batches of veggie soups.
  • unsuspectingfish
    unsuspectingfish Posts: 1,176 Member
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    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld wrote: »
    unsuspectingfish wrote: »
    dutchandkiwi wrote: »
    It is an absolute myth that healthy food = expensive.

    That entirely depends on where you live, and there have been studies that prove it absolutely does cost more to eat healthy, particularly in food deserts. That being said, if someone has the time to prep and cook meals and doesn't live somewhere where healthy foods are out of reach, cost or distance-wise, then it is absolutely possible to eat healthy for less, particularly if you buy lots of things in bulk.

    What does it matter where you live? You just eat what you have always eaten but eat less of it. That way you save money.

    If your hungry buy seasonal local veg or ask at allotments, use this to bulk out your plate.

    The closer you live to where things are produced, the cheaper they're going to be. Some people don't live close to any "seasonal local veg". Also, food deserts exist.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
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    why are you making two separate dinners/ meals?

    everyone in my house eats the same thing. Weigh everything out and portion out your bit. The recipe builder is your friend - I use it almost exclusively for my dinners, and some lunches, depending on what it is.

    I serve my fiance more than myself (he gets roughly double what I do). My 18 year old dishes up herself, assuming shes home to eat, it I dish up my sons.

    i would guess i spend $100 a week on groceries (actual food not incidentals) for a family of 3 (i say 3 because my son doesnt eat enough to count as a full person LOL)
  • kristikitter
    kristikitter Posts: 602 Member
    edited January 2017
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    Hey you guys in Amerikee have Aldi too?! Awesome!! I recommend Lidl if you have one near you, too, and frozen veggies. Love me them frozen veggies.

    Also worth reading blogs by Jack Monroe, she is a Brit who learned to cook on a budget of basically nothing and is very inspirational. Cooking on a Bootstrap!
  • unsuspectingfish
    unsuspectingfish Posts: 1,176 Member
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    kristikitter wrote: »
    Hey you guys in Amerikee have Aldi too?! Awesome!! I recommend Lidl if you have one near you, too, and frozen veggies. Love me them frozen veggies.

    Also worth reading blogs by Jack Monroe, she is a Brit who learned to cook on a budget of basically nothing and is very inspirational. Cooking on a Bootstrap!

    One of the few budget cooking blogs out there that's actually budget.
  • stepea83
    stepea83 Posts: 161 Member
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    here in the UK my weekly shop has almost double in cost from 3/4 years ago. buying the same sort of stuff.
    its the meats and veggies that's rocketed up in price! no wonder many family's feed their children etc.. on microwave frozen meals that cost a fraction of the price.

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