Wish fresh veggies weren't so expensive
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kshama2001 wrote: »French_Peasant wrote: »KayCeeRein wrote: »That is crazy. I'm from Canada, and unless you shop the reduced racks this time of year, you are paying $2.99 a lb for fresh broccoli, $1.99 for head lettuce, $2.99 for leaf lettuce or romane, $4.99/lb for asparagus, $1.99 per lb for tomatoes, $3.49/lb for coloured bell peppers, $2.49/lb for green peppers, $3.99 for a pint of raspberries, $3.99 for a quart of strawberries..... On the reduced rack I still pay $1.25 for two peppers. I would be literally doing cartwheels if I could get two peppers for $0.79.
And that is why I say vegetables are expensive. Even a bag of frozen green giant broccoli is $2.99.
As a gardener, I find it helps to add some extra context around these particular vegetables. Those are the high-maintenance luxury vegetables, difficult to pack, ship, store, and immediately thrown out if they become the least bit soft or blemished. They are also entirely out of season, which is why they are so expensive. When people say to eat in season, they are referring to the storeable, durable "keepers" for the winter: apples, potatoes, carrots, onions, squash, cabbage. Have you priced those out? They often seem to be left out of pricing discussions for some reason.Exactly. If you live somewhere with a discernible winter, you won't be able to eat warm weather produce all year long on a budget. I think folks are reading all the FB articles telling you to eat superfoods and trendy produce and think that's what you have to do to be healthy and it's so expensive. But the bolded items are in season, as you said they are storable, and they are great, healthy additions to your diet. Then when it warms up, there will be a lot more variety that you can get on a budget. As far as frozen veggies, wait for sales and stock up. I guess it's possible that there are some areas of the world where all forms of all produce are more expensive than any other food products, but I really think usually this is more about people's perception than anything else.
If you have $5 in your pocket when you walk into the grocery store, you buy the plain Cheerios instead of Honey Nut Cheerios because you get a bigger box for the price, you buy the cheaper store brand mac & cheese instead of Kraft, and you buy the big cheap bag of whole carrots and a head of cabbage instead of one red pepper.
Great posts!
I believe citrus is in season now too.
I see peaches at the supermarket, but have learned that peaches that are not local are dreadful. They are picked too early so they will transport well and never ripen properly.
the non-local strawberries are pretty bad too.
edited to add: OK- they aren't actually pretty bad, but they are nowhere near as good as the really fresh local ones.0 -
French_Peasant wrote: »Noreenmarie1234 wrote: »Noreenmarie1234 wrote: »For the calorie amount fresh fruit and veg ARE more expensive. I hate how people say they aren't. If I buy some junk food donuts 1.69 (for pack of 6 at 320 cal per doughnut) and box of cereal (1.69 with 12 servings) that would easily last me 2 weeks of 500-600 calorie breakfasts. HOWEVER, if I buy 4 fresh bell peppers (4.00), one lb broccoli (2 bucks), one large tomato (2), I could eat ALL of that in ONE day and it wouldn't even amount to the same calorie amount of "fuel". So YES eating fresh fruit and veg is more expensive than eating junk because you have to buy A LOT more to get the same calorie amount of fuel.
No way. A few vegetables, some protein and a starch and you can feed yourself for a few days cooking one meal. Even if you buy the cheapest junk food out there you will not get the same nutritional bang for your buck. I wish the myth of "it's cheap to get fat" would die. Some things are very expensive, but seasonal vegetables or frozen vegetables are cheap almost everywhere. Canned vegetables are also an option. All of these are cheaper than a pop tart or hot pocket. I think it's an excuse people use either because they don't know how to cook or they want to keep eating junk and don't want to just admit that.
All of these are not cheaper. A box of poptarts run 1.67 at my local store and that would last a WEEK. For that amount I could get ONE tomato or one head of broccoli, which would just be a small component of ONE meal. I think it depends on location. I am picky about my veg and I don't like canned vegetables or cheap starches such as rice/beans/potatoes so when I make a meal, it is all veg and protein. I buy lettuce which is 2.99 and it lasts me only two salads worth. To eat a salad every day for lunch is quite expensive. I have to buy the lettuce, tomato (2), onions (1), cucumber (99c), radishes (2), green pepper (1), etc it all adds up to about 5 per salad when I figured it out, which is 25 bucks per week. Alternately I could have a hot pocket each day for lunch for the same calories and it would only cost me 7.50 for the whole week.
Just an example, so I don't think you can say it IS just as cheap to eat healthy. It CAN be, but many people such as myself are picky and do not want to eat plain rice and canned vegetables. I also dislike the taste of frozen vegetables. They aren't the same as fresh. So unfortunately with my preferences it is more expensive, although that is my fault LOL. I don't use it as an excuse because my grocery bill is quite high. I do choose to eat mostly vegetables because it's what I enjoy, I just am not happy about it.
It is indeed a regrettable quandary to have a palette that accepts Hot Pockets and cheap doughnuts that last 6 days, but rejects frozen and canned vegetables along with rice, beans and potatoes. I am dealing with this with my 10 year old daughter, who will eat only the most exquisite of perfectly-ripe, unblemished fruits, but will also gladly eat a Totino's pizza. wat.
I am hoping that my love for Creole and French cooking will rub off on her so if money is tight for her she can do amazing things with potatoes, beans n' rice, and the Creole Trinity (celery/onions/green peppers) or French mirepoix (celery/onions/carrots) combined with the miracle of bacon-grease roux or saute (everybody is thriftily saving back their bacon grease in a tin can under the sink, right? RIGHT???)
ooo, do you have any tasty Creole/French recipes??1 -
kshama2001 wrote: »French_Peasant wrote: »KayCeeRein wrote: »That is crazy. I'm from Canada, and unless you shop the reduced racks this time of year, you are paying $2.99 a lb for fresh broccoli, $1.99 for head lettuce, $2.99 for leaf lettuce or romane, $4.99/lb for asparagus, $1.99 per lb for tomatoes, $3.49/lb for coloured bell peppers, $2.49/lb for green peppers, $3.99 for a pint of raspberries, $3.99 for a quart of strawberries..... On the reduced rack I still pay $1.25 for two peppers. I would be literally doing cartwheels if I could get two peppers for $0.79.
And that is why I say vegetables are expensive. Even a bag of frozen green giant broccoli is $2.99.
As a gardener, I find it helps to add some extra context around these particular vegetables. Those are the high-maintenance luxury vegetables, difficult to pack, ship, store, and immediately thrown out if they become the least bit soft or blemished. They are also entirely out of season, which is why they are so expensive. When people say to eat in season, they are referring to the storeable, durable "keepers" for the winter: apples, potatoes, carrots, onions, squash, cabbage. Have you priced those out? They often seem to be left out of pricing discussions for some reason.Exactly. If you live somewhere with a discernible winter, you won't be able to eat warm weather produce all year long on a budget. I think folks are reading all the FB articles telling you to eat superfoods and trendy produce and think that's what you have to do to be healthy and it's so expensive. But the bolded items are in season, as you said they are storable, and they are great, healthy additions to your diet. Then when it warms up, there will be a lot more variety that you can get on a budget. As far as frozen veggies, wait for sales and stock up. I guess it's possible that there are some areas of the world where all forms of all produce are more expensive than any other food products, but I really think usually this is more about people's perception than anything else.
If you have $5 in your pocket when you walk into the grocery store, you buy the plain Cheerios instead of Honey Nut Cheerios because you get a bigger box for the price, you buy the cheaper store brand mac & cheese instead of Kraft, and you buy the big cheap bag of whole carrots and a head of cabbage instead of one red pepper.
Great posts!
I believe citrus is in season now too.
I see peaches at the supermarket, but have learned that peaches that are not local are dreadful. They are picked too early so they will transport well and never ripen properly.
the non-local strawberries are pretty bad too.
edited to add: OK- they aren't actually pretty bad, but they are nowhere near as good as the really fresh local ones.
Yeah, I never buy grocery store strawberries other than frozen ones (I buy them like crazy from the farmer's market, though, and have enjoyed growing them some years). I also love waiting for them to be in season and the excitement when they are.
Agree that ripeness is key for stone fruit and that local tends to taste much better. With fruit in general being in season makes such a difference (don't know if it does for things that aren't local to me anyway, like citrus and bananas--I tend to buy them in winter when other fruits are less available). I eat way more in the summer than this time of year.0 -
BlueSkyShoal wrote: »WafaeGettingFit wrote: »I hate how frozen vegetables taste (eww). I wish fresh vegetables were cheaper too
Yeah, I find frozen vegetables, especially green beans, to have a yucky aftertaste.
I sometimes buy frozen peas and carrots for pot pies though. Or soup.
I hate frozen too lol and canned...yuck. Fresh are just incredible.0 -
kshama2001 wrote: »French_Peasant wrote: »KayCeeRein wrote: »That is crazy. I'm from Canada, and unless you shop the reduced racks this time of year, you are paying $2.99 a lb for fresh broccoli, $1.99 for head lettuce, $2.99 for leaf lettuce or romane, $4.99/lb for asparagus, $1.99 per lb for tomatoes, $3.49/lb for coloured bell peppers, $2.49/lb for green peppers, $3.99 for a pint of raspberries, $3.99 for a quart of strawberries..... On the reduced rack I still pay $1.25 for two peppers. I would be literally doing cartwheels if I could get two peppers for $0.79.
And that is why I say vegetables are expensive. Even a bag of frozen green giant broccoli is $2.99.
As a gardener, I find it helps to add some extra context around these particular vegetables. Those are the high-maintenance luxury vegetables, difficult to pack, ship, store, and immediately thrown out if they become the least bit soft or blemished. They are also entirely out of season, which is why they are so expensive. When people say to eat in season, they are referring to the storeable, durable "keepers" for the winter: apples, potatoes, carrots, onions, squash, cabbage. Have you priced those out? They often seem to be left out of pricing discussions for some reason.Exactly. If you live somewhere with a discernible winter, you won't be able to eat warm weather produce all year long on a budget. I think folks are reading all the FB articles telling you to eat superfoods and trendy produce and think that's what you have to do to be healthy and it's so expensive. But the bolded items are in season, as you said they are storable, and they are great, healthy additions to your diet. Then when it warms up, there will be a lot more variety that you can get on a budget. As far as frozen veggies, wait for sales and stock up. I guess it's possible that there are some areas of the world where all forms of all produce are more expensive than any other food products, but I really think usually this is more about people's perception than anything else.
If you have $5 in your pocket when you walk into the grocery store, you buy the plain Cheerios instead of Honey Nut Cheerios because you get a bigger box for the price, you buy the cheaper store brand mac & cheese instead of Kraft, and you buy the big cheap bag of whole carrots and a head of cabbage instead of one red pepper.
Great posts!
I believe citrus is in season now too.
I see peaches at the supermarket, but have learned that peaches that are not local are dreadful. They are picked too early so they will transport well and never ripen properly.
the non-local strawberries are pretty bad too.
edited to add: OK- they aren't actually pretty bad, but they are nowhere near as good as the really fresh local ones.
No, they're awful lol. There are some produce products in which I am okay with not buying organic and/or local. Strawberries are not one of them. I also just saw peaches and plums in the stores, but chances are they're watery and gross at this time.0 -
KayCeeRein wrote: »I spend about $50 on food for myself every 2 weeks and most of that is comprised of yogurt (i cant live without chobani, fage, and noosa) i regulary spend over $10 on chobani alone, and then I'm a pescatarian and usually buy a leasy 3 types of different seafood, calamari @ $5, shrimp @ $5, some type of fish $5 usually x2, silk coconut milk ~$4(sometimes and it hurts my heart!), maybe sweet potato fries @ $2.50, and the rest on veggies zucchini, mushrooms (huge portabellas @$3 & button mushrooms @ ~$1.25), and my most expensive veggie, brussel sprouts because i like them fresh can sometimes be ~$3, (which I hate but they are so good and im pretty sure this isn't their season, frozen @ $1.99) & frozen green beans $1, frozen broccoli $1, frozen broccoli cauliflower mix $1.50. I pretty much get everything from walmart but I can get this down cheaper if I stop buying so much yogurt at once! I really feel like veggies are cheaper and last me a good while, except the brussel sprouts because when I have them I pretty much eat them every day and 1 bag of fresh ones lasts me 4 meals! I also occassionally pick up aspargas spears from dollar tree @ $1. I live in south carolina and pretty much buy these veggies year round. I have a car now and no longer rely on my city'sfrustrating public transport and plan to start going to a food market or head over to the local growers on the island. Food deserts are real and the answer to the problem or the reason for it is not because of what you think at the surface level.
Also, I stopped eating cereal years ago around the same time I started on mfp when I realized the servings size of it and that it just made me hungrier.
I find it astounding that your dollar store stocks vegetables. I so wish that were a thing here. Canadian walmart prices (just outside of Toronto), the frozen veggies alone are $3 each.
Yea they keep adding different vegetables, I was excited to see the asparagus!2 -
Had tomatoes, broccoli, and cucumber so far this week.0
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French_Peasant wrote: »Noreenmarie1234 wrote: »Noreenmarie1234 wrote: »For the calorie amount fresh fruit and veg ARE more expensive. I hate how people say they aren't. If I buy some junk food donuts 1.69 (for pack of 6 at 320 cal per doughnut) and box of cereal (1.69 with 12 servings) that would easily last me 2 weeks of 500-600 calorie breakfasts. HOWEVER, if I buy 4 fresh bell peppers (4.00), one lb broccoli (2 bucks), one large tomato (2), I could eat ALL of that in ONE day and it wouldn't even amount to the same calorie amount of "fuel". So YES eating fresh fruit and veg is more expensive than eating junk because you have to buy A LOT more to get the same calorie amount of fuel.
No way. A few vegetables, some protein and a starch and you can feed yourself for a few days cooking one meal. Even if you buy the cheapest junk food out there you will not get the same nutritional bang for your buck. I wish the myth of "it's cheap to get fat" would die. Some things are very expensive, but seasonal vegetables or frozen vegetables are cheap almost everywhere. Canned vegetables are also an option. All of these are cheaper than a pop tart or hot pocket. I think it's an excuse people use either because they don't know how to cook or they want to keep eating junk and don't want to just admit that.
All of these are not cheaper. A box of poptarts run 1.67 at my local store and that would last a WEEK. For that amount I could get ONE tomato or one head of broccoli, which would just be a small component of ONE meal. I think it depends on location. I am picky about my veg and I don't like canned vegetables or cheap starches such as rice/beans/potatoes so when I make a meal, it is all veg and protein. I buy lettuce which is 2.99 and it lasts me only two salads worth. To eat a salad every day for lunch is quite expensive. I have to buy the lettuce, tomato (2), onions (1), cucumber (99c), radishes (2), green pepper (1), etc it all adds up to about 5 per salad when I figured it out, which is 25 bucks per week. Alternately I could have a hot pocket each day for lunch for the same calories and it would only cost me 7.50 for the whole week.
Just an example, so I don't think you can say it IS just as cheap to eat healthy. It CAN be, but many people such as myself are picky and do not want to eat plain rice and canned vegetables. I also dislike the taste of frozen vegetables. They aren't the same as fresh. So unfortunately with my preferences it is more expensive, although that is my fault LOL. I don't use it as an excuse because my grocery bill is quite high. I do choose to eat mostly vegetables because it's what I enjoy, I just am not happy about it.
It is indeed a regrettable quandary to have a palette that accepts Hot Pockets and cheap doughnuts that last 6 days, but rejects frozen and canned vegetables along with rice, beans and potatoes. I am dealing with this with my 10 year old daughter, who will eat only the most exquisite of perfectly-ripe, unblemished fruits, but will also gladly eat a Totino's pizza. wat.
I am hoping that my love for Creole and French cooking will rub off on her so if money is tight for her she can do amazing things with potatoes, beans n' rice, and the Creole Trinity (celery/onions/green peppers) or French mirepoix (celery/onions/carrots) combined with the miracle of bacon-grease roux or saute (everybody is thriftily saving back their bacon grease in a tin can under the sink, right? RIGHT???)
ooo, do you have any tasty Creole/French recipes??
@Relser Oh, I am FULL of recipes, as well as being full of blather about recipes and thoughts on cooking! Rather than hijack this thread with my long-winded thoughts on gumbo, I have started a separate thread in the recipe section, and I am hoping other people will share their frugal veg-based recipes out there as well.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10529007/french-peasants-guide-to-dirt-cheap-gumbo-other-veg/p1?new=10 -
On the plus side, I got a head and a bunch of lettuce as well as a big bag of celery for $30
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