Is Healthy Food Really More Expensive?

gabrielled

TIMISW! Exactly! Only my crutch was rum and coke!

KrisKabob

I vote... more expensive... :huh:

What I find that what makes eating healthy most expensive is that fact that the best food for you is perishable... therefore it doesn't last very long. :frown: We often have to throw out food that's gone bad... i hate to even admit that out loud!!! :noway:

It is nice to think that we can make our own pasta, breads, meats, cut up your own fruits, veggies, etc. However, I hardly have enough time in the day to workout. :ohwell: I try not to be negative though... I once heard someone say "You pay now or you pay later!". :happy: I stand by that b/c I believe it!

All in all, I find that whether I am eating out or eating in... eating healthy IS more expensive... at least for me it is. :embarassed: BUT it's a sacrifice I'm willing to put in my budget if it means living a healthier, longer life.

KB

lolakey

I have been re-using my old containers. Eugene, Oregon caters to my hippy like ways, but major cities have bulk sections, right? I reuse my old oatmeal, yogurt, jars, and misc. containers to get bulk black beans, rice, rolled oats, dried fruits, nuts, pastas, peanut butter, olive oil, etc. Last time I was at the store, I only bought two packaged items ... bread and almond milk. I even refill my dish soap and laundry containers, but like I said, Eugene has more options. Just make sure that you get your containers weighed (the tare) before you fill them up.

I'm sure that it saves me money, because I'm cutting down on the packaging. Next time I shop, I'll do a comparison on prices and let ya'll know the outcome.

shorerider

We've saved loads of money since we started eating healthy.

For one, we're eating less--instead of 3 pork chops a piece (yes, you heard me right!) at a meal, we eat 1 a piece. Instead of a whole huge steak a piece, we split one.

We've always saved about $200 or more a month by cutting back on not eating out anymore. The food all tastes so salty and blah! to me now that we only eat out about 2x a month instead of the 3-4x a week that we had been.

So my vote--LOADS CHEAPER!

maverickyanda

We spend $200 a month to feed the two of us and our son, and we eat organically when possible. I've also got it down to a science on what we use, what we're not going to use, what we can spend our money on, etc. It took us a while to get our system down of what we use and what gets thrown away, etc. It just takes some time to figure out how to push your budget where it's supposed to go. We have to take advantage of sales, etc. But when you only have $200 a month to spend on groceries, you have to figure out how to eat healthy on that amount of money, and I've figured it out, at least for us.
Also, we spent a LOT more money on food when we were both eating crap all the time, because the stuff we bought went so quickly. I also make all of our bread, pasta, etc. from scratch, and that saves us a bit of money too. And I think it tastes better.

Wow...share your secrets...please! I know I could cut my bill down. Mine includes household items as well, laundry detergent, shampoo, cleaning supplies,etc. I would be absolutely ecstatic to get under $500

Exactly!

It's just Jude and I and if you cut OUT household items we still shop for less than 200 a month because we don't have a CHOICE.

Seriously, though I'm so on to this diet thing that I've learnt to dealt with a hungry belly! I'm not sure I could afford to do a heavy workout!

RE: Fast food. I could get the 5 for 5 deal and get 5 med pizzas for $5 ea...that's $25 and could feed Jude and I for like 4 days straight! Since pizza would go bad, I could get just three and be content for two...you get the idea...still less than $3/meal.

Drive-thru: I could get a $1 burger and be satisfied. Even 2 $1 burgers!

Mac N Cheese: 97c box is good for two meals...lol.

I also happen to be a champion baker and while it is cheaper *sometimes* to bake your own things, I know that it is WAY cheaper to bake a boxed cake or most of the time - beer breads, cinnamon rolls, etc.

It just seems cheaper to me sometimes because I generally have flour, yeast, baking soda, etc. in the house already.

maverickyanda

We spend $200 a month to feed the two of us and our son, and we eat organically when possible. I've also got it down to a science on what we use, what we're not going to use, what we can spend our money on, etc. It took us a while to get our system down of what we use and what gets thrown away, etc. It just takes some time to figure out how to push your budget where it's supposed to go. We have to take advantage of sales, etc. But when you only have $200 a month to spend on groceries, you have to figure out how to eat healthy on that amount of money, and I've figured it out, at least for us.
Also, we spent a LOT more money on food when we were both eating crap all the time, because the stuff we bought went so quickly. I also make all of our bread, pasta, etc. from scratch, and that saves us a bit of money too. And I think it tastes better.

Wow...share your secrets...please! I know I could cut my bill down. Mine includes household items as well, laundry detergent, shampoo, cleaning supplies,etc. I would be absolutely ecstatic to get under $500

Well, making bread and pasta and things like that helps a lot. I like to do that because then I know that we're getting true whole grain bread, and I KNOW what went into it. We eat a lot of pasta with fresh tomatoes. We're also lucky, because my stepdad is a crazy gardening machine, so we get about half of his harvest, because they can't eat all of the stuff he plants. So we always have fresh produce during the summer, and I can or freeze a lot of stuff to tide us over the winter and spring. I also buy a lot of big bulk packages of meat and then individually freeze them into portions. That helps a lot too. A big family-size box of brown rice will last us a whole month, and it's really filling.
Oh, and I wasn't including household items. Those cost quite a bit during the month. With an 11-month old, we do a LOT of laundry. :bigsmile:

So essentially what you're saying is that you're getting free veggies.
And you weren't including household items.

So it really costs about 300+ or so a month for food (give or take cause I don't know what your family eats in terms of veggies).

maverickyanda

Well, I can see that it would be cheaper to eat healthy if you ate out alot pre-diet. But my family has always eaten out only once or twice a year! Therefore, going from enriched pastas, rice and flour, to whole grains, and from processed meat to fresh is way more expensive for us. Look at the dairy alone. Fat free cheese is at least a dollar more per package than full fat. A gallon of 1% milk is 3.67 while a half gallon of soy milk is over four dollars. Full fat margarine is at least a dollar cheaper than light. Olive oil! OMG! I think it all depends on your prior situation, and just how astronomically you were spending before. We've always been on a shoestring. Used to be a box of mac and cheese was a lifesaver at 44 cents

My family also never ate more than a bag of chips a week, and I've always done my own baking as well. So yes, it definitely depends!

We are talking about prices relative to junk food, not relative to prior spending.

I so need to get out of this thread and into the shower...

GIGINATOR

It goes both ways, definitely my grocery store bill is WAY higher. As people on here said, the lower fat, sugar free, etc stuff costs more. Leaner cuts of meat, more money than the plain old hamburger for 1.19/lb. Since I have made the healthy lifestyle change, we only eat out maybe once or twice a month whereas before it was 2-3x/wk. So that saves a LOT there. We probably average out to about the same in the long run.

kerrilucko

For me its cheaper too. SERIOUSLY cheaper. no more $20 meals from pizza joints or mcdonalds. I mean really, a cut of lean meat, a baked potato and some greens, prepped at home is gonna cost you like 3 bucks, waaaaayyy less if you shop carefully. Come on, people who say its too expensive are looking for an excuse.

where do you shop???

I would LOVE to find a place where I could get a lean cut of meat for $3! ~smiling~

Is 97% fat free ground beef even that cheap?

keep in mind I'm talking per 3 oz serving, which is how much I eat at a sitting. A bulk package of 8 boneless skinless chicken breasts runs me about 20.00, I eat about 1 half in a sitting, so that's 16 servings of lean meat for 20.00, thats $1.25 per meat serving. I know that not everyone controls their portions that way and some require more calories than I do and thats fine, but if you're careful and with practice, eating healthy isn't as expensive as people think.

LokiFae

We spend $200 a month to feed the two of us and our son, and we eat organically when possible. I've also got it down to a science on what we use, what we're not going to use, what we can spend our money on, etc. It took us a while to get our system down of what we use and what gets thrown away, etc. It just takes some time to figure out how to push your budget where it's supposed to go. We have to take advantage of sales, etc. But when you only have $200 a month to spend on groceries, you have to figure out how to eat healthy on that amount of money, and I've figured it out, at least for us.
Also, we spent a LOT more money on food when we were both eating crap all the time, because the stuff we bought went so quickly. I also make all of our bread, pasta, etc. from scratch, and that saves us a bit of money too. And I think it tastes better.

Wow...share your secrets...please! I know I could cut my bill down. Mine includes household items as well, laundry detergent, shampoo, cleaning supplies,etc. I would be absolutely ecstatic to get under $500

Well, making bread and pasta and things like that helps a lot. I like to do that because then I know that we're getting true whole grain bread, and I KNOW what went into it. We eat a lot of pasta with fresh tomatoes. We're also lucky, because my stepdad is a crazy gardening machine, so we get about half of his harvest, because they can't eat all of the stuff he plants. So we always have fresh produce during the summer, and I can or freeze a lot of stuff to tide us over the winter and spring. I also buy a lot of big bulk packages of meat and then individually freeze them into portions. That helps a lot too. A big family-size box of brown rice will last us a whole month, and it's really filling.
Oh, and I wasn't including household items. Those cost quite a bit during the month. With an 11-month old, we do a LOT of laundry. :bigsmile:

So essentially what you're saying is that you're getting free veggies.
And you weren't including household items.

So it really costs about 300+ or so a month for food (give or take cause I don't know what your family eats in terms of veggies).

It costs what I said it costs. The question was asked whether it was cheaper for us to eat healthy, and I stated my story that it was. Yeah, it's great for us because my stepdad gardens, but if he didn't, we would, and it would still be cheaper for us.

KrisKabob

Common' girls... keep things nice, here. :flowerforyou:

Everyone is in different situations... that's life.

Show the

Katy009

I find that it is more expensive.....

That, however, is because I buy a lot of frest fruit and vegetables and they can get quite pricey depending on what you buy. For example....asparagus, peppers, strawberries, cherries.....things of that nature cost quite a bit more than others.

I also buy a lot of fresh fish which can be pricey.

I have noticed that my bill went up from about €250 to €350 per month.

GravyGurl

yes it is more expensive... gone are the days of me living off of ramen noodles at .25 and eating a lunch that is much more healthier that will cost me way more than that :laugh:

kerrilucko

yes it is more expensive... gone are the days of me living off of ramen noodles at .25 and eating a lunch that is much more healthier that will cost me way more than that :laugh:

lol, can't argue that but think about the money you save in the long run.... on medical bills, ramen noodles can't have much nutrition in them, lol :laugh:

maverickyanda

Q: Is Healthy Food Really More Expensive?
A: Yes.

LML79

yes it is more expensive... gone are the days of me living off of ramen noodles at .25 and eating a lunch that is much more healthier that will cost me way more than that :laugh:

lol, can't argue that but think about the money you save in the long run.... on medical bills, ramen noodles can't have much nutrition in them, lol :laugh:

LOL! Ramen Noodles are a big staple food in this house !! Easy dinner for my kids when Mommy has gone over her MFP calories and can only eat a bowl of cereal Hahahaha!!

gabi_ele

For me it is not that much of a difference. I buy all my meat on sale, I like pork loin which I can get for under $2.00 a pound and have no waste at all( comparing to pork chops) I buy chickenbreasts at under $2.00 a pound, my frozen vegies are usually $1.00 a pound, fresh fruit and vegetables I buy only if they are in season and yes I check my pc every week for what is on sale at witch store. I make my own bread and bake goods, haven't started on pasta yet but I might. I go to the store once a week and buy fresh things, once a month I go to Aldi's and buy my bulk foods and staples. I don't buy snack bars, my husband eats potatoe chips that are around a dollar a big bag and so on. I think we eat a great variety of foods and we have visitors often that don't complain either. It takes a lot of work but on the other hand it saves a lot too to shop around and compair prices.

songbyrdsweet

yes it is more expensive... gone are the days of me living off of ramen noodles at .25 and eating a lunch that is much more healthier that will cost me way more than that :laugh:

Oh man, Ramen! Back as a Freshie I didn't even cook those...I'd break them up in a Ziploc, pour the seasoning in, shake it and eat it like chips! My face always felt dehydrated afterward.

LML79

yes it is more expensive... gone are the days of me living off of ramen noodles at .25 and eating a lunch that is much more healthier that will cost me way more than that :laugh:

Oh man, Ramen! Back as a Freshie I didn't even cook those...I'd break them up in a Ziploc, pour the seasoning in, shake it and eat it like chips! My face always felt dehydrated afterward.

wow..never tried it that way..bet my kids would LOVE that idea! I don't even bother boiling water..just stick the block of Ramen in a big bowl with water and microwave hahaha!!

sgtinvincible

Ahh, Ramen...friend to the bachelor, favorite of all those with the desire to drink more than eat.


Good times.

Oh Ramen, how I miss thee.

(But not enough to go back cause you're kinda nasty....)


:bigsmile:

songbyrdsweet

Ahh, Ramen...friend to the bachelor, favorite of all those with the desire to drink more than eat.

Haha...my bf keeps saying he wants me to design 'bachelor/ette chow'...a jerky-style food-item that includes all necessary micro and macronutrients so we don't have to cook! :laugh: It'd come in steak and chocolate flavors.

AJCM

yes it is more expensive... gone are the days of me living off of ramen noodles at .25 and eating a lunch that is much more healthier that will cost me way more than that :laugh:

Oh man, Ramen! Back as a Freshie I didn't even cook those...I'd break them up in a Ziploc, pour the seasoning in, shake it and eat it like chips! My face always felt dehydrated afterward.

Hahaha! When I was a school teacher my grade 6 students used to do that!!! No kidding that they were thirsty as h--- about an hour later!

Nevada

I figure cholestrol medication might run $50 to $100 per month, if I were not eating right. I spend that money instead on good food.

lolakey

Bumping this back up. Here's a way to help keep costs down.

My results from shopping* today:

Rolled Oats -
PACKAGED = 1.14 /lb vs. BULK = 0.69/ lb (that's almost twice as much just for the box!)

Flaxseed -
PACKAGED = 1.86 / lb vs. BULK = 1.39 / lb

Maple syrup -
PACKAGED (not organic) - 10.65 / lb vs. bulk (organic) = 7.49 / lb

Organic Peanut butter (no sugar / salt)-
PACKAGED - 4.39 / lb vs. bulk - 3.89 / lb

Black beans -
PACKAGED - 1.99 /lb (not organic) vs. bulk (organic) 1.29/lb

Dish soap (the hippy in me can't help but throw this in there)
PACKAGED (earth friendly) = 2.29 / lb vs. BULK (same brand even!) = 1.99 /lb

* My daughter and I eat oatmeal, flaxseed, touch of maple syrup with fruit and nuts almost every morning.

timisw

yes it is more expensive... gone are the days of me living off of ramen noodles at .25 and eating a lunch that is much more healthier that will cost me way more than that :laugh:

lol, can't argue that but think about the money you save in the long run.... on medical bills, ramen noodles can't have much nutrition in them, lol :laugh:

In my poorer college days, 4 friends and I made a bet. We could only eat -

Water
Beer less than $10 a case
Raman (any flavor)
Cheese from Canned Food Outlet

Whoever quit first had to fund a Kegger for about 50 to 75 people.

Holy Hell it was miserable!

~laughing~

Luckily someone got sick before I did after only 5 days!

It was cheep living though!

timisw

yes it is more expensive... gone are the days of me living off of ramen noodles at .25 and eating a lunch that is much more healthier that will cost me way more than that :laugh:

Oh man, Ramen! Back as a Freshie I didn't even cook those...I'd break them up in a Ziploc, pour the seasoning in, shake it and eat it like chips! My face always felt dehydrated afterward.

Hahaha! When I was a school teacher my grade 6 students used to do that!!! No kidding that they were thirsty as h--- about an hour later!

Towards the third day, I was doing different things with it to make different textures...

Raw ramen isnt so bad! ~laughing~

How about Ramenloff? Thats partially cook, pressed back together, and baked with cheese!

yellow_pepper

I save money by buying foods that I won't polish off in a day - or a sitting. While I can easity go through a box of Cheerio's in a night, it takes me a week to get through a box of Quaker oatmeal ($2.79). I buy expensive yogurts (Siggi's, $2.69 per cup), but I eat them more slowly than I used to go through candy-sweet Light 'n Fit or Yoplait light (I could have 5 of those a day). And I get a case discount! If you shop at Whole Foods, find out how many containers of your favorite products are in each case - then you can get an extra 5% off at checkout. Other retailers may also offer this incentive, but I haven't asked.

Just because a food has a low price per unit doesn't mean that it has a low cost per day or week ... Consider how many units of a food you eat before you take the price of one unit and call it cheap.

As a single person, I find it more economical NOT to buy in bulk. When I have more food around, I eat more. Or I end up buying more than I need - more than I ever even get to use - spices, condiments and spreads that expire before I can finish them. It's hard to keep track of what you have when you have a lot. Kind of like hair products - I can shop for those in my bathroom! The only things worth buying in bulk for me are yogurt , oatmeal, and dental floss. :laugh:

foxfire9372

For us, it is more expensive at some times than others. We are not big on going on, I kind've go into cardiac arrest everytime we do and we get the bill. Lots of healthy food is more expensive. What has helped is portion control for everyone. We always had leftovers. Now, very rarely do we. I have saved more by cooking less and throwing away less than adjusting the grocery bill. My best investment: the green bag produce bag. Don't laugh, a girlfriend and I tried them about two years ago and I have been using them ever since. I can get 3 weeks of produce at one shot and have nixed the inbetween shopping which is where I cut our bill. Hubby goes for milk/bread etc and I keep my tail out of the grocery store. My deep freezer is also my best friend. When the really good stuff is on sale, I stock up.

maverickyanda

I still love Ramen!!

Anyway...I knew a girl who ate ramen+peanut butter. (ew)

Hair products....aaaaaaaaah my shampoo is $25!

yellow_pepper

www.discountbeautycenter.com

See if you can find it there for less.

In my view, it's better to have one $25 bottle than 10 half-empty $5 bottles - i.e. my mother's bathroom.

In every category of groceries, you save money when you buy and finish the stuff you love at a steady rate than when you try something new all the time. Particularly when you can get a case discount. :-)