Healthy Eating = Robbing a Bank?

LorinaLynn

When you think about the actual amount of grocery content in the dollar menu or pack of Ramen... it's not all that cheap.

Shop sales, buy in bulk, and freeze what won't keep.

You can cook a lot of oven-baked "fries" from a 5# bag of potatoes and they'll be healthier than drive-thru fries.

Instead of a $1 burger... I can usually find boneless chicken breasts for $1.99 a pound. That works out to 50 cents per 4oz serving. Get a 8 pack of rolls for $1.99, add a few lettuce leaves and a slice of tomato, and you have a much healthier sandwich for a little over $.75.

If you consider that Ramen noodles are about 3/$1 and 3 oz each, that's 9oz for $1. I can usually get a 16oz box of whole wheat pasta for a dollar. Less for a bag of brown rice. That's almost twice as much for the same cost. Granted, it doesn't come with the nasty little pouch of sodium they call "flavoring," but it's pretty cheap and easy to add your own sauce or dressing.

graciegirl59

I'm a little frustrated with some of the responses regarding fresh local produce and the fact that most people think that it should be way cheaper than what is purchased from stores. As a small vegetable producer myself, growing between 6 and 8 acres of a very large variety of produce, fresh herbs, and chickens for egg production, how is right to expect us to sell our items for a loss?

People seem to forget that we are here to make a living with what we are doing. We follow organic practices but are not certified, rarely use any treatments and if we have to only use OMRI approved compounds. Organic ways of production, in general, cost more or are more time consuming (which in turn cost more due to labor expenses) then conventional means. Conventional production is a significantly cheaper route to go because conventional treatments, packaging and time spent is a lot less.

We love to provide a healthier product along with one that has less of an effect on the environment but we also need to cover the expense of production, packaging, transportation and labor. The biggest thing I tell people is that when you want a quality product, you get what you pay for. Our produce is not priced outrageously but we still hear "well, it should be cheaper than whats at the grocery store." People seem to forget too that major store purchasing produce in large quantities get a huge price break from the producer which makes it easier for them to provide it to the general public for a lower price.

Sorry to rant but it just gets frustrating!

trichik123

Check out your local Dollar stores! Sounds crazy, but once a week a go and get all of my salad items there, 3 heads of romain only a buck! huge bag of radishes and green onions, large package of spinich, brocolliflower, asparagas, carrots, onions, bags of peppers..... Only a buck a piece! I also get my rice there, brown rice, barley, jasmine, ...... It does take longer to prepare, but worth the savings. Many times they have a great yogurt supply as well.

Rubes

I think that it depends on what part of the country you are in. I live in a farming community and our local produce is less expensive and our farmers make more profit selling it directly instead of going through a middle man. In fact, our city just opened a co-op style grocery store specifically for local farmers to sell goods instead of just having a bunch of road side stands.

Thank you for growing healthy produce for us to eat and good luck with your farm!

I'm a little frustrated with some of the responses regarding fresh local produce and the fact that most people think that it should be way cheaper than what is purchased from stores. As a small vegetable producer myself, growing between 6 and 8 acres of a very large variety of produce, fresh herbs, and chickens for egg production, how is right to expect us to sell our items for a loss?

People seem to forget that we are here to make a living with what we are doing. We follow organic practices but are not certified, rarely use any treatments and if we have to only use OMRI approved compounds. Organic ways of production, in general, cost more or are more time consuming (which in turn cost more due to labor expenses) then conventional means. Conventional production is a significantly cheaper route to go because conventional treatments, packaging and time spent is a lot less.

We love to provide a healthier product along with one that has less of an effect on the environment but we also need to cover the expense of production, packaging, transportation and labor. The biggest thing I tell people is that when you want a quality product, you get what you pay for. Our produce is not priced outrageously but we still hear "well, it should be cheaper than whats at the grocery store." People seem to forget too that major store purchasing produce in large quantities get a huge price break from the producer which makes it easier for them to provide it to the general public for a lower price.

Sorry to rant but it just gets frustrating!

LorinaLynn

I'm a little frustrated with some of the responses regarding fresh local produce and the fact that most people think that it should be way cheaper than what is purchased from stores. As a small vegetable producer myself, growing between 6 and 8 acres of a very large variety of produce, fresh herbs, and chickens for egg production, how is right to expect us to sell our items for a loss?

I don't think that's what they mean by "it should cost less." I think they mean it typically costs less.

JennsRAQ

Do you have a Bountiful Baskets or other similar co-op near you? Or access to a CSA? That's how we get our veggies at a fair price and much cleaner/higher quality than at the store

pepperedmoth

I'm a little frustrated with some of the responses regarding fresh local produce and the fact that most people think that it should be way cheaper than what is purchased from stores. As a small vegetable producer myself, growing between 6 and 8 acres of a very large variety of produce, fresh herbs, and chickens for egg production, how is right to expect us to sell our items for a loss?

People seem to forget that we are here to make a living with what we are doing. We follow organic practices but are not certified, rarely use any treatments and if we have to only use OMRI approved compounds. Organic ways of production, in general, cost more or are more time consuming (which in turn cost more due to labor expenses) then conventional means. Conventional production is a significantly cheaper route to go because conventional treatments, packaging and time spent is a lot less.

We love to provide a healthier product along with one that has less of an effect on the environment but we also need to cover the expense of production, packaging, transportation and labor. The biggest thing I tell people is that when you want a quality product, you get what you pay for. Our produce is not priced outrageously but we still hear "well, it should be cheaper than whats at the grocery store." People seem to forget too that major store purchasing produce in large quantities get a huge price break from the producer which makes it easier for them to provide it to the general public for a lower price.

Sorry to rant but it just gets frustrating!

*applause*

Yes. In addition, grocery store produce is cheap because multiple people along the way are being paid close to slave wages. The amount of money migrant workers are paid to pick all of those cheap strawberries, oranges, tomatoes, etc., is sickening. The pittance that large farmers get, per pound, for their crops, from big retailers, is also sickening. I grew up on a sheep farm (for wool, not meat, but still) and wool prices from big buyers were so low (because of consumers insisting that wool had to be CHEAP!) that some farmers were throwing out their shorn wool to ROT because it wasn't worth the gas to spend driving it to auction.

If you have no money to buy fresh and local produce that's terrible and unfair and makes me angry on your behalf. But it is NOT the fault of the small farmer who is just trying to get by! It's the fault of the economic system that gives you such little money when the owner of the company you work for probably makes something close to the GDP of a small country.

/rant

Okay. As far as cheap wholesome cooking- and I'm a nurse while my husband is a carpenter so while we're not poor, we're not rolling in it either-

-buy in bulk, including from the bulk section at the local co-op or health food store.
-Rolled oats cost around 40 cents a pound in bulk and make a cheap, fast, and very healthy breakfast.
-I hit up the 'bump' rack or section of produce really heavily when we're tight for cash. If it's bruised or on the edge and we can't eat it right away, we can or freeze it.
-Speaking of which, if you can invest in a chest freezer, it's a GREAT cash saver. If my husband shoots a deer, it goes in the freezer . Sale on green beans? In the freezer. Bumper crop of zucchini? In the freezer.
-Water bath canning! A couple years ago we paid to 'glean a row' at the local orchard after pick-your-own season was over. We paid $40 for apples enough to fill the bed of my pickup truck. Then we water-bath canned most of it into applesauce and pie filling. All you need is a big pot, some mason jars, and some tongs. Cheap.

Could write more, but my husband is working on the plumbing and needs a hand. Good luck!

pickadilly2009

Destiny,

I shope at 3 different stores.

I found a store that sells boxed, canned items (including cereal) and frozen items that have been dented for about 75% less! I usually spend about $25.00 there. Example: Large box of Cheerios = $1.25. Try to find one of these stores!

I go to a store called Save O Lot for my meat and anything I could not get at the scratch and dent place. I spend about $50.00 here

I go to Sprouts (a organic store believe it or not) for my veggies. I spend about 25.00 here.

I spend 100.00 per week on food and feed 4 people. One of those is a grown man and the other is a teenage boy with two hallow legs, myself and an 89 yr old. So everyones food needs are a bit different.

You may have to take a little extra time shopping. Maybe hubby can take care of the kids and you can take care of the shopping once a week? That is what I have always done.

ninerbuff

I've always found this this to be mostly a myth. Your genetics and how you process foods will usually determine your health. I eat all sorts of junk from chips, to candy, mixed in with hamburgers and pizza. I've NEVER had a bad physical checkup. One of my friends is a vegetarian and no matter what he does eating and exercise wise, his cholesterol is still high.
So if you're relatively healthy and eat junk in moderation (even though I eat junk, it's occasional and in moderation), exercise and be aware of your weight and have regular check ups, then you don't need to spend all the money on health food.

Atlantique

Clean Eating magazine has two-week menus for families of 4 that supposedly can be made on $50 per week in groceries.

erinsueburns

This can be very difficult. Done of my savings tips. Peanut butter is your friend. Bake your own bread, super cheap and much healthier. When we had a family living with us I would buy the ingredients at a bulk food store and a loaf of bread was like 0.25 a piece.(it is kind of scary buying that first 25 lbs bag of flour but you really do go through it quickly.) Instead of buying nuts from the snack food aisle buy from the baking aisle, not only are they cheaper but they are also not loaded with other things. Get them cheap enough and if you have a blender food processor or coffee grinder and you can make your own nut butters. Make your own vinaigrette out of olive oil, vinegar and seasonings you probably already have on your shelf. Great on salads as well as meat marinades. Buy ground meat in bulk and make up pound packages and patties for freezing. I agree a deep freezer is wonderful for things like this, and if you have one, then if there is a cattle ranch near you, you can buy a whole or part of a cow, (if you throw in with another person to split one it is even cheaper). The price power pound is usually cheaper that way and there is the benefit of getting different cuts of meat you might not be able to afford other wise. Also you can talk to the local ame warden and see if they have any programs. I know down here if someone his a deeet they give it away. Creepy I know, but venison is healthy and for a butcher processing fee you can usually get well over 100 lbs of meat.

And finally, don't ever let anything go to waste, if produce has reached the point where it is a bit wilted and you wouldn't want to eat it alone, grind it up and put it in meatloaf, make soups and stews, or breads (strawberry, zuchinni, squash, and carrot bread are all things I have done) because I know for us that was the first thing, it seemed like we were wasting as much as we were eating.

Good luck.

Lolamako

See if there is a wholesale produce supplier in your area. Often they will let the public buy from them at wholesale prices. My local one also lets me order large bags of grains and flours. I can get a 25lb bag of brown rice for around $17. Organic strawberries were $12 a FLAT. It would be worth it to drive to one, the prices are so much better. Sometimes they fluctuate depending on what's going on with different farms/climates/demands.

Buy a lot and then freeze. Get seasonal produce when you can, and feeze it for later.

I also grow a HUGE percentage of our own produce, and to reply to someone who said earlier that organic should be cheaper, because it has less stuff put on it(or something to that effect) I see your logic, but organic is much more labor intensive than conventional. So many things about organic farming are harder and I'm actually too lazy to type them out, but trust me when I say thet their prices are that high for a reason.