Cost of nutrition

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BobbyDaniel
BobbyDaniel Posts: 1,460 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I just went shopping for food to fill our church's food pantry and managed to buy 76 items for under $65. I did manage to get a few items on sale, but still was surprised to see that low of a dollar amount. Then I thought about one of my family's recent grocery trips...and how much of what I bought today would have never made it into our shopping cart. I bought mostly processed foods today that were high calorie, high sodium and high everything that really isn't what I'm looking for to put into my body. For me, when I shop, I rarely even make it down some of those inner aisles to look at some of the things I bought today.

In fact, when shopping for my family we usually get a lot less stuff for usually twice as much, in the name of health. That is the cost of nutrition...and in the end, I really do think it is worth it though. I don't like it...but it will be worth it in the end.

Replies

  • campi_mama
    campi_mama Posts: 350 Member
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    Another way to look at it...you can pay for it now, or pay for it later (in healthcare costs).
  • RMinVA
    RMinVA Posts: 1,085 Member
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    There are some work arounds:

    - Buy in season fruits/produce. Don't be afraid of frozen either. Often it is a better price point, especially when certain foods are out of season.
    - Farmer's Markets are awesome!
    - Take it easy on "fleshy" protein, treat it as a side, rather than the center of a meal
    - Make as much as you can from scratch....that's where the real cost savings is.

    In the long run though, the cost of eating healthy is much cheaper than the alternative of paying for it later in health care costs!!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Nutrition doesn't have to cost more if you buy in season and on sale. And the middle of the store does not have to be off limits. Often frozen vegetables have more nutrients than fresh store produce because some nutrients are destroyed by light. And canned veggies can also be nutritious and cheap. Lean cuts of meat are often as cheap or cheaper than higher fat cuts because they have gained such popularity. And in my store all the whole grains are in the middle.
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
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    Another way to look at it...you can pay for it now, or pay for it later (in healthcare costs).

    true that. also you have to consider that we pay about 60% less for our food than most of the world, so, even if you spent 3x what you normally do, you're still paying less than most people.

    my boyfriend and i eat on about $50/wk ($25 apiece). there are so many ways to feed yourself without breaking the bank, but you have to work at it. one is that we have a garden and grow a lot of our own food; the other is we buy only whole foods, unprepared (dry beans, for example, are about $1.50/lb and you get the equivalent of 6 cans or so).

    we also are part of a CSA program which provides us with our weekly produce outside of our garden. that's abotu $12/wk, paid upfront.

    we use all our vegetable scraps to make soup stock, freeze it and use it in the fall/winter.

    we freeze all leftover produce and use it thoughout the year. we do a lot of in-season pick-your-own and freeze/can for the year.

    and all this takes time. if you don't want to pay the dollar out for it, you have to pay the time for it. either way, you're paying for it. if you don't want to pay any of it and just eat bad food, you'll pay for it later in excessive, otherwise unnecessary doctor's visits.
  • BeckyRayJohnson
    BeckyRayJohnson Posts: 88
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    Were you filling a list? IF not why did you buy so many things you would not buy for your own family? It is a struggle to even learn to eat better let alone buy it or know how to fix it. And then there is the struggle of getting family members to change when it is your goal not theirs to eat healthier.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,088 Member
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    Why does your church buy that stuff for its "pantry"?
  • BobbyDaniel
    BobbyDaniel Posts: 1,460 Member
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    Were you filling a list? IF not why did you buy so many things you would not buy for your own family? It is a struggle to even learn to eat better let alone buy it or know how to fix it. And then there is the struggle of getting family members to change when it is your goal not theirs to eat healthier.
    I was, we have a lot of temporary residents and transients through here, so we fill our food pantry with things that will be quick and easy to prepare for a short time. A lot of canned/boxed pasta meals, prepackaged type foods.
  • BobbyDaniel
    BobbyDaniel Posts: 1,460 Member
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    We are bargain shoppers on our own, we hunt down those "manager's specials" at Krogers on the day they mark them down and fill our fridge and freezer that way. We also shop in season and love frozen vegetables as opposed to the canned ones.

    It is just kind of discouraging all around. I used to eat that type of stuff, like it was going out of style, because it was so cheap. And it is VERY CHEAP to eat unhealthy stuff...which explains the health condition of most of people in our communities, especially those who have a lot less income. It is also a bit discouraging to know that because we provide so much food through our pantry to those in need that we have to look for the cheaper foods which I know are not nearly as healthy.

    But for me, once again, it is worth it in the end for me to spend a bit extra for me and my family to benefit from it.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    We are bargain shoppers on our own, we hunt down those "manager's specials" at Krogers on the day they mark them down and fill our fridge and freezer that way. We also shop in season and love frozen vegetables as opposed to the canned ones.

    It is just kind of discouraging all around. I used to eat that type of stuff, like it was going out of style, because it was so cheap. And it is VERY CHEAP to eat unhealthy stuff...which explains the health condition of most of people in our communities, especially those who have a lot less income. It is also a bit discouraging to know that because we provide so much food through our pantry to those in need that we have to look for the cheaper foods which I know are not nearly as healthy.

    But for me, once again, it is worth it in the end for me to spend a bit extra for me and my family to benefit from it.

    What very cheap unhealthy foods do you mean. I'm not trying to be argumentative but I see that posted all the time and it just really hasn't been my experience. I'm not sure what it is that people eat that is so cheap.
  • TyHobbit
    TyHobbit Posts: 9 Member
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    I completely agree. In the long run the extra cost for better quality food is still cheaper than the doctor bills you might incur from all the unhealthy, cheeper, choices we could make.

    I almost feel like the government should switch from a health plan, to a preventative health plan. Take all the money they're funneling into medical fixes into bringing down the cost of healthy food choices. (A man can dream right?)

    One thing my wife and I have found is with these nutritional meal replacement shakes. We've found after eating those for our main meals, we actually have more food to use on our regular meals at the end of the week. (Not to mention less dishes to wash).
  • marquesajen
    marquesajen Posts: 641
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    I figure I'll pay a little bit more now so that I won't be paying for it later!
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,230 Member
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    I have found eating healthy costs less overall because I eat less. Yes the canned, processed stuff is inexpensive, but I would eat a lot more of it because it is so unfilling. I eat less of the veggies and meat we purchase mainly now, not to mention the dried lentils, beans and the like. They are not that convenient to cook (ie they take time) but if I was running low on money I would look at purchasing whole grains (wheat berries, oat groats, brown rice) and dried beans which when eaten together provide complete protein, lots of fiber and are very filling. I am guessing that the stuff you purchased was purchased not only for quick preparation and convenience but for shelf stability.
  • MrsCon40
    MrsCon40 Posts: 2,351 Member
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    Another way to look at it...you can pay for it now, or pay for it later (in healthcare costs).

    ^^ THIS ^^
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
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    What very cheap unhealthy foods do you mean. I'm not trying to be argumentative but I see that posted all the time and it just really hasn't been my experience. I'm not sure what it is that people eat that is so cheap.

    i know, has anyone done the math on a box of cereal? it's ridiculously expensive. or like those packaged pasta meal things.. when you do the math, it's not even close to cheaper. and it's not even really quicker.

    edit: and i'm not trying to be inflammatory either... i just have never been one to see how these things are cheaper or any faster.
  • BobbyDaniel
    BobbyDaniel Posts: 1,460 Member
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    What very cheap unhealthy foods do you mean. I'm not trying to be argumentative but I see that posted all the time and it just really hasn't been my experience. I'm not sure what it is that people eat that is so cheap.

    Canned pasta meals, boxed pasta meals, processed canned meats that have a long shelf life, etc.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    What very cheap unhealthy foods do you mean. I'm not trying to be argumentative but I see that posted all the time and it just really hasn't been my experience. I'm not sure what it is that people eat that is so cheap.

    Canned pasta meals, boxed pasta meals, processed canned meats that have a long shelf life, etc.

    Well, I wouldn't consider all canned meats to be unhealthy. I mean, canned seafood is healthy. Boxed pasta meals are not really that cheap though, since to make a full family meal you nearly always have to add ingredients and prepare more than one box. At least that's been my experience.

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