Eating healthy is privilege of the rich?

chinamonkey

Totally disagree!
We have always bought fresh veg, fruit and meat.

We get our meat from the local butcher, fruit veg and everything else from Sainsburys. HOWEVER, i do pad out meals with veg so instead of 500g beef mince for lasagne it will be 250g plus aubergine (eggplant for the americans) courgettes , mushrooms, peppers etc.

Our food bill work out at about £50 a week, this will include fruit, veg, fresh meat, wine (about 3 bottles), yogurts, pasta, household stuff and we are two good appetite adults and a child and a leftovers eating dog!

A few years back we used to buy a fair bit of processed food and our bills were the same but i can make the food go further now...I think it depends on your imagination and cooking ability, and your willingness to buy basics ranges rather than pre-prepared veg....

Cccaroline

I disagree., If you eat fresh food that is in season where you live, it will be fresh, local, and good value. Also if you have a little outside space it's easy to grow a little of your own veg as well.

Painten

It is more expensive. Things like wholegrain food is twice as expensive as white foods, such as pasta etc. Not only is the white pasta cheaper int he first place but it also gets on offers. I have already gone back to white rice from wholegrain as not only was it more expensive we found that there were loads of green bits in and it started to take over an hour to cook.

I don't have the luxury of being able to shop around and while last year i managed to grow some veg this year nothing has survived. I don't drive and rely on my in-laws taking me shopping once a week. The fresh stuff is usually well past it's best before the end of the week, however i am persevering with it.

I have managed to swap some meat for quorn but really it isn't as nice as meat and i know my oh wont put up with it forever.

srp2011

Of course this is true. It's cheaper for a family of 3 to eat off the dollar menu at McDonalds every day than prepare three to six well-rounded meals for each family member on a daily basis. I've had to learn to cut my expenses in other areas in order to buy fresh produce/healthy items.

That's crazy nonsense. Using your example, and assuming each family member got a burger, fries and drink for 1.00 a piece, that's 18.00 per lunch and dinner. I suspect Ma and Pa eat a little bit more than the 99 cent cheeseburger, but that's the minimum, using your example. I know it is definitely possible to make a healthy casserole for 6 with protein, veggies, and a healthy carb (brown rice anyone?) for less than $18.00. Throw in a salad, and drink water. A lot healthier and just as cheap if not cheaper. And that's not counting the health care costs associated with eating nothing but junk food.

heathersmilez

COMPLETELY DISAGREE! I spend $100-150 a month for 2 of us and we eat entirely healthy and NO, I don't drive all over town to follow the sales, I price match everything at Walmart! The best is Chinese grocery stores that sell our fav, peppers for .40-50 a lb sooooo cheap and yummy! Chicken breast, brown rice and BBQ's veggies (peppers, zucchini and onions) costs < $2.50 a person, that dinner will by far NOT break the bank.

heathersmilez

completely agree

Looks like you r the only one and you didn't elaborate. Please, fuel the debate and provide further info.

kyle4jem

I can only speak (recently) from a UK perspective, but I know you can eact a healthy, balanced diet on a budget.

Fresh fruit and veg are not expensive and frozen veg is just as good for you as fresh. If you have a garden you can grow your own, or if you're lucky, you might have a good neighbour or two who has a surplus to share.

Likewise for meat-eaters, frozen meat is no less healthy than fresh; ditto fish. Canned tuna is realtively cheap too.

There was a programme on TV in the UK last year called Economy Gastronomy (or something like that) and it took families who were feeling the squeeze on their household budgets and taught them how to shop wisely.

Buy some mince (ground beef or hamburger) and make a large pan of ragu, bulked out with lots of chopped veg. Now you can use that with some pasta or rice. Add some kidney beans and a bit of chili powder to make it a Chili con carne, or make some lettuce wraps.

Or buy a large chicken. Roast it. Have a roast dinner one night. Leftovers can be curried and then boil the bones with some veg ends and offcuts to make a stock and then strain and add some rice or pearl barley and some more veg for soup.

What is expensive (and imho foolhardy) is to waste money on expensive "organic" this and "wholegrain" that when you're on a budget. And for goodness sake... stop buying pre-packaged, so-called diet options. Most of which are very low in fat and pumped full of sugars and such to add some kind of flavour.

Convenience costs and while you can get budget meals for £1 or a big bag of oven chips cheaper than a 2.5gk bag of spuds, what you save in your purse will cost you round the waist.

meerkat70

Stop spending money on eating out or buying junk food and you will be able to buy the healthier stuff on offer for you at the supermarket.

In my experience, poor people can't really afford to eat out...

girlinahat

I don't think it is more expensive if you know what you are looking for. As someone earlier said, a homecooked meal such as a chili is pretty versatile and can be padded out and changed around as leftovers.

Good quality food may LOOK more expensive, but it has such a higher nutritional value that your body will naturally want and need less of it (as long as you let it). There is no reason to prefer fresh meat over frozen (aside from any issues on farming practices) and in some cases frozen veg are BETTER than fresh veg as they keep their nutrients better.

However, there is another question - how much is your health worth?

servilia

It is more expensive. Things like wholegrain food is twice as expensive as white foods, such as pasta etc. Not only is the white pasta cheaper int he first place but it also gets on offers. I have already gone back to white rice from wholegrain as not only was it more expensive we found that there were loads of green bits in and it started to take over an hour to cook.

Earlier in this thread I mentioned that our family was able to eat very healthy on little money. I didn't mean that we ate whole grain pasta, flax meal, brown rice etc. We ate white bread (but real bread, not wonderbread) and white pasta and white rice but in moderation. But it was real rice, not flavoured rice-a-roni. And regular real pasta, not mac n cheese. My parents didn't eat flaxseed or wheatgrass or any of that other stuff. But what we did eat was real food cooked at home, not frozen prepared dinners, McDonalds, etc. Chicken soup was actually cooked with real chicken, vegetables and egg noodles, it didn't come out of a can or a powder packet. Yes there is super healthy food that only those with extra cash can afford, but these are not necessary to avoid obesity, diabetes, etc. I think that's the point.

meerkat70

I don't think it is more expensive if you know what you are looking for. As someone earlier said, a homecooked meal such as a chili is pretty versatile and can be padded out and changed around as leftovers.

Certainly one of the key difficulties in the UK with this is that people often don't know how to cook. And to be honest, having had a peek around people's food diaries in the US, since joining this site, I don't think this is unique to the UK. Lots and lots of people seem to not know how to cook to eat healthy.
If you're buying prepared foods, then chips and nuggets are far cheaper than, say, lean cuisine.
The combination of poverty and fast food culture is a significant problem in maintaining obesity in western cultures.

SunshineKisses_2012

I'm with a good percentage of people on here: It's not more expensive. I have hooked up with two fruit/vegetable co-ops that buy LOCAL and FRESH. Not only does this support local farming, but it's cheaper on my pocket book as well. Farmers Markets (where available) also tend to be cheaper than grocery stores.

When I have to resort to the grocery store, I buy what is in season and on sale. I don't eat a lot of red-meat. I've never been much of a red-meat eater (though some times a steak is the only thing that hits the spot), and I buy my chicken and turkey in bulk at Costco. It is also cheaper to buy a whole chicken and carrots and celery and make my own chicken stock.

If more people knew HOW to cook healthy options, then we would have less of an epidemic of obesity the world over.

chinamonkey

One thing i forgot to add - Rabbit is just as nice as chicken, is cheaper, lower in fat and cholestrol and can be gotten from the butchers. OUr butcher charges £6 for a whole large rabbit. thats a few meals in itself.

My father used to be a butcher ans people dont realise all the cheaper cuts of meat there are.

Shin beef,skirt, lamb scrag etc are all really cheap cuts but are FAB in a stew or braised...
You can alwasy check if your local butcher will do bulk deals...
ours delivers:
1lb lean beef mince
1lb diced chicken
1lb home made low fat sausages
1lb of lean bacon
2 gammon steaks
2 slices of black pudding
1lb stewing beef

all in with delivery - £20...he also does 5lb packs of things that work out cheaper than supermarket prices even when they are on offer!

EDesq

Disagree!
The problem is not cost, the problem is LACK of Education...and then "laziness/meaning taking/making the TIME to prepare food!" ALSO the cultural habits that many people REFUSE to give up or change. Just look in the cupboards and grocery carts of people...rich, middle class and poor. Mostly the same type of stuff>>>Sodas, Chips, sugary cereal...The major difference is that the middle class and rich have better medical care to correct the problems that have come about from bad eating choices.

calibri

It depends on the availability in the area. I am fortunate enough to work and live where there are year round farmer's markets four times a week. Fresh (and a selection of non organic or organic) and cheap produce for me is never far. But when I used to live on the other side of town and didn't work downtown, I never would have had access to stuff like this. It all depends.

For what it's worth, it's just the two of us and we spend ~50$ a week. That's in California dollars.

UpEarly

Disagree... buy fresh fruits when they're in season. Don't buy fruits and veggies that are peeled, cut, chopped and prepped to serve. Take the time and do your own prep work. Wait until the store runs sales on meat, and stock the freezer. Make things from scratch instead of buying packaged food. I cook for two and spend about $50.00 a week.

Pebble321

Disagree, but with reservations. I don't think it's as simple as rich or poor.
I think the issue is not so much about money, as about education, time and lateral thinking.
I believe that you can eat healthy on a budget but you need to be aware of where to shop, have transport options to shop around, hunt out healthy recipes, make time and have the equipment and resources to cook at home, think creatively about changing your ideas of what makes a meal etc.
Not everybody has these skills/resources and being poor often (but not always!) goes hand in hand with less education and a less stable living situation.

pandabear_

I completely disagree. Vegetables are very cheap and most supermarkets now have their own brand or basics, which are even cheaper. And I'm a student, so I'm in the 'poor' category at the moment.

It's very cheap to eat fruit and veg these days, less expensive than meat! I'm a vegetarian, so I probably can't comment on expense to stay healthy for carnivores.

sheppeyescapee

I think it depends on the area that you live in and access to cheaper options. I can spend a lot less during term time as there is a fruit and veg stall at the university that sells fruit and veg in bowls that only cost £1. Then there is a farmers market once a week but they mostly sell stuff that I cannot eat (am gluten and dairy free prescribed by gastroenterologist). Can get big bags of rice and pasta rather cheaply at the supermarkets, my support worker makes me a chilli or bolognese sauce that will last me a good 4-5 days serving myself and my wife. We're getting better at making our budget stretch with very limited income (1 income household with the extra costs of disability on top). Even with my special diet we are spending less than we were when we were eating a lot of junk food and takeaways. I can get a big bag of baking potatoes for £1 and have that with beans, chilli or bolognese sauce. The only big expense we probably have is tinned tuna as that has gone up quite a lot in the last few years! Also it is really easy to take a small pack of mince and bulk up a sauce with lots of mushrooms, onions, peppers etc.

vanessaclarkgbr

Disagree. However, you need to shop smart - something I'm not always great at ;-) In the UK we have economy veg (funny sized courgettes etc cheap, oranges etc.) Economy frozen berries that are lovely, at a bargain price. Economy prawns. Tuna tins I stock up when on offer, economy tomato tins - 9p in some places! If we shop at our local veg shop rather than the supermarket we can save loads, because we only buy what we need. It's just a case of looking at your receipt, seeing what is really costing the money and thinking 'what could I do there'.