Eating healthy is privilege of the rich?

ahavoc

Disagree. Fresh vegetables and fruit are not that expensive. I make everything from scratch because of food sensitivities, I have to know what is in what I eat. Sometimes I bake for my family. I can't eat any of it, but it is always cheaper to bake than to buy pre-made. And healthier too. Pies are the simplest thing to make, and very cheap. Apple or peach crisp is also easy and healthy, and not that expensive.

I worked in a grocery store for many years. I couldn't believe the crap that people would buy and eat. Fresh, healthy and clean, proper food proportions, and that will keep the food bill down.

lil_missfit

For our home it has been just a tiny bit more and I find myself having to make more than one trip a week to the store. We are snacking on a lot of fruit. That's probably why. At any rate....no one has medical bills....and I haven't had to take my kids to the doctor in over a YEAR!!! They haven't been sick other than a sniffle here and there. My husband and I haven't been sick in over a year either....I have to believe it has something to do with our diet and living a more active lifestyle. It feels good not to have to keep paying co pays for Dr. visits:)) I would sum this up to say...we may be paying more for groceries....but in the end you're saving on avoidable medical bills:))

KayteeBear

When I try to eat fresh foods (like fresh veggies) I definitely shop more often....I prefer to buy frozen veggies on sale though to use for casseroles and such.

I get most of my meat from my dad (yay for meat straight from the farm!!) and eggs from some friends so I do save money there and sometimes I get lots of veggies from my grandma's garden at the end of summer. I do wish to grow a garden some day so that I'll have more veggies but I hate gardening...maybe I can find a way to like it...

I do think it is more expensive though...when I buy some things it will last so much longer before I go have to go shopping but when I'm trying to use fresh veggies and such I end up shopping a lot more and spending more money just by having to buy it more often.

babyblake11

think like 10 bucks for a meal at maccas.
or you could red some brown rice, veggies and chicken for that or less that would serve four or more people!

Thamantha

So I must admit that I haven't read the article the OP was posting in reference to.

But one thing strikes me about the discussion so far. That is that the definitions of healthy eating and unhealthy eating are very subjective. For one person 'healthy' might mean cooking packaged meals but watching portion size instead of getting fast food, to another it means a raw diet on organic produce.
The cost associated with a 'healthy' diet is therefore hard to define.

I imagine that many people when they first chuck out the tv dinners, will spend more on fruit and veg than they spent on tv dinners, and perhaps not be used to how to best use the produce, or know the best time to buy something, or want to buy the mis-shapen 'value' vegetables. They also might not yet have the strategy of making several portions of food and freezing most of it for later. These are all things which will lower the cost of healthy eating, and I imagine they are skills that people pick up when required.

For me personally, and as a vegetarian, eating healthily has always been a cheaper option because of the above strategies, and making almost everything from scratch, but I can see why for some individuals it might be more expensive.

servilia

I'm not that sympathetic towards the "inconvenience" argument. Really - if you have a job and you don't work from home and if there's not one within walking distance, can't you stop at the supermarket on the way home? Is an extra half hour once a week really that big a sacrifice for healthy food?
If there's a store within walking distance (and by walking distance I mean anything up to half an hour walk), you can use that as a chance to get more exercise.

christine24t

I would disagree.

I find eating real food such as fruit, veggies, meat and dairy is less expensive that the pre packages and prepared foods.

astrosnider

Unfortunately for those of us in the United States, cheap but fattening food is subsidized by the government and constantly sold to us through advertising. High fructose corn syrup is a cheap ingredient that goes into so many things and makes us fat without providing significant nutrition. Still, it's easy to eat healthfully for a reasonable amount of money if you put your mind to it. I find a lot of great organic fruits and vegetables in season at the farmers market for much less than I would pay in a fancy grocery store. I also like lentils and brown rice, which are so cheap they are almost free and are nutritious and filling. We also need to remember what our grandparents learned during hard times -- don't waste so much. If you buy a rotisserie chicken at Costco, get a couple of meals out of it then boil up the bones with some carrots, onion and celery and make your own chicken stock. Cool it in the refrigerator, skim off the fat and you have the basis of a delicious soup that will cost you almost nothing.

servilia

Unfortunately for those of us in the United States, cheap but fattening food is subsidized by the government and constantly sold to us through advertising. High fructose corn syrup is a cheap ingredient that goes into so many things and makes us fat without providing significant nutrition. Still, it's easy to eat healthfully for a reasonable amount of money if you put your mind to it. I find a lot of great organic fruits and vegetables in season at the farmers market for much less than I would pay in a fancy grocery store. I also like lentils and brown rice, which are so cheap they are almost free and are nutritious and filling. We also need to remember what our grandparents learned during hard times -- don't waste so much. If you buy a rotisserie chicken at Costco, get a couple of meals out of it then boil up the bones with some carrots, onion and celery and make your own chicken stock. Cool it in the refrigerator, skim off the fat and you have the basis of a delicious soup that will cost you almost nothing.

Nice post!
Also, the resulting chicken stock won't be full of preservatives, sodium and msg or whatever they put it in these days.

pen2u

I feel so lucky to have the means to get the food I want. I can't imagine living far from healthy options and having to add an hour or so to an already long work day/commute via public transportation just to buy a day's groceries (since a week's groceries would be impossible to carry home.) I'm no one special, just fortunate...so I do not feel it's right to criticize those who aren't as lucky.

In some poor areas of the city, in addition to not having decent markets, community gardens that have been tended by local citizens for years have been shut down due to developers wanting the land. The community centers that used to provide exercise/healthy living classes are closing due to lack of funding. It's really frustrating and sad.

Rather than judging people whose shoes we've not walked a mile in, those of us who are passionate about eating healthy food (and by the looks of this topic we mostly all are) should pressure our city planners, grocery chains, and community leaders to encourage full-service markets/farmer's markets to open in ALL areas, not just the more middle-class or upscale ones. Every community deserves access to fresh, wholesome, affordable food.

hush7hush

I'm broke as ****.

But my grocery bill went for $100/wk to about $30/wk when I started eating healthier. Clean is cheap. It's all that processed **** that makes your bill go up.

michaelachallis

personally my grocery bill is triple what it used to be because of my change of diet... which is a bummer but worth it

calliope_music

disagree. we're certainly not rich, but i think we generally buy pretty healthy food!

goron59

Disaggree completely.

Healthy eating does cost more than stuffing your face with KFC, but you by no means have to be rich, by any definition of the word.

sarad777

our bills went up significantly eating healthier choices. I also think so many runs to the grocery store for fresh fruit, etc. It's annoying as we used to do once a week. Now we're there 2 or 3 times.

'annoying' that you have to go more than once a week for a top-up suggests you don't perhaps appreciate how food should be a pleasant part of your life.

Wow, you are really rude. Yes it's annoying and no, I'm not lazy. I exercise at least 1 hour a day and work about 12 hours a day. So yes, it's annoying to have to keep running to the grocery store. Especially when I cannot drive right now due to a medical condition. I'm perfectly fit and in shape as is my husband. We obviously appreicate how food should be a part of our lives. Sometimes I wonder why I am on here.

Yes, it's something we have to do to survive, but like breathing, is eating really such a chore? I love my food, I really do, and I want my meals to be exciting and full of flavour. I spend time thinking about what I want to eat, and get pleasure in innumerable trips to the shops to pick up little bits. Food is the source of LIFE and should never be anything but pleasurable. The Chinese believe that your intent and emotions go into your cooking - I think the same could be said from taking the time to source the food that keeps us alive.

pnieuw

Disagree. I recently read a stat that 40% of the average food spending in the US is done at restaurants. Take that money and spend it at the grocery store on healthy, fresh food and you will spend less.

If you are already doing that, it comes down to careful choices. Yes, fresh fruit is more expensive than a can of Coke, but there are lots of options to cut the food bill. Consider frozen veggies. Nutritionally, they are almost, if not as good as fresh, and provide good value for the dollar without a lot of added sodium. I buy most of my bread in the day old section, and pop it into the freezer. We just toast all of our bread from frozen, so the expiry date doesn't matter. Purchase a cheaper cut of meat, and break out the crock pot. Eat root veggies in season, like potatoes, carrots, etc. which can be very affordable.

There are ways to do it, but it takes work. We do it, and I'll admit I shop without a lot of consideration of the cost, we are not rich by any means.

MsLilly200

I completely disagree.

But I guess it depends on where you live.... It seems like vegetables in america are really expensive?? Or that the junkfood is just that much cheaper.

stephyy4632

disagree

my shopping bill has went down ALOT this year. We plant most all our vegies during the summer months so really just the cost of seeds and some water for when we where low on rain.
Meats I buy in bulk at Sams club come home portion them up into serving size amounts (freezer bags) and stick them in the freezer
of the few vegies I don`t grow or in the winter I will buy fresh and do the same as meat freezer bags they last longer that way and taste just as good

fruits are pricie but still much cheaper than the pop I was buying before so still saving money since I know longer purchase pop for our home

water we bought a filter to go over the tap and just drink it right from there (30.00 start up one time and 9.95 every 3/4months for a new filter)

Milk I buy in NY state for about half the price it is here in PA plus thats where our closest Sams club is so its not out of my way at all

CindyWarner

There are certain foods that are more expensive and some are less. I've noticed that the little Koren market store in my area has much better deals in meat/produce than the big chain down the road. It's about 50% difference. And it's so much fresher! Can you imagine buying ground beef that's red from the outside all the way to the inside? The big brand store always has it pink and icky brown in the middle. So why does it cost more?

I also try to buy bulk. Meat and fruit that spoils fast can be divided up in containers and frozen!

Hope this helps.

craftzilla

Completely agree! I work in an urban high school. Kids who are lower income levels (and their families) have more to think about/more stress in their lives. Life isn't about making good food choices; it's about survival. When you have to focus on survival and where your next meal comes from, you don't always care what it is. Also, so much of eating healthy is a socio-economic value. Our value system, as wealthier people (in comparison with most of the world, for example), is to eat healthier. This is not typically a value passed on among those living in poverty. My parents, even if it didn't work, tried to stress healthy eating. In my students from lower-socioeconomic status, I see a complete lack of knowledge about what it means to eat healthy!

craftzilla

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.

Completely agree! Great points.

Cornpuff32

I totally disagree

It depends on where you shop. I can get a box of cherry tomatoes from Sainsburys for £1.50 or from a local market for 39p - no contest. It all depends on where you shop and if you buy in season or not.

Shopping in season is definitely key! I'm getting sad now that the growing season is almost over and we only have a month or so of abundant fresh local veggies at the farmers market. Just like the poster above it definitely depends on where you shop as well. Buying fresh veggies and fruits that are in bulk is cheaper then the fresh bagged or boxed versions. My boyfriend and I don't mind the skin on carrots, so we buy the bunches and cut them up instead of buying the pre-processed baby carrots. A vegetable peeler is only 1-2 bucks for a cheap metal one!

Taking the time to plan ahead, and plan meals out for the week, help us keep our grocery bill consistent.

Bananas, apples (in season or in a region that grows them) and grapes seem to be some of the cheapest fruits.

I don't think eating healthy is a luxury for the rich...but being able to shop without planning definitely is.


Craftzilla had some of the same points! Good post!

Nishka09

This is an interesting argument. I think that most are arguing over semantics though. It is well documented that in the U.S. healthier, lower calorie, nutrition dense food is more expensive. Here is one study (by the gov't no less):

http://www.csrees.usda.gov/newsroom/impact/2008/nri/03191_food_prices.html

Not sure if this is true in Canada and England though. In Canada it seems packaged shelf food is much more expensive than in the U.S, and fruits and vegetables are much more affordable.

It also depends on what you are buying, for example beans and brown rice vs. asparagus and salmon, farm raised vs. wild, regular vs. organic, etc. But I think it is pretty well documented that healthier foods, in general, are more expensive.

michaelachallis

I feel like living In New Zealand we don't have as much of a range of really healthy food (excluding fruit and veg) and what we do have is significantly more expensive than the unhealthy options with are SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper.

litlpineapple

... It all depends on where you shop and if you buy in season or not.

Totally agree! If you work your meals around buying fresh produce that's on sale/in-season and fresh cut meats on sale/from a good butcher, I find you spend less on more fulfilling healthy meals. And left-overs! Prepping and cooking fresh is more laborious, I get lazy and eat out frequently , but I would say "healthy eating" is definitely do-able on a budget.

Oishii

This is an interesting argument. I think that most are arguing over semantics though. It is well documented that in the U.S. healthier, lower calorie, nutrition dense food is more expensive. Here is one study (by the gov't no less):

http://www.csrees.usda.gov/newsroom/impact/2008/nri/03191_food_prices.html

Not sure if this is true in Canada and England though. In Canada it seems packaged shelf food is much more expensive than in the U.S, and fruits and vegetables are much more affordable.

It also depends on what you are buying, for example beans and brown rice vs. asparagus and salmon, farm raised vs. wild, regular vs. organic, etc. But I think it is pretty well documented that healthier foods, in general, are more expensive.

That's a very interesting piece of research. I suspect, though, that they turned a blind eye to nutrient rich, high calorie density foods like nuts and olive oil because they didn't fit the pattern they were trying to find, as they cost so much.

What I found rather ridiculous was the conclusion that education was the answer. They had worked out that on $3 a day, in order to get 2000 calories a day, people had no choice but to eat low cost, high calorie foods. That's not a situation you can educate away. Economic problems require economic solutions, such as switching subsidies, but such moves would be unpopular with the electorate.

It also said that the average spend was $7 a day, which is where education should come into play. If it costs $3 to get 2000 calories of junk, to be as heavy as they are, some people are clearly getting more than $3 a day in junk. Plus, maintaining a high weight requires far more than 2000 calories a day.

I hate good research with illogical conclusions. Either clever researchers become stupid, or, more likely, they feel their conclusion has to be the one their paymasters (in this case the US government) wanted them to find.

pinkgigi

Craftzilla, you are a very empathic person with a difficult job. Sometimes there is a time/affordability payoff. Cheaper often means more energy/time expended to prepare. Some people are very time poor as well as income poor, so they perhaps do not have the resources to source/prepare and store food. It does take a lot of planning to eat healthy on a budget.

Bananas, did someone mention bananas? They are still hovering around $10/kg here in Australia :-(

GG

Oishii

Ouch to the bananas! I get 6 bananas for about £1.36, I think... And they're fair trade!

sbeasty1

I have to say, I agree. I walk into my local supermarket and there are mutiple packs of chocolate bars on offer for £1..head to the fruit section and one punnet of strawberries is almost £3! And a chocolate bar would fill me up more than strawberries! also nuts and things are v.expensive.
"Bad" foods are so much cheaper. I could head to Iceland and have a whole freezer full of frozen junk food alot cheaper than a fridge full of fresh food...but as another member commented, if you cut out takeaways and a bit of eating out then you can spend the pennies elsewhere and have treats which are good for you, such as nice, good quality meat, vegetables and fruit. You will soon feel better and feel, as i now do, it's money well spent.

MuffinMan25

the Wife and Myself spend about $1000.00 a month in food. We always have fresh meals including vegetables and fruit, and lots of fish. Im kind of addicted to subway as well. lol. I view our spending on food an investment of our well being. Your health IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN YOUR LIFE!!!!! REMEMBER THAT!!