True or an excuse?

SergeantSunshine_reused

I understand your point. However, it seems like there have been several posts that talk about stupidity with regard to the inability to purchase healthy products.

Very commonly talked about in many of my classes actually. Because this is one of the problems dietitians are trying to solve. Well not solve, but help make the situation better at least.

When looking at the price of meats it can be very expensive - but looking at some of the unheathy items I see people buy, but then complain about veggie prices is just crazy to me.

Examples from work: Woman having me take off a bag of oranges because they were too expensive, but still got 4 cases of soda.

DonPendergraft

It's absolutely TRUE! But it's also used as an excuse. So it's not an either/or! It's far cheaper to buy a huge carton of processed and bleached white flour based pasta shells for the family than health proteins/veggies, etc. It just is. But for me personally, it's a mixed bag. I eat healthy so it costs more to feed me. But the rest of my family? Not so much. I don't enforce my plant based diet on the rest of the family. They participate to varying degrees. My Senior daughter follows it a lot of the time, my teenage son does whatever the opposite of what I'm doing. )

veganbaum

Oh, and in terms of people who live in poor areas with grocery stores that overprice items, and who are not served by good public transportation - I agree that is a real issue. However, that is a much larger environmental and economic justice issue. Overall, eating healthier for people who are not in those situations is cheaper. Just depends on what people are <choosing> to buy and eat. Meat can be one ingredient in one meal a day, it doesn't need to be the centerpiece in any meal. Packaged and fancy snacks aren't necessary. Have an apple and peanut butter. Packaged cereals aren't necessary. Have some whole oats from the bulk section with some dried fruit and nuts. Flavored drinks aren't necessary - juice, sodas, whatever - those add up. Have some water, have some tea, add frozen fruit to some water. Dessert? Make some simple homemade cookies instead of packaged cookies or ice cream or whatever. It's about choices.

LilMissFoodie

I think it really depends what you are eating. For example in Australia (because I know the prices better), a packet of chicken nuggets and a packet of frozen chips probably costs about $6-8 but 4 chicken breasts some veggies and some potatoes/rice/pasta probably costs closer to $12-15 and depending on serve you might get 2 nights out of the former and only 1 night out of the latter for a family of 4. But if you are having a takeaway then it probably costs more or if you are buying additional unhealthy snacks. On the snack front - it is usually much cheaper (but not nearly as filling) to buy a packet of crisps (in a multi bag) than to buy a yoghurt or fruit. So yeah, I do think it can be more expensive, especially if you like variety in what you eat.

Generally, I do think people use it as an excuse though. Life is about priorities and healthy eating is pretty high up there for me.

veganbaum

Excuse. My family is on a budget of about $75/week for 5 of us. We eat healthy just fine but it takes work.

That's amazing! You should share some tips!

youuluvashh

I think eating totally heathly is definitely more expensive..... but its doable if your commited to it. You can eat healthy on a budget!! So to answer your question yeah I think some of US, including me just uses it as an excuse sometimes.

myskinnyyear

I've heard so many experts say that the lower income you have, the higher the rate of obesity. I wasn't sure I believed it, but I know a family that has a VERY low weekly budget for food, sometimes only 50 a week for family of 3. They buy alot of processed foods, cheap to make, but very high in calories. Its just me and my husband, all of our meals are homemade, nothing processed, and for the 2 of us I have to budget 125.00 a week. We couldn't eat as healthy as we do for 50.00

youuluvashh

Excuse. My family is on a budget of about $75/week for 5 of us. We eat healthy just fine but it takes work.

YES PLEASE SHARE!!!!!

smashatoms

True.

Logically, it is true. It has been shown that purchasing fresh produce is far more expensive than buying processed crap.
You can eat 300 calories worth of CRAP a whole lot quicker than you eat 300 calories worth of produce.
By this you can infer that it would require MORE unprocessed foods to consume that same amount of calories, requiring more food.
This is why you see diabetes in a lot of minority/low income groups. It's not about the quality of a meal, it's about getting calories in the cheapest way possible.

As a society we need to define the value of our well being over the value of money. If that ever happens, you would start seeing a reversal, wherein processed foods are more expensive than fresh food. I just caught the tail end of a radio program about this today. I wish I could remember what they said, but they did mention that in places where they eat more produce than processed foods, the process foods are much more expensive.


If you look at these "healthy" diets that are low in cost, you will see A LOT of wheat... or as the USDA loves to put it "whole grains". Wheat is the single worst thing anybody can consume-- and it's in everything-- and is promoted as being healthy-- when in fact, it is not. Wheat especially exists in cheap foods, because... well, it's cheap.

nitnole711

Excuse. My family is on a budget of about $75/week for 5 of us. We eat healthy just fine but it takes work.

That's amazing! You should share some tips!

Yes...please do!! That's better than I can do!!!

LilMissFoodie

I have been there where the only thing I can afford is peanut butter, bread, and milk (about $5). (college) I'm thankful that I'm no longer in that position.

Yep, I've been there too! Dietetic student learning about healthy foods including budget friendly strategies! Still, a carton of eggs, a loaf of bread, a packet of pasta and a bottle of pasta sauce could last me for a whole week - total diet, $10 (Au) per week. And so I appreciate that sometimes people eat what they have to just to get by.

Slove009

Since I started cooking from recipes I found here and other places from scratch (or mostly) I have found that I'm spending a lot less on food, both going out to eat and buying groceries! If there is a pot of food sitting in the fridge, we won't go out because, well there's already food there.

That being said, I think it's an excuse for more than one reason:
1. People think healthy means organic. Yes organic is healthy, but it costs more, that much is true. You can still get those non-organic bananas for 26 cents a pound though.

2. The general (non-mfp) populous is lazy. Why spend 2 hours chopping, washing, crushing, slicing, peeling, sauteing, boiling, simmering, -insert other ways to cook food here-, when you can buy a can of spaghettios and call it a night?

Cooking healthy can sometimes be involved, but it can also be as simple as switching out that extra thick cut hickory smoked bacon for low-sodium turkey bacon (which is $2 cheaper than regular bacon where I shop!!!)

Veganniee

If you menu plan and are an able cook, healthy food is just as cheap as processed. However, for most of us who go to the supermarket on the way home from work and pick up dinner its way more expensive. I love cooking and could feed us very cheaply if I bothered to plan so I knew I had to soak pulses etc overnight. I'm just not organised so I spend far more on healthy foods.

eellis2000

Eating healthy at a fast food restaurant is more expensive than unhealthy at a fast food resaurant. Eating healthy at a store can be more expensive than unhealthy at a store. In my experience and opinion. However, you also have to factor in whether or not you know how to cook, have the right equipment, how much time you have, and whether or not the rest of your family will eat it. I am cooking healthy more often now cause the kids are grown and we can afford a little more at the store.

Russellb97

It's absolutely TRUE! But it's also used as an excuse. So it's not an either/or! It's far cheaper to buy a huge carton of processed and bleached white flour based pasta shells for the family than health proteins/veggies, etc. It just is. But for me personally, it's a mixed bag. I eat healthy so it costs more to feed me. But the rest of my family? Not so much. I don't enforce my plant based diet on the rest of the family. They participate to varying degrees. My Senior daughter follows it a lot of the time, my teenage son does whatever the opposite of what I'm doing. )

I agree with this guy.

sassylilmama

Excuse. My family is on a budget of about $75/week for 5 of us. We eat healthy just fine but it takes work.

That's amazing! You should share some tips!

Yes...please do!! That's better than I can do!!!

I buy produce in season, stock up when I can and freeze. You would be surprised some things that freeze well. My kids just had cantaloupe frozen when it was Buy 1 get 2 Free. They see it like as much of as a treat as ice cream. Also use coupons matched to the weeks sales and again stock up when I can.

A lot is saved buying meat on sale, or marked down when close to sell by date. Meat is more of a side in my family which saves a lot of money there. I also stretch meats into multiple meals. A whole chicken will make 4-5 meals for us. I also bake a lot of things, and sometimes make our crackers, bread tortillas etc.

Like I said it takes work but can be done.

sarahgilmore

This is a shopping/cooking guide put out by our social welfare agency.

http://www.workandincome.govt.nz/documents/the-great-little-cookbook.pdf

lmelangley

For us, healthy food is more expensive because it's the junk food that has all the coupons. BUT, overall I think it's less expensive because we're healthier which, over time, equates to less doctor visits and less medications, plus less time at work and play lost to illness.

SergeantSunshine_reused

True.

Logically, it is true. It has been shown that purchasing fresh produce is far more expensive than buying processed crap.
You can eat 300 calories worth of CRAP a whole lot quicker than you eat 300 calories worth of produce.
By this you can infer that it would require MORE unprocessed foods to consume that same amount of calories, requiring more food.
This is why you see diabetes in a lot of minority/low income groups. It's not about the quality of a meal, it's about getting calories in the cheapest way possible.

As a society we need to define the value of our well being over the value of money. If that ever happens, you would start seeing a reversal, wherein processed foods are more expensive than fresh food. I just caught the tail end of a radio program about this today. I wish I could remember what they said, but they did mention that in places where they eat more produce than processed foods, the process foods are much more expensive.


If you look at these "healthy" diets that are low in cost, you will see A LOT of wheat... or as the USDA loves to put it "whole grains". Wheat is the single worst thing anybody can consume-- and it's in everything-- and is promoted as being healthy-- when in fact, it is not. Wheat especially exists in cheap foods, because... well, it's cheap.

Produce is not the only healthy thing out there. When I said healthy I mean all healthy foods, produce is part of it, but doesn't completely make up a healthy diet. You can get fresh produce for a good price when you get what is in season and on sale too. And there are canned/frozen options as well.

And what exactly makes wheat the worst thing you can consume? That is a very bold statement.

Not all staples of a healthy diet include wheat anyway. The ones I listed already: eggs, beans, lentils, oats, rice, potatoes, meat in bulk, yeahhh not a ton of wheat there. Not that it really matters. I can get a loaf of wheat bread though for $1 on sale and a jar of PB and could be set for a while.

Missjulesdid

It is more expensive but worth it.

The reason it's more expensive is because I'm something of an extreme couponer and the items you can usually get for free are prepackaged name brand foods.