Is it me or is this healthy eating lark expensive??

Josteyn

When I have a salad, it's this...

Satsuma, 30 g 8 3 0 0
Cucumber - With peel, raw, 0.25 cucumber 11 3 0 0
Fresh Produce - Cherry Tomato, 150 grams 24 9 0 2
Generic - Lettuce, chopped (half) 10 1 0 1
Onions - Raw, 1 small 29 7 0 1
Black Olives - Black Olives (Medium), 15 olives 54 3 5 0
Generic - Kiwi Fruit , 30 g 18 4 0 0
Carrots - Raw, 50 g 21 5 0 0
Peppers - Sweet, red, raw, 60 g 16 4 0 1
Ham - Sliced, extra lean, 200 g 220 5 6 35
Fresh Produce - White Mushrooms (Raw), 50 g 11 2 0 2
Grapes - Raw, 100 g 67 17 0 1

I buy the ingredients, and eat some of each each day.

My total food bills (with all the household things like kitchen roll, washing liquid et al) come to an average of under £30 a week, and I have no meat that isn't free-range and mostly organic as well.

I don't know where you are shopping, but I suggest you try somewhere else.


Oh, and walk to your shops, several times a week, as that adds in exercise, and you can buy smaller amounts that won't go off before you've finished them!

Vegetablearian

Eating the in the UK healthily can be dirt cheap if you do it right.

A packet of branded crisps bought in a multipack is 20p+ , you can get an apple, pear, plum etc for less than that. Shopping at aldi and buying only the fruit and veg that is on offer makes it really cheap. I have 5 guinea pigs and a rabbit so I buy way more veg than most people but I only spend £30 a week on food max for two adults and the animals including their hay.

Buying wholefood beans/grains etc in bulk is cheap and they are great. Quinoa is great high in protein, cheap and tasty when with a salad!

compared to 20 fish fingers for a quid yes healthy is expensive, but compared to eating out or good cuts of meat fruit and veg are cheap IMHO. :-)

shakybabe

I agree it costs more to buy salad more often as I eat more of it. I also had to go wheat free so gluten free bread is £2-£3 for a small loaf with a few slices and you rarely get special offers on them like buy one get one free as they are 'specialty breads' in most supermarkets.

I try and get frozen veg where possible big bags can last me over a month and the supermarkets own brand is often cheaper and just as good when it comes to plain frozen vegetables. Then I can just have veg with meat or fish for dinner and save the salad stuff for lunches. Sometimes I replace bread with like soft corn tortila's to do salad wraps and sometimes they are on special offer and can get two packs for the price of one.

I stick with plain cereals like corn flakes or oats as luckily for me only wheat gluten is the problem so can get big multisave boxes that last a month or so.

I buy a big bag of apples and carrots with some hummus and babybel's that makes a nice light lunch of carrot sticks and apple slices with a babybel that way its easy to work out calories in the portion of cheese! I get 'light baked crisps' too as a treat and small bag is under 100cals and one carrot and apple are hardly any calories.

I always look on the shelves of special offers on things that are about to go out of date, but are often safe to last longer in tins or could be frozen.. tins of tuna or mackerel that can go with my lunch time salad. I try and save on big bags of rice as gluten free pasta is more expensive than regular and often only available in smaller packets.

If things like mini chicken breast fillets are on offer 3 for 2 and work out cheaper than a pack of chicken breasts, I get some and freeze them, you can put enough together to get same amount as in a small chicken breast or often mine are cut up to go in curries or salad wraps anyway!

I occasionally treat myself to something like a gluten free pizza (frozen) which is still way cheaper and much less calories than places like pizza hut etc... often less calories than regular frozen pizza's too.

I used to spend more on brandy & cokes than I do on healthy food now!

claren1978

Im in UK too and don't find it too expensive. One of my fellow "gym bunnies" recommended the "Diet Assistant" AP. It looks similar to MyFitnessPal but on a green background. It has loads of options to choose from ie high protien, gluten free, etc and plans your weeks worth of meals so you can buy in advance and prepare in advance.

Simples! LOL

micheledarling

im in the uk and i feed myself and two small kids for about 50 to 60 pounds a week. its not expensive and i rarely throw anything away. if i buy a big bag of spinach for example i will boil it all down and eat the entire bag before it goes off. i also add a bit to everything i cook. yes it was more difficult when i worked crazy hours but i had to just make the effort to bring my own food every single day! i also dont feel im depriving myself of anything i eat lots of fish and lean meats. i do food shop about twice a week

Ejwelton

We did our weeks menu plan and shopped this morning. Our shopping was about £25 less than normal!

CdnPgnMom

I'm in Canada and I find it expensive. Our monthly grocery bill nearly doubled!

kcmom2four

I wash fresh fruits and veggies in a solution that is 1 part vinegar and 3 parts water, rinse well and run it through a salad spinner to dry well(line the basket with some paper towels if what you are spinning is delicate(berries). I keep mine in jars in the fridge with a piece of paper towel tucked in the top to absorb moisture. I was tired of throwing away produce also so did some research online about how to keep it fresh longer. I'm going to try the layers of paper towels for my lettuce!

TheWinman

Heavily tax junk and very unhealthy foods and use part of that to make healthier food more affordable. It's win/win!! IMO

ladynica

You pay a little more in groceries (sometimes, I actually find healthy eating pretty reasonable, especially since I'm not eating dinner out or stopping for coffee or lunch), but you pay a LOT less in medical bills because you will in general be healthier.

tforsyth

Good morning, I don't normally post on here unless it is something I feel I need to.
I spent the majority of my adult life eating the so-called cheaper, non-healthy type of foods, and what did that bring me:. Depression and obesity which also brought with it type II diabetes with two different medications to control it, as well as a medication for cholesterol to keep my considered-normal cholesterol better than normal. All these new medications were very expensive. Since I joined MFP, I have lost over 70 pounds, I am Happy, and I no longer have to take the cholesterol pills. I was able to completely cut out one of the diabetes medications and cut the other one down. I have my sugar levels to the point where you wouldn't think I was even diabetic. My doctor and my family are so proud.
So, in the grand scheme of things, the grocery bill might be a bit higher, but I have cut costs with medications and again I am happy.
You cannot put a price tag on that!! Plus, I know I am worth it!!

22GARDEN

I think if you can shop for seasonal fruits/veggies it makes it very affordable.... An example would be purchasing carrots.... If you buy them all sliced, diced and cleaned you will pay double. 5 minutes at the sink cleaning can save lots of money, plus it's good to have a bin of fresh veggies/fruits all cut and ready to go. A head of lettuce a bargain compared to a bag of prewashed cut and bagged... A little time saves lots of money.

angng

I think it's cheaper. I don't buy a bunch of processed stuff, I buy most of my veggies and fruit at Trader Joes ($1.99 for a bag of lettuce) or farmer's markets once they open, which is pretty cheap. It costs a lot if I buy gf bread/bagels but I don't eat those very often.

iwillsoonbeslim

We did our weeks menu plan and shopped this morning. Our shopping was about £25 less than normal!

Yup. Following 3 years of losing weight, and watching others plan their meals, I could never get my head round the idea of shopping from a list. Earlier this year a MAJOR financial blow meant I have to watch every single penny for a while, so I started menu planning from a budget point of view more than anything else - and now I LOVE doing it, and hope I never slip back into old habits! I only buy what I need, need what I buy....EAT what I buy, and waste nothing! Win-win-win! I'm eating like a king, and saving an absolute fortune ♥

reneegee23

Definitely not a lark But sure, if you buy prepackage foods and meals, you will be paying more. I make ahead 90% of what I eat and seem to be doing okay financially

Wreak_Havoc

plant a vegetable garden if you have the space! i feast on tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, carrots, and strawberries all summer long. all it takes is seeds, water, and sun

And if you don't think you have the space, try this trick..

Use rain gutter mounted to a wall slightly tipped so they zig-zag under each each other for run-off. plant lettuce, radishes, baby carrots and the like. Works great and takes up all of 8-10" (20-25cm)

Di3012

So I'm trying to budget this next month and I've realised just how expensive this eating healthy lark is!! Monday to Friday I work very long hours so I have a fresh salad on the way home - that costs me £4.95 minimum. I am going to try & take my own snacks, breakfast & lunch but still!!!

Any cheap suggestions pls? I'm in the uk. I generally cut out starchy carbs for dinner xxx

Do NOT buy prepackaged salads, sandwiches or anything else, they cost a bomb!

Make your own, the ingredients you buy to make the same amount will enable you to make several day's worth and save your tons of money.

Healthy eating does not equate to expensive - ever. xxx

JenAiMarres

Definitely make your own salad !! And yes ...I'm going completely broke eating clean and making 5lbs of chicken a night for my family of 5...freaking rediculous!

tlinval

I'm in the US...

IDK, I'm finding that my grocery bill is the same or lower than before. I tend to buy veggies and fruit in bulk (not prepackaged) and prepare them as soon as I get home. I also go to Sam's Club for our fruit, veggies and LC cheese because it's cheaper and we'll now eat everything before it goes bad. I meal plan for the week, make a list, shop it, and that's it. I don't go to the store more than once a week because I find that's when we start spending money needlessly!

killinme

I can only speak to the USA, but I am also a Personal Finance Counselor.

If you plan your meals (not from a box or a can), eating healthy is easy and costs less.

The calling of the McDonald's, Burger King, White Castle, Taco Bell, and Wendy's is the more difficult part.

Oh on a side note! We had a real controversy in our area with a radio commercial. The people that eat "Organic" found out that the local farms RECYCLE animal "Waste" for fertilizer.

I don't mean leftovers either (snicker)

I guess they weren't clear on that point.

I am not giving any opinion on "Organic" or whatever, but it was funny to see people flip out!

HAHAHAHA

Just saying! (In Nebraska, USA)