Why is healthy eating so expensive?

gp79

Would you rather pay slightly more now, or alot later on when you're having to fork over thousands in health care costs after years of eating tv dinners. Think of it that way.

xoyasminxo

I buy chicken breast and canned tuna for meat and fresh produce. Eating a cup of cauliflower is quite filling with a chicken breast.

Damiilla

Don't bother buying quorn, it's overpriced. I get dried soya protein from holland and barret for a huge bag and half the price! Same stuff!

secretlobster

Try good quality meat, REAL meat, and tell me it isn't worth the price... You can also buy yogurt in bulk (not single serve yoplait). I make a lot of salads or soups so I use meat and produce that will last me through a week. Think in terms of stretching out your cooking over a few days. Your yogurts and quorn whatever are single-serve packages that aren't economical

lanie37

we all complain about the cost of healthy eating....but people think nothing of spending a pound on a bar of chocolate, infact they think its a bargain and get 2. They see a punnet of berries or grapes and think its expensive. I have totally gone back to basic and make more or less everything from scatch. Today I made a Spag Bog, and made enough to freeze for later in the month.

LiviLou2011

I get lowfat yogurt for like 10 for 4 dollars...i dont think thats expensive at all..I dont think eating healthy is really expensive..i do think eating organic is expensive though.

and look for fruits on sale! we get blueberries and stuff for about 2 dollars for a little box of them..Meats that are cheap like manager specials..and veggies that are in season like everyone else said.

Do you know anyone that has a garden? my mom has friends that give her stuff out of there garden, and we get Jalopenos and cucumbers, squash, and tomatoes...its really nice, you can also start like a little box garden its fun u would get some exercise and have veggies for free!!

opuntia

i don't find it expensive to eat healthily. I buy the basics, rather than processed food, so I can cook from scratch. I tend to go to the supermarket at the end of the day when food that is about to go out-of-date is reduced in price - I get most of my fruit and veg that way, often for 10p or 20p per pack. Fruit and veg generally lasts longer than its use-by date. Also, you can get meat and fish really cheap that way and freeze it.

Pulses and lentils tend to be cheap, and they are healthy. Also, pulses, lentils and rice tend to be a lot cheaper if you go to a small Indian or African shop and buy in bulk.

ModoVincere

Cheap, healthy foods
Tuna
turkey
flash frozen chicken
frozen fish like salmon and tilapia
beans & rice
fresg fruit in season
frozen fruit out of season
fresh veggies in season
frozen veggies out of season

edit: and oatlmeal.

cramernh

we all complain about the cost of healthy eating....but people think nothing of spending a pound on a bar of chocolate, infact they think its a bargain and get 2. They see a punnet of berries or grapes and think its expensive. I have totally gone back to basic and make more or less everything from scatch. Today I made a Spag Bog, and made enough to freeze for later in the month.

So true!!!!

WickedSpinSistr

Because not enough people do it. If more people were to buy real food it would be less expensive.

Aso consider that you're actually getting more food for your money, because what you are buying is 100% real food vs. the mixture of "food" and chemicals in the processed stuff.

taunto

Eating healthy is NOT expensive. Atleast not for me but then again, I stick my but to meats and produce section and I stay away from the pre-packaged foods that say "Health food" or whatever

source: http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=what_20_will_buy_at_the_drivethru_and_at_the_supermarket

77tes

Do a search -- Awhile back there were several threads that had 100's of really great suggestions.

Healthy eating isn't really more expensive. You are eating less -- that's got to be cheaper. You are avoiding fast food -- that's cheaper. You are eating less meat -- and meat is the single most expensive item on your food bill. However, "stylish" eating is more expensive, so stick to tried and true old-school foods. Beans are cheap. I buy chicken breasts at Costco. I hit the farmers' market, and come home with so much healthy food for decent prices.

MrGarciasWifey

Eating healthy is NOT expensive. Atleast not for me but then again, I stick my but to meats and produce section and I stay away from the pre-packaged foods that say "Health food" or whatever

source: http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=what_20_will_buy_at_the_drivethru_and_at_the_supermarket

LOVE ♥

iiiEllie

Eating healthy is NOT expensive. Atleast not for me but then again, I stick my but to meats and produce section and I stay away from the pre-packaged foods that say "Health food" or whatever

source: http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=what_20_will_buy_at_the_drivethru_and_at_the_supermarket

You do realize that pricing like that doesn't exist everywhere right?

The first picture alone, strawberries where I'm from are 3.99$ a pound when ON SALE.
1 pound of lean ground beef is 8$ when ON SALE
Everything on that list is at least two times more expensive, up to 4 times more expensive where I'm located.

As the pictures go on the items are even more expensive here. Ground turkey - I might as well cut off my arm and trade it instead of paying 12$ for it. I WISH we had prices like that.

magj0y

A 5lb sack of potatoes is close to the same price of chips in my area.
Get a rice maker and learn how to make foods such as beans, cous cous, and polenta.
You can buy a 4 pack of frozen bread dough, thaw and cook. A big box of bisquick goes really
really far, and you can add stuff to not make it taste so plain.

Frozen produce will is also $$friendly. especially store brand.
Buying stuff in bulk and learning how to make some food from scratch will make your wallet happy.
I have found that eating many crappy foods more expensive.

If you live in farm land, hit up the farmer's market, you can typically get good deals, especially
with local produce that is in season and produce food all season long.

**excess potatoes can be mashed and frozen.

ToughTulip

@iiEllie

Mind if I ask where you are from? Sounds so crazy high there!
What are the prices for rice, beans, oats, and such? Those are my staples xD
Curious

doorki

We buy our chicken and meat from Costco and vacuum seal it for the freezer. Also, have you looked at the calorie difference between "fat free" and Whole fat yogurt? It is often not that much of a difference so if the full fat is cheaper, just get that.

taunto

You do realize that pricing like that doesn't exist everywhere right?

The first picture alone, strawberries where I'm from are 3.99$ a pound when ON SALE.
1 pound of lean ground beef is 8$ when ON SALE
Everything on that list is at least two times more expensive, up to 4 times more expensive where I'm located.

As the pictures go on the items are even more expensive here. Ground turkey - I might as well cut off my arm and trade it instead of paying 12$ for it. I WISH we had prices like that.

Ah ok. Well then, stick to eating KFC and dominoes everyday. I'm sure you're right and that stuff is cheaper than cooking your own meals

As for people who don't like to make excuses, there are alot of options. A meal for me costs about 80 cents per meal (when I'm eating 5 meals a day). Chicken drumsticks, beans, rice, spices, farmers market, go outside and look for local growers. You'll find plenty of deals

I used to spend about 15-20 bucks A DAY eating like crap. It didn't tasted good and wasn't good for me. Now I cook my own and eat out only once in a while. I'm a happy camper and I spend wayyy less on food

janeite1990

My bill got cheaper when I started eating healthy. Like the pictures posted right before, I buy generic/store brands of many items. This saves a lot. I watch for meats that are just a day away from the sell-by date to get a discount, and then I cook it immediately or freeze it. I buy chicken breasts in bulk. We eat canned salmon some, which makes great baked patties and is cheap protein.

Don't forget that if you have been eating out and and you cooking more, your restaurant budget needs to be included in your grocery shopping budget.

iiiEllie

@iiEllie

Mind if I ask where you are from? Sounds so crazy high there!
What are the prices for rice, beans, oats, and such? Those are my staples xD
Curious

I'm from PEI, it's an Island on the east cost of Canada, takes about 2 1/2 hours to drive from end to end.

Rice, beans, oats - It depends what kind you're buying, a large box of brown min rice is 12$ Haha.
Most of the beans are only canned, those are pretty cheap, 2-3$ a can depending on the bean.
I just bought two bags of quick oats, 1pound bags, 7$ for two.

gigiangelique

Buy seasonal fruit/veggies Beans are high protien and CHEAP eggs are great! Also buy lean meat on sale a freese! and any who you will save $ on healh care in the long run

jkleman79

The other way i look at this all the time is that it takes less REAL food to become as full and satisfied as it does to eat junk or processed food. Your body knows and understands what it is getting and knows when to say stop. They say it is nearly impossible to over eat real food. A little test I give people is make something from scratch and buy something processed that is similar to it and see how much you eat of each. You mau be surprised how much less food you eat of the real stuff. So yes you pay more but use half as much.

iiiEllie

You do realize that pricing like that doesn't exist everywhere right?

The first picture alone, strawberries where I'm from are 3.99$ a pound when ON SALE.
1 pound of lean ground beef is 8$ when ON SALE
Everything on that list is at least two times more expensive, up to 4 times more expensive where I'm located.

As the pictures go on the items are even more expensive here. Ground turkey - I might as well cut off my arm and trade it instead of paying 12$ for it. I WISH we had prices like that.

Ah ok. Well then, stick to eating KFC and dominoes everyday. I'm sure you're right and that stuff is cheaper than cooking your own meals

I do cook my own meals, every goddamn day. - Hence why we spend 400$+ monthly to keep eating like this. Check previous posts before you try to pass judgement.

ModoVincere

@iiEllie

Mind if I ask where you are from? Sounds so crazy high there!
What are the prices for rice, beans, oats, and such? Those are my staples xD
Curious

I'm from PEI, it's an Island on the east cost of Canada, takes about 2 1/2 hours to drive from end to end.

Rice, beans, oats - It depends what kind you're buying, a large box of brown min rice is 12$ Haha.
Most of the beans are only canned, those are pretty cheap, 2-3$ a can depending on the bean.
I just bought two bags of quick oats, 1pound bags, 7$ for two.

why min rice? Regular brown rice is dirt cheap.

PastryWizKid

I found that's it's not so expensive after I cut out all the junk food and fast food the food cost actually evens out plus when u weigh and portion all of you food most of the time it goes a long way but then again im buying food for two people

ToughTulip

@iiEllie

Mind if I ask where you are from? Sounds so crazy high there!
What are the prices for rice, beans, oats, and such? Those are my staples xD
Curious

I'm from PEI, it's an Island on the east cost of Canada, takes about 2 1/2 hours to drive from end to end.

Rice, beans, oats - It depends what kind you're buying, a large box of brown min rice is 12$ Haha.
Most of the beans are only canned, those are pretty cheap, 2-3$ a can depending on the bean.
I just bought two bags of quick oats, 1pound bags, 7$ for two.

oh wow! I'm from the US in the midwest area, and 2 lbs of rice goes for $1.18 a bag, 1lb bag of beans is $1.28, and a giant canister of oats is $2.48.

Difference in location can be crazy!

Kryssaxo

You do realize that pricing like that doesn't exist everywhere right?

The first picture alone, strawberries where I'm from are 3.99$ a pound when ON SALE.
1 pound of lean ground beef is 8$ when ON SALE
Everything on that list is at least two times more expensive, up to 4 times more expensive where I'm located.

As the pictures go on the items are even more expensive here. Ground turkey - I might as well cut off my arm and trade it instead of paying 12$ for it. I WISH we had prices like that.

Ah ok. Well then, stick to eating KFC and dominoes everyday. I'm sure you're right and that stuff is cheaper than cooking your own meals

As for people who don't like to make excuses, there are alot of options. A meal for me costs about 80 cents per meal (when I'm eating 5 meals a day). Chicken drumsticks, beans, rice, spices, farmers market, go outside and look for local growers. You'll find plenty of deals

I don't see anywhere in there that said "I've decided to just eat out everyday instead". Our prices here are ridiculous so paying the extra money to stay healthy is expensive, but it doesn't mean we just say **** it and eat out instead. We pay the extra to insure we are filling our bodies with good quality foods but we don't have the great prices that other people have. That is pure ignorance. She was simply stating that healthy eating isn't affordable everywhere.

iiiEllie

Nothing is dirt cheap here. There's no regular brown rice in our stores. White only. We're insanely limited here with what you can buy. Our farmers market is 2-3 times more costly than shopping in store.

GnochhiGnomes

Would you rather pay slightly more now, or alot later on when you're having to fork over thousands in health care costs after years of eating tv dinners. Think of it that way.

That doesn't work if you live in a country where you have a NHS. :ohwell:

magj0y

Eating healthy is NOT expensive. Atleast not for me but then again, I stick my but to meats and produce section and I stay away from the pre-packaged foods that say "Health food" or whatever

You do realize that pricing like that doesn't exist everywhere right?

The first picture alone, strawberries where I'm from are 3.99$ a pound when ON SALE.
1 pound of lean ground beef is 8$ when ON SALE
Everything on that list is at least two times more expensive, up to 4 times more expensive where I'm located.

As the pictures go on the items are even more expensive here. Ground turkey - I might as well cut off my arm and trade it instead of paying 12$ for it. I WISH we had prices like that.

Kryssaxo,
You live in a place that has a a different economy. However, It's hard to understand that all foods that are raw are more expensive than fast food, prepackaged foods such as potato chips, twinkies and ice cream.