Healthy foods ARE more expensive.

Colorfan

Just gotta know what to buy.

Avocados are expensive anywhere you go. Gotta stick to the cheap stuff! Lettuce, beans, potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, etc. Beef is especially expensive, but not always "healthy." Check out chicken. I can typically get like 5 chicken breasts for about 7 bucks.

Fruit will be expensive depending on if its in season or not. Same with veggies. Also if its regional. Mangos, for example, arent grown in the US, theyre imported, so theyre more expensive than say apples from Washington. You should always try to buy whats in season and local.

In the end, like everything else you buy at the store, you gotta keep an eye out for sales and specials. You cant always buy what you want to buy and expect the best price. Sometimes you just need to buy whats in season and work your meals around that.

nz_deevaa

Are those fruit and vege in season where you are?

I'm in Australia and it's summer, so Avocados and mangos are in season, so they are cheap.

Buy what's in season, it'll be cheaper.

taunto

I think you have to be creative with produce. Mangos are not in season so you will definitely have a hard time finding tasty and cheap mangos. Look for seasonal fruits and veggies and use them. Besides, its more fun this way.

Like others said, look for farmers market too. During summer you will see small stalls all over the country where you can buy super cheap fruits and veggies. Take advantage of that!

As for healthy foods being expensive. First, you have to define "healthy foods". Many on this site do not consider ANY foods unhealthy (includes McD's, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut) however judging by your post, I think its safe to assume you're referring to home cooked foods as healthy. When I used to eat out often, I could easily spend $20 in a day for food. A trip to a burger joint could EASILY run me close to $10 and assuming 2 times a day meal, its $20. Wen I cook at home, I can eat all kinds of meats, breads, fruits and veggies for that price and it'll last me at least 3 days including breakfast. I never really ate TV dinners because those just taste gross

Hope some of the posts helped. Good luck

funkycamper

Odd, my grocery bill has gone down since I started doing most of my shopping from the perimeter of the store and less down the aisles. The only aisle I usually go down is the frozen where I do get frozen mixed veggies (like Asian mixes) for stir-fries and frozen berries and such. Buying fresh, in season, on-sale stuff saves me a lot, too.

Frozen prepared foods, cereals, and other prepared foods, including frozen, are ridiculously expensive, imho.

geekyjock76

I live in Allen, TX and mainly shop at Sprouts Farmers Market, Market Street and Asia World Market. Asian markets generally are the cheapest all-year-round but the other farmers markets have weekly bargains on all sorts of food items, too.

vtmoon

I heard there is a store in NY that sells 1000 dollar gold sprinkled icecream, if that was my first stop in my life trying to get icecream would that make my statement "icecream IS more expensive than other deserts" true? As you can see lack of research on my end led me to that conclusion. There is a lot of good advice given out in this thread about where and what and when to shop for "healthy food". From my personal experience cooking at home made my cost go down but results may vary, but regardless I think it is worth it for you if you start to factor in future medical bills that will be avoided by eating better.

vsettani

Healthy food is more expensive than processed food for the most part, but the money you save now eating processed foods you will pay later in medical expenses. 
Buy as much fresh foods as your budget allows, preferably organic, like salad greens, in-season fruit and vegetables.
Can or jar (low sodium): Tomatoes, beans, pasta sauces, tuna, salmon, sardines
Frozen: Off-season vegetables and fruits, chicken, lean meats.
And since you are eating less to lose weight anyways, you are already saving money.

meshashesha2012

join a produce delivery program. those are pretty good deal and you get stuff, locally raised and in season

speaking of in season, why are you buying mangoes off season? :laugh: if you're tying to buy a mango or avocado out of season then you deserve to pay an arm and a leg.

yourenotmine

I would try farmers markets. All organic and locally grown, usually fairly priced. I live in Washington BTW

not sure or never heard of farmers markets and what they are. I'll google it, thanks. I live in Nevada here lol

They have them in Nevada. Definitely google it and also see if there are any health food stores in your area - like Whole Foods, etc.

Whole Foods is incredibly expensive.

Whole Foods IS quite expensive. In my opinion. it's worth it, but I don't spend money on much of anything besides food. I agree that a produce co-op would be cheaper, and everything is in season. Sometimes they'll deliver you something like 6 pounds of lettuce, but, hey, you get to test out every recipe using that particular item. If you have Trader Joe's in your area, that's worth checking out too.

Also, is it possible you were looking at organic food? That is more on average, even though I find that it tastes better and often lasts longer. If you truly can't afford organic, if it were me, I would skip that and still get the produce. Just make sure you wash very thoroughly any veg/fruit skin you plan to eat. (I also wash things like avocados, since you cut through the skin and into the fruit, but I think most people don't.)

Also, if you buy bulk rice, beans, peas, nuts, etc, they're much, much less expensive.

caroleannlight

I find I am spending more on food now as trying to increase my protein ( I don't eat meat but eat fish) . Fish and vegetables is more expensive than pasta / potatoes etc that I used to fill up on but the portion sizes that I need to feel full on these foods are very calorific. Please note I am not low carbing but find that moderate carbs is working better for me as when I increase carbs I get food cravings YRMV.

However - I am worth it and so are you! Some great tips have been shared I hope they help you and good luck and get creative. Check out the recipe section on here for some yummy suggestions.

pkw58

In Houston, I shop Costco, HEB and Fiesta only now. The other grocery stores (Krogers Albertsons,Target) haver really good sales, but in general, the stuff I buy regularly is always more costly.

I am addicted to avocados, but when in off season, i just get my fix on them at lunch when I am eating a business lunch!

Also, I have learned to buy Greek Yogurt (fage 0%) in the large tub rather than the individual servings.

I have learned to only buy what we need and look for what is in season and it seems like I keep getting more and more basic. I don't need Jelly for our toast anymore, we get our sweet fix with fruit at breakfast. I don't buy a large thing of fresh berries unless I intend to eat them in the next 24 hours - I just buy the flash frozen ones on sale. I buy bananas and peel and freeze half of them immediatly for smoothies later.

I am going to try the delivery option on fresh fruits and veggies...

BTW, because I am not "mindlessly" buying junk food and stuff "just in case" our grocery bill has done down about 25 to 50%...

dad106

The reason why it's so expensive, is because A. it's out of season, and B. it's a specialty item... Mango's and Avocado's generally aren't in high demand in the US.

Try buying in-season fruits/veggies, and I think you'll have a better outcome.

jesswait

I would try farmers markets. All organic and locally grown, usually fairly priced. I live in Washington BTW

not sure or never heard of farmers markets and what they are. I'll google it, thanks. I live in Nevada here lol

http://nevadagrown.com/eventcategory/farmers-markets/

I don't live in Nevada, but where I live I spent about $30-$60 a week for two and we only shop at healthy food stores/farmer's markets. I also third the suggestion about Asian food markets, the prices are really reasonable in most of those.

impojr

Vegetables and that don't seem to be too steep at the moment, where I am at least.

But spelt flour and coconut oil on the other hand - and other healthies of that nature - are so expensive I really can't find a way to purchase them without anxiety of having no more money

Cr01502

Eat different types of fruits and vegetables when they are season and they will be a lot cheaper.

It is summer where I am so things like tomatoes and avocado are really cheap and at their peak, however I never buy those things in winter as they are way too expensive and the quality sucks.

This. And buy frozen. They are generally cheaper and full of nutrients.

xLexa

If you have an Aldi they are really reasonable for fruits and vegetables too. I always get to thee checkout and expect to be spending $60 and its usually half that. If I bought the same things in Walmart would have been closer to the 60mark.

jesswait

Vegetables and that don't seem to be too steep at the moment, where I am at least.

But spelt flour and coconut oil on the other hand - and other healthies of that nature - are so expensive I really can't find a way to purchase them without anxiety of having no more money

Have you looked at online stores? Amazon has a rather extensive grocery section, since it's winter you would not need to worry about it going rancid. As far as flour, I like http://www.nuts.com/cookingbaking/flours/ because wheat-free flours tend to be more expensive where I live. http://www.nuts.com/cookingbaking/grains/spelt/flour.html

rml_16

ALL the apples weren't that price, guaranteed.

Buy what's in season and it's cheaper. Check the frozen section -- also cheaper and better nutrients.

Meat is expensive. Did you never buy meat before?

coliema

I would try farmers markets. All organic and locally grown, usually fairly priced. I live in Washington BTW

not sure or never heard of farmers markets and what they are. I'll google it, thanks. I live in Nevada here lol

They have them in Nevada. Definitely google it and also see if there are any health food stores in your area - like Whole Foods, etc.

Farmers markets are the best! I love going to those, I also recently met someone where I work that has a huge garden and we make a deal that way and I buy veggies from him. Also I live in the "country", so there are tons of farms and barns, and 85% of them have a garden and sell their veggies on the side of the road in front of their house for cheap!

kuntry_navy

find a local butcher for meat instead of a grocery store. you can usually get thicker cuts for the same price as something pre-packaged

Lyra89

3 dollars on an avocado, or 3 dollars on a soda & a chocolate bar? I know what I'd choose for a snack... :indifferent: Your health is most important!

JustANumber85

Well you have a few choices: Aldi, Save A Lot, Farmers Market, IGA are all really cheap. Even a food pantry gives fruits/veggies now.

I shop all those and I do go to Kroger. I do not buy organic.

toddis

I know my walmart doesn't carry organic, but your mights have?
At mine its 97 cents for an avocado and about 1.68 for a pound of apples.
At my organic market its about 3 for an avocado and 3 or 4 for apples..

As with any grocery shopping, look for the deals that week (beware deals on produce
usually mean it's about to go off). Check out the frozen fruits and vegetables.

WendyTerry420

It depends on what you call "health foods." Foods that are specifically marketed as being "healthy" are typically pre-packaged. They are as expensive as TV dinners, which are about as expensive as McDonald's. As far as fruits and vegetables, they are less expensive when they are in season. When winter hits, you are better off buying frozen veggies and limiting your fruit to crops like oranges and bananas that are still being harvested through the winter.

I don't buy anything in the "health foods" section of stores because they *are* more expensive. However, I buy things when they are on sale, such as a 10 pound bag of potatoes for $1.50. I wait until I see avocado for a dollar each before I buy them. Also, I agree with the other posters about Walmart. It's *not* a good place for groceries. They are cheap on most of their stuff, but go to a real grocery store for food, especially perishables.

We are typically spending $100 a week for a family of four by simply not buying pre-packaged foods and sticking with "real" food. Previously, we were spending closer to $150 a week. So in my case, I've been able to save money while eating healthier.

WendyTerry420

trust me i cant eat clean 100% of the time. because i love to have something unhealthy once in awhile too. But i do love healthy foods and im trying to find a good balance too. Plus by the price of clean eating i cant eat healthy all the time. I just want to try to eat clean MOST of the time. Thanks for your advice!

See this link regarding "eating clean:"

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/822501-halp-my-sandwich-isn-t-clean

BeachGingerOnTheRocks

The frozen foods section is your friend. As is a slow cooker. Compare fish prices between frozen and fresh. Where I live, fresh can often be cheaper, but I live on the coast where people bring the catch in 7 miles from my house. In Nevada, get frozen. As for veggies and fruits, buy frozen. You can do a lot with frozen produce. If you can't afford the mango, get frozen mango. There's 3 or 4 of them in the bag and somebody else did the work of cutting it up.

Chicken and meats are cheaper frozen, but be careful with the additives. Some are ice coated, but some are laced with sodium. Chicken is about half the price frozen. And lean cuts of beef are cheaper, with the exception of ground beef. 93/7 ground is more expensive than 80/20 because of the cuts of meats used. Roasts and butts and flanks are cheaper and are great slow cooker foods. Legumes are dirt cheap.

And have you priced a box of Popeye's Chicken lately (or KFC, etc.)? Spent over 70 bucks to feed 6 people. I could have spent less than half to feed them a much healthier chicken dinner cooked in a slow cooker or even grilled on the barbecue.

Mokey41

You don't need to eat organic and frozen is your friend when it comes to veggies. They flash freeze vegetables within hours of picking so they actually have more nutrition than the fresh stuff that's been riding around in a truck for days. You don't need to buy a lot of meat. A small piece sliced up and added to a stir fry or salad goes a long way. Frozen fish fillets, look for the cheaper kinds, here I can always get Pollock fillets at a very reasonable price. A can of tuna can go a long way in a casserole with some noodles. Canned beans or lentils are cheap, filling and provide protein. Rice has to be about the cheapest food on the planet if you buy a bag and cook it yourself (not instant rice). Potatoes & eggs are cheap for the nutritional value.

You have to shop around and not get hung up on wanting a mango or a certain type of apple. I'm in a place were not much is actually local produce and I can get apples for $1/lb but they aren't the fancy types. Tropical fruits aren't even on my radar most of the time unless there's a super sale.

You also have to remember that you're eating less of most things if you're staying in your budget. Even eating a lot of healthy food will still lead to weight gain.

sammniamii

I've stopped buying alot of "fresh" produce from Walmart - they have gotten pricey (winter) and what they do have doesn't look great. As of late I've been getting veggies from Trader Joe's and local Farm Fresh. I want to visit the Fresh Market (really high end supermarket, whole food like but even more $$) or the new Whole Foods store but as of now, they are out of my price range.

Head of broccoli - 1.99
Head of cauliflower - 2.29
Brussel Sprout stalk - 3.29
bag of onions - 1.99
fresh garlic - 1.59
bag of avocado - 2.99
kale (Farm Fresh) - .99 a bunch (Walmart sometimes has it as well same price)
when i can find them, asparagus - 2.99 a bunch
mushrooms - 1.99 a 10oz container (3.29 @ walmart for 16oz)
shredded carrots - 1.99
can of artichokes - 1.99 or 2.29

and this doesn't count meat - I do try for frozen meats, which is cheaper.

mommymeepa

I didn't have time to read all the comments, so don't know if someone said this or not.

Due to having Crohn's Disease I cannot eat a lot of fresh produce for various reasons.

I only eat canned veggies and fruit for the most part.
I get veggies with no salt added and fruit either in liquid or no sugar added syrup.

Fresh is always the best way to go, but any fruit or veggies is better than none.
Stock up on canned goods or frozen and buy fresh when you can.

I have a single mom friend, who is on welfare, and she eats VERY healthy. She reads the ads, shops at a store called Aldi's, and probably does her shopping at three different stores. It's worth her time and she is proving that even a single mom on welfare can eat healthy, so when people tell me it's too expensive, I don't believe it.

Get informed, read ads, be willing to drive to more than one store, and you can eat healthy for not a lot of money.

Like someone else said you will save money in the long run because if you don't start taking care of yourself you WILL end up with health problems.

Great job on getting healthy. You can do this.

katy84o

I can't believe that in Nevada you are being charged $3 per avocado, you live so close to California where a lot of them are grown! I live in VA and my local organic market has been selling avocados for $.99 all summer, fall and now into the winter.