Healthy foods ARE more expensive.

Firefox7275

Ok I went to walmart the other day to get some groceries and I started looking in the healthy section. Like fruits and veggies and meats. I couldnt believe their prices! it was 2.98 per pound of apples, 1.48 per small mango, freaking one avocado was almost 3 bucks. No wonder no one can eat or cook healthy meals everything so expensive.

I guess my dad was right eating healthy is way more expensive then just getting frozen dinners, but I dont want to live on tv dinner because they are not healthy. They're packed with sodium and chemicals and not full of the nutrients you need.

Anybody that live on the west side of U.S know good places to shop for groceries. Especially fruits and veggies? Because I sure cannot afford walmart prices when I always thought they were suppose to be cheap.

Any stores or suggestions appreciated, thanks!

It's what you choose as much as where you shop. Apples, mangos and avocados are all expensive to produce, transport and store with loads of waste for the grower and vendor - they get bruised easily, insects and fungus love them. Less waste/ more economical to purchase dried fruit and lentils, canned tomatoes and beans, frozen veggies, longer life fresh stuff like root vegetables. Also purchase on sale or in bulk, I am over half way through four kilos of red onions and recently got through eight avocados and I live alone. Things like bananas and chopped onions can be frozen if you have too much, many veggies can be made into soup which can also be frozen.

bcattoes

SOME healthy foods are more expensive than SOME unhealthy foods. You just have to shop wisely. There are healthy foods besides fresh vegetables.

angieleighbyrd

walmart price matches. If you really prefer to shop there, check out prices from other grocers and walmart will match it.

mauswood

If fresh veggies are too expensive you can always buy frozen ones - they're great in the winter to throw into a soup, or mix in with pasta. Carrots are usually pretty cheap too - great to just cut up and have with some hummus. It's just a matter of thinking creatively with your food and buying in season. If you find some veggies on sale or something you can always cut them up and freeze them yourself so they're on hand.

FiveElevenClimb

I'm in nevada too and I do my shopping at the local Farmers Market, Raley's, and Albertsons. The produce seems to be cheaper and lot better tasting than Walmart.

SoDamnHungry

Sometimes local stores will have better prices on fresh fruit. There's one store near me where everything packaged from companies is overpriced, but but their produce is high quality and really cheap. Shop around at all of the local stores. Just because there's a Walmart doesn't mean it has the lowest prices. And like others have said, Farmers Markets can be your friend.

Also, make sure you're shopping in season.

SpaceMarkus

One thing to remember is that a lot of the frozen/cheap food isn't actually "Food". It's lab-created material with some food additives thrown in.

tigersword

Avocados are super out of season, which is why they'd be three bucks, so are mangoes and apples. Vegetables are generally really cheap. Find international stores and they can be very inexpensive. Most Mexican and Asian stores are the best (big stores though, not specialty shops).

It's December. Apples are a fall/winter fruit. They are definitely NOT out of season.

Lyssa62

if you can find an Aldi's they have great produce

I have to put fruit and veggies into the budget..it's just non negotiable. Other stuff is but not that. I would love to buy all organic stuff..but that's where somebody is really raking in some undo cash.

I have in a pinch bought the bags of frozen mixed fruit from walmart and taken some out and defrosted it when I needed it. Just kept a bowl of it in the fridge all the time. I bag of that is not too expensive and will last me right around 3-4 days of eating it every day

makemewannadie

It might just be my city but buying from local, independent shops or farmers markets is always way more expensive. And I live in the 'green capital of the UK' where organic, fair trade, free range, reuse, recycle, blahblah is everywhere haha.
i usually buy my oats/beans/lentils/quinoa/couscous etc. in foreign shops (we have a fair few Polish grocery shops around here as well as Asian and Indian shops and markets). I'm vegan and often eat tofu and other tofu products and they're much cheaper from Asian shops.

Also I don't know if someone's suggested this already but frozen fruits and vegetables is an option, usually they're cheaper, just as good and handy for people like me who usually has to throw veggies away as they go off so quickly and I can't eat it all in time (: I usually get frozen cauliflower, broccoli, peas, green beans etc.

wareagle8706

When you look at the amount of servings you get per $3.00 of healthy food versus $3.00 of say, a frozen meal, then it's not more expensive.

If you buy those apples that are$2.98 per pound (which are probably a specialty apple like Honeycrisp rather than just plain Granny Smith) you get more than one apple which is more than one healthy snack. If you buy a frozen meal for around the same price you get one meal packed with sodium and crazy addiditives.

What about when you buy canned veggies? Not as good as fresh but still SUPER CHEAP to purchase. And they're still veggies instead of say, pasta, which almost every frozen meal includes. And again, more than one serving in a can of veggies.

What about buying fresh veggies like spaghetti squash ($2.50), fresh green (snap) beans ($2.00/pound - which is a lot of beans!)....

Just look at items other than the specialty fruits and you'll start to see it's not as expensive as you think it is... and it always beats a frozen meal or hamburger helper....

rml_16

Avocados are super out of season, which is why they'd be three bucks, so are mangoes and apples. Vegetables are generally really cheap. Find international stores and they can be very inexpensive. Most Mexican and Asian stores are the best (big stores though, not specialty shops).

It's December. Apples are a fall/winter fruit. They are definitely NOT out of season.

Depending on where you live. Apples in the Northeast are pretty much on their way out once fall is over. It's far too cold. They're at their prime from September to November.

I grew up surrounded by orchards in New York.

blackmantis

Go to stores heavily shopped by the Latin and/or asian community such a Bravo or Fancy fruits or whatever you may have in your area. Farmer markets are great also but I always get great deals at Latin based markets. 4 & 5lb mangos 1.50 lemons .20 bananas .34lb .99lb for ginger. Good luck

Ge0rgiana

I don't know if anyone mentioned it (thread's TL:DR) but you should go to http://www.bountifulbaskets.org and see if there's a pickup location near you. In addition to the standard veggie / fruit share, in some areas they also offer additional themed veggie packs (Chinese, Mexican, etc.), bread, nuts, etc. I've always gotten more than my money's worth. I've gotten as much as a dozen pieces each of fruits and vegetables for $16.50 total. They try to buy local and in-season produce as much as possible.

Hearts_2015

I agree, especially in terms of calorie per dollar. It's a lot cheaper to buy 2,000 calories worth of 'junk food' than it is to buy 2,000 calories worth of lean meats and fresh veggies. That's why you have to find the middle ground. There's really no need for expensive, organic, farm-raised stuff. Canned and frozen veggies are just fine too. A box of pop tarts in your grocery buggy isn't going to kill you. Everybody on MFP has suddenly gotten so obsessive over eating 'clean' it seems, but I just aim for balanced.

your opinion and you're entitled to it.

2000 cals of junk for me is not the direction I am going, making healthy choices works best for me, because I want my habits to last a lifetime. Lots of healthy low cost foods, Legumes, Quinoa, Split Peas, Couscous, check the bulk bins for a zillion great idea on soups, tossing them in salads etc. I don't care for canned foods, the sodium is not my thing. But frozen veggies are on sale all the time if you watch the ads, as Winter gets colder the fresh is not so plentiful but there are many many options besides buying junk food!:sick: and...I'm not talking an occasional treat but rather 2000 cals of junk simply because it's "cheaper"!

Crockpot, bulk cooking and dividing it up for the week, month etc. Buy when things are on sale and plan accordingly.

I don't eat pop tarts and personally I've never been threatened by one but I won't touch em'! Empty calories won't keep me satiated, veggie chili if you're not a meat person or don't have that extra money for that. Or buy a cut of meat you can do in the Crockpot and make it stretch.

I do NOT buy into the concept that junk food is cheaper! It never keeps me full, makes me feel like crap and ends up being binge food... so how is that cheaper??!:noway:

my thoughts.. and we're all entitled to them...:smokin:

Lrdoflamancha

Farmers markets are over for the year in Ca. They end now until Mar of next year. The reason produce is so expensive right now is because nothing grown in the northern hemisphere is in season. So summer fruit is being imported from S America... Much more expensive to ship and for you to buy. If Walmart is to expensive try Target. Here in S Ca they are about the cheapest around. Clip coupons and buy sale items.

I'm in Southern California, too, and there are still farmer's markets by me! I know at least the one in Mission Viejo is still running and also Tanaka Farms still has their produce stands open. Though they are both closed for the next two weeks due to Christmas.

We live in Simi so I will check the local markets. I thought that I read that they were done for the year. Thanks.

lynn1982

Again??

Well, ok - is the alternative really cheaper? In the long run, are the health problems that come with obesity cheaper than being healthy? Buy in season, when you can't buy frozen, and buy meat in bulk (or go vegetarian). Point is, if you try hard enough, there are options. Please stop whining.

LoraF83

Frozen fruit and veggies are almost as good for you as fresh and cheaper than out of season produce. Beans, lentils and tofu are WAY cheaper than beef. Try substituting them occasionally.

Agree. Even canned veggies & fruit won't hurt now and then (look for the low sodium labels).

Beans and rice are very cheap and filling. Eggs are another great, inexpensive choice. So are potatoes - regular and sweet. You can buy frozen chicken breasts at Walmart too - they're not bad, especially when you are making casseroles, salads, and such. Pasta is also inexpensive - and there is nothing wrong with eating a serving of pasta.

Check and see if there is an Aldi's near you. They are much cheaper than traditional grocery stores. Look for farmer's markets or visit an ethnic grocery store - they usually have lower prices too.

Shop at regular grocery stores (not Walmart) and check out their flyers - when something is on sale, stock up and freeze the extra. You can get great deals on meat and veggies. Learn about what is in season and buy that. For example, I live in Indiana. Strawberries are obviously not in season right now....they cost about $3.50-$4 for a container. I buy them occassionally for my daughter, who loves them, but we don't have them as often as we do in the summer, when I can get them for $1 a container. But, apples are much cheaper right now - I can get them for $1.50 a pound. So we are eating more apples. You just have to do some research about what is available each season.

Also, remember that you don't have to go "over the top" healthy. Just try to do a little better each week. If you and your dad go into this with an attitude of "all or nothing", you'll be sure to fail. But if you just try to stay under your calorie goal, eat more "healthy" foods and try to make better choices, you'll see the results you are looking for.

Linli_Anne

In the "off season" which for our province is about 9 months of the year, I buy things like berries, and melons etc. that are frozen (without sugar/syrups/sauce etc.) Frozen veggies (again, no salt/sauces etc. added) are a great way to get your healthy servings in without having to worry about it spoiling before you go through it.

As for my meats, I tend to buy them in the "club packs" or "value packs" as it is a better value for the dollar. Then at home I split them into freezer bags/plastic wrap by portions for meals. Pork is a leaner alternative and is not very costly - thinks like pork chops, pork tenderloin, strips of pork etc.

Also, canned tuna, canned salomn and even canned chicken work well for sandwiches etc. I make sure to buy the brands that are packed in water. Same with canned fruits and veggies - I always go for the no salt/sugar added, packed in water.

Linli_Anne

Also, remember that you don't have to go "over the top" healthy. Just try to do a little better each week. If you and your dad go into this with an attitude of "all or nothing", you'll be sure to fail. But if you just try to stay under your calorie goal, eat more "healthy" foods and try to make better choices, you'll see the results you are looking for.

^^^This is GREAT advice!!