The cost of Healthy Food vs. Junk Food

stumblinthrulife

In a perfect world, a shopping trip would consist of a woman breezing throuh the grocery store adding fruits, veggies, and organic stuff into her cart. Reality is a woman adding snack cakes, white bread, canned fruits, etc., etc. into her cart. because that it all she can afford. In order to eat healthy, you really have to starve to death because the prices make it impossible to purchase more of what you need. I have a family of 5, and it is so much cheaper to buy the bad stuff. They should lower the prices of healthy foods and increase the price of junk food so that it would help us all out.

You are dead on.

That is why the NUMBER ONE predictor of obesity in the United States is personal income.

Careful with that. Predictors are based on correlation, not causality. There are many other things that correlate with personal income, such as education levels and geographic availability of fresh food, which are just as likely causes of obesity.

CATindeeHAT

In a perfect world, a shopping trip would consist of a woman breezing throuh the grocery store adding fruits, veggies, and organic stuff into her cart. Reality is a woman adding snack cakes, white bread, canned fruits, etc., etc. into her cart. because that it all she can afford. In order to eat healthy, you really have to starve to death because the prices make it impossible to purchase more of what you need. I have a family of 5, and it is so much cheaper to buy the bad stuff. They should lower the prices of healthy foods and increase the price of junk food so that it would help us all out.

You are dead on.

That is why the NUMBER ONE predictor of obesity in the United States is personal income.

Careful with that. Predictors are based on correlation, not causality. There are many other things that correlate with personal income, such as education levels and geographic availability of fresh food, which are just as likely causes of obesity.

Agreed.

Which is why my statement said that income is the number one PREDICTOR of obesity in the U.S., not the number one cause.

chadgard

My position is one of preparing at least 80%, generally more like 90%, of food from scratch for a family of three (four when my step-son is with us). That Includes making all sauces, soups, etc... By eating like that, I save money compared to buying jarred pasta sauces, pre-prepared burgers, battered fish, breaded chicken, etc.... Would it save money over all pre-prepared microwave meals? I'd imagine so. Over eating every single meal at McDonalds? Not sure. Or over eating ramen noodles at every sitting? Almost certainly not.

Of course, I also make a substantial time commitment. But my family is worth it, and for the most part I quite enjoy it, bar the occasions where I bite off more than I can chew and end up wanting to smash everything with my saute pan and go out for a burger :laugh:

So there, that's where I am coming from. Those of you on the other side of this argument - what's your starting point, and what type of healthy diet are you finding is much more expensive?

Good point - where you're coming from does make a big difference in the discussion.

I grow most of the produce we eat, and some of the grains and legumes. I barter for a fair portion of the meat. As such, most of what we eat I prepare from scratch. I do a lot of prep ahead - home canning, freezing, mostly of ingredients, but occasionally whole dishes. We usually go to the grocery store about twice a year. However, this year's drought really hurt us, so I've been to the store about once a week for the past 5 weeks.

5 years ago, I ate mostly at home, but a lot of processed foods (little outright junk). Even then, at least 4 or 5 times a week I would prepare dinner, with leftovers for lunch, at home, but I'd use grocery store produce, canned tomatoes, etc. I also currently have customers and CSA members who discuss their past and present buying/eating habits with me a great deal, and do a lot of research on pricing of food, both in its unprocessed and processed forms, which is necessary when trying to make a small farm loose less money.

finally, I teach at a boarding school, and as such have the option to eat in our dining hall 3 meals a day for free. It has really good food, and is the social hub of the school. But I cook better, and with far, far less sodium, and meals that are geared towards middle-aged adults, rather than athlete teenagers...

k8blujay2

I strongly disagree with the OP. Pound for pound, whole foods are cheaper... even serving by serving buying the ingredients is cheaper... Shop sales, Shop Aldi's (if you have one)... Plan your meals and create a shopping list and it could be SO much cheaper... in our family of three, I buy ingredients and whole foods for two weeks and it lasts us SO much longer than buying junk (which will last maybe two days)... bake your own cookies and snack cakes... you can back so many more than you can get in a box.


I can make MANY more servings of hamburger helper when I use real cheese, pasta from a bag/box, hamburger, spices, etc than I can from a box... and it tastes so much better.

ajmiller1987

I used to see things this way as well, but I've realized that it's not necessarily the case. Crappy food can be cheaper than healthy, fresh foods, but you really have to miss the forest for the trees. A few pounds of chicken or fish might be $20. So, yes, you're spending $20 now instead of $6, but a pound of meat should yield about 4 servings, which is a really minimal cost per serving.

In addition to losing weight, I'm also putting an emphasis on saving money to reduce my student debt and save for traveling, which is something I really enjoy. As a result, I put a little bit of analysis into my food budget.

I do most of my grocery shopping at Costco, even for the vegetables that I'm eating by myself. I typically buy chicken or fish and some produce like their bags of mini bell peppers, broccoli, green beans, mushrooms, and tomatoes with some other items mixed in from time to time like avocados, onions, and different fruits. Assuming I am not buying extra things, my typical bill for these groceries is around $30 and these items last around a week. The meat lasts longer, and things like the peppers and onions hold up longer as well, so it's not always exactly $30, but that's about on average. That's for my lunches and dinners, so $30/14 is a little more than $2/meal, which you are not going to beat at a fast food place unless you eat a single order off of the dollar menu.

For breakfast I usually eat some eggs (with vegetables) or dried fruit and nuts, both of which are fairly inexpensive. Again, at Costco, a 40 oz container of nuts might be $10, but there are 34 servings in that, and the bag of unsweetened dried fruit is about $6 and there are 26 servings in that.

significance

Poor girl eats well (http://www.poorgirleatswell.com/) is a great source of healthy, cheap food ideas.

In Australia, fresh fruits and veg (as well as oats, lentils, etc) are cheaper than processed foods as long as you buy what is in season and cheap at the time rather than heading out with a specific shopping list. Meat can be expensive, but one meat meal a week will go a long way.

Another tip is that although the big supermarkets throw away veg that is close to past its best but still good, a few of the smaller greengrocers make these veg available in bulk very cheaply -- or will, if you ask. As a student, I took advantage of this, buying (for instance) 2kg of green beans for a couple of dollars, taking them home, chopping, parboiling and freezing them in batches for later use. Parboiling before freezing stops them going black or losing texture quality.

wahmx3

In a perfect world, a shopping trip would consist of a woman breezing throuh the grocery store adding fruits, veggies, and organic stuff into her cart. Reality is a woman adding snack cakes, white bread, canned fruits, etc., etc. into her cart. because that it all she can afford. In order to eat healthy, you really have to starve to death because the prices make it impossible to purchase more of what you need. I have a family of 5, and it is so much cheaper to buy the bad stuff. They should lower the prices of healthy foods and increase the price of junk food so that it would help us all out.

I'm afraid I must respectfully disagree. While there are some items that are undoubtedly more expensive - whole grain bread versus store-brand white bread for example - for the most part I find loading my cart with iunprocessed fruit, veg and meat to be comparably priced with, or cheaper than, loading it with processed convenience foods.
I totally agree, it doesn't. have to cost more at all.
The trick is actually eating it when you get it home, and not deciding that it's too much work and ordering in pizza instead. That's what makes healthy grocery shopping expensive - waste.

victoria4321

I live in the US and junk food is wayyyy cheaper.

Agreed, and anyone who says different is lying through their damn teeth. I think some junk food (namely chips, cereals, and convenience meals) are more expensive, but the majority of it is ridiculously cheaper than fresh veggies and fruits and meats.

I'm sorry, but no one wants to eat dry beans and lentils everyday! Shut up about the damn lentils. (I'm assuming that it's already been mentioned or will be mentioned in the next few minutes, because it ALWAYS is.)

Junk food is cheaper but it isn't filling. You need to eat more junk food to feel equally satisfied so you're going to spend more in the long run. I don't even get why people use this argument "i can buy a box of brownies for $2" but you're not going to sit with your brownies on a plate and eat just that.

stumblinthrulife

In a perfect world, a shopping trip would consist of a woman breezing throuh the grocery store adding fruits, veggies, and organic stuff into her cart. Reality is a woman adding snack cakes, white bread, canned fruits, etc., etc. into her cart. because that it all she can afford. In order to eat healthy, you really have to starve to death because the prices make it impossible to purchase more of what you need. I have a family of 5, and it is so much cheaper to buy the bad stuff. They should lower the prices of healthy foods and increase the price of junk food so that it would help us all out.

You are dead on.

That is why the NUMBER ONE predictor of obesity in the United States is personal income.

Careful with that. Predictors are based on correlation, not causality. There are many other things that correlate with personal income, such as education levels and geographic availability of fresh food, which are just as likely causes of obesity.

Agreed.

Which is why my statement said that income is the number one PREDICTOR of obesity in the U.S., not the number one cause.

Well, to be fair you said that in response to someone saying that junk food is cheaper. There was a certain implied causality.

Elliehmltn

[I'm sorry, but no one wants to eat dry beans and lentils everyday!]

I do! I cook up a pot of dried beans (sometimes they're lentils) every few days and eat them for lunch nearly every single day, along with collard or turnip greens (which I buy canned.) I call it "beans n greens," add a little olive oil, cider vinegar, and garlic powder, and I find it delicious. The only time I deviate from this is if we're not home for lunch.

Best way to cook beans --
Soak overnight in twice as much water. The beans will double in bulk. (They say soaking and then cooking in fresh water reduces gas problems, and I guess this is true, because they do not give me gas.) Lentils and split peas can be cooked w/o soaking, as they cook fairly fast (half an hour or so.)

Next day, drain in a colander (use the water for your plants), rinse, and put in a pot with water to cover by about half an inch or one centimeter (they'll increase some more in size but not double as they did when soaking.) Don't add too much water.... when you have just enough, the cooking liquid is rich and delicious. Too much water and it's, well, watery. For 1 cup of dry deans (1 cup before soaking) I add a teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. Bring to boil, then turn down heat and simmer until beans are tender (not exactly firm but not mushy soft.... you'll find your own way you like them.) This may take 1.5-2.5 hours depending on the type of bean (1/2-1 hr for lentils and split peas), so keep checking. Also check to make sure there's still some water in there, adding a little more if needed.

When you drain canned vegetables or cook any vegetables in water, save the liquid in a jar in the fridge and use this to cook your beans. It will add wonderful subtle flavor. I also like to add about half a teaspoon of liquid smoke, for a little ham or bacon flavor without any fat (or without adding meat, for vegetarians.)

You can eat the cooked beans as they are, or put them in chili or soups, or put in salads, or make them into a salad themselves with chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, whatever you like, with whatever dressing you like. Mash up some cooked beans and add to meatloaf to add fiber and flavor. Mash up some more with seasonings for a sandwich spread or tortilla filling (like refried beans.)

My husband likes beans only if they're in chili, but they are a staple of my own diet. And yes, I do enjoy eating them every day.

28DebRena

Thank you all so much for responding to my simplistic rant and rave.

rebelate

Where do you live, and where do you shop? Do you menu plan? Do you have access to more than one store?

I menu plan for the whole week for two people, and find things that can cross over into different meals. I shop at 2 - 4 different stores to find the best deals. It takes a bit of time, but generally I spend $30 - $50 for two people for the week, and some of the things cross over for the next week.

I buy fresh chicken breasts, and wind up cutting them down into smaller, more manageable portions. A "package" of them is usually 5 - 7 breasts and they're monstrous. I wind up cutting them down into 2 - 3 pieces instead of the one. It stretches it out from 2 - 3 meals to 5 or more.

We buy bagged apples instead of getting them singularly. It's $5 for a bag of usually 10 apples. It's enough for both of us to bring them to work for a snack, which lasts us longer than a bag of chips.

Buying blocks of cheese instead of presliced, or preshredded cheese also has saved us money.

raynavee

I'm going to disagree too. I live in Illinois, and find that I spend WAY less money on food now that me and my husband are eating healthier. The main reason is because, even though they might be more expensive, healthier foods stretch MUCH farther! 100% Whole Grain bread might cost $1 more a loaf, and has less slices in it, but it fills you up and keeps you filled up longer, causing you to not snack throughout the day, WHICH COSTS MONEY. Also, broccoli is $1.22 a pound here and that equals over 12 servings! That's not expensive at all. I used to believe this garbage of it being "too expensive to eat healthy" too. A 5lb package of chicken for $12, portioned correctly (3oz) makes 25 portions... that's <$.50 a portion. Add a serving of broccoli (36g) at $.11 a serving. That's half a meal for freaking $.61 a person.

raynavee

I want to point out that I didn't mean for that to sound rude. Lol.

savingsunday

Secondly...I used to think this same thing until I really sat down and did the math. When I really sat down and analyzed it, I found that serving per serving, it came out pretty even.

For example, I could buy a can of canned soup for $2.50... that according to the label would serve two @ $1.25 per person...I found that I could often make that same soup or stew with $10 worth of ingredients and it serves 8...@ $1.25 per person. It was really the upfront cost that was throwing me off...just going to the store and picking up a can of soup vs buying ingredients for a big pot of soup...but serving to serving, it pretty much nets out. To boot, it tastes a lot better...isn't loaded with a bunch of sodium and sugar (among other things) and I can absolutely control what goes into my meal.

This!

My husband and I found the same thing. The upfront cost seems more but it is actually saving you in the long run. When you buy fresh and buy meats you get more meals than if you buy the convenient "junk" items.

For example, we'll usually by the club pack of boneless skinless chicken breasts. This runs us anywhere from $11-$14 for the pack. And the breasts are big enough that we can cut one in half and feed both of us. The club pack goes in the freezer and will last us about 2-3 weeks (can last a bit longer depending what we do for dinners during the week and such). In the end we are getting more for our money than if we bought a frozen chicken dinner or two. Sure they're quicker and more convenient, but never nearly as good as homemade.

Our grocery bill isn't any higher buying fresh fruits and veggies than when we weren't. If it's a bit too much for your blood, you could try frozen. Where we shop it's $1 for frozen fresh picked veggies and they don't go bad quickly. Fruits, however, I'd say you are still better off buying fresh as frozen tends to be expensive for what you get in a bag.

Also, check out local farmers markets. You usually pay less and you are directly supporting a local farmer!

aakokopelli7

I think it has A LOT to do with where you live and what fruits and veggies are in season. I have a family of 5 and we eat off of $300 a month. Lean meats, turkey and chicken, lost of fruits and veggies, plus all the snacks and extras that come with having little kids.

You have have HAVE to shop sales, discounts and coupons. Do not be brand loyal, and buy with in season. Sometimes it means going a few months without having your favorite thing just to save a few bucks. Also don't just shop at one store, you have to look for sales at stores near you.

Also being able to do Math is very important. Sometimes something looks like a deal but it's really not compared to another store. It's possible to shop healthy, but once a person finds out that it takes work, they don't want to try.

Also if you are paying attention to serving sizes and eating those serving sizes you will be going threw A LOT less food!

ldrosophila

I do not completely agree with this as I find that if I purchase the cheaper veggies and fruits that they will go very far.
A whole chicken is better than frozen chicken nuggets. A nice roast can make a great dinner and a few lunches. Here in the states roma tomatoes are cheap! Apples and oranges are always inexpensive. I usually buy a huge head of red cabbage 0.99, radishes, celery, cucumber, onions, potatoes, and romain lettuce sometimes the green leaf is cheaper. Make your own dressing there are some great recipes for yogurt based dressings on here. Prepare a lot of you stuff. Canola oil is loaded w/ omega 3 and its a fairly cheap oil.

I think that the only draw back to eating healthier is it actually takes time to prepare it isnt convienent, but it's so much better for you. Bread too expensive? Make it for pennies. I can make whole wheat tortillas for nothing but the cost of some oil and flour. I buy a huge bulk bag of chicken breasts and that lasts forever, and we even make our own nuggets which are baked or lightly fried in some olive oil.

Theres so much to do. I really think that it takes some planning and thinking but you can eat cheaper when you feed your family nutritious. I wish we could go grocery shopping together.

blu_meanie_ca

Junk food is cheaper but it isn't filling. You need to eat more junk food to feel equally satisfied so you're going to spend more in the long run. I don't even get why people use this argument "i can buy a box of brownies for $2" but you're not going to sit with your brownies on a plate and eat just that.
[/quote]

I was going to make that point as well. Sure, the brownies as an item are cheaper. But, as part of a "meal", will not save you anything, and perhaps cost you more.

Let go of the ideal that healthy equals brand name, always fresh and organic. Frozen veg are awsome, and will outlast those 2$ brownies. Bags of carrots, apples, oranges, are almost always on sale some where. Buy larger cuts of meat, and carve them yourself. Canned tomatoes (while higher in sugar and salt) are fairly nutrious, almost always on sale somewhere, and can be used for a whole boat load of things. (esp good for simmering cheaper cuts of meat in, as the acids help tenderize the meat).

Forget buying pre-portioned. Get some sandwhich bags, and portion out snacks yourself for your kids lunches. (and for yourself). Buy seeds and nuts, dried fruit, in larger bags. They too last forever, are better go to snacks for your kids than junk, and because it's more filling they will eat less (saving money in the long run).

ldrosophila

Whenever I see a debate as polarizing as this one, I try to think "what am I missing?". I mean, with opinions as strong as this on both sides, it's hard to believe that anyone is so completely and totally wrong.

From my perspective, I guess I've always done a fair degree of food preparation. I've never lived on microwave meals, pizza and ramen noodles. So my move to much healthier food was perhaps less drastic than for others? My concern then, though, is just how unhealthy must a diet get in order to be cheaper.

What is the baseline to which we are comparing?

My position is one of preparing at least 80%, generally more like 90%, of food from scratch for a family of three (four when my step-son is with us). That Includes making all sauces, soups, etc... By eating like that, I save money compared to buying jarred pasta sauces, pre-prepared burgers, battered fish, breaded chicken, etc.... Would it save money over all pre-prepared microwave meals? I'd imagine so. Over eating every single meal at McDonalds? Not sure. Or over eating ramen noodles at every sitting? Almost certainly not.

Of course, I also make a substantial time commitment. But my family is worth it, and for the most part I quite enjoy it, bar the occasions where I bite off more than I can chew and end up wanting to smash everything with my saute pan and go out for a burger :laugh:

So there, that's where I am coming from. Those of you on the other side of this argument - what's your starting point, and what type of healthy diet are you finding is much more expensive?

i truly think that its the time issue that is the biggest issue. When I hear the argument its too expensive. I think people are mostly looking at the convience "health" foods.

I can make veggie burgers cheap if I buy the TVP and add beans that I have rehydrated myself, but a box of those suckers is expensive. However, it takes time.

I will alway argue that "health food" is actually cheaper when you look at cost per serving, but it is expensive when you look at cost per time.

blu_meanie_ca

Also if you are paying attention to serving sizes and eating those serving sizes you will be going threw A LOT less food!

This too, especially when it comes to meat. I actually figure out how many portions I need, and I only buy that, plus a couple spares. My freezer is jammed full of small bags of meat, pre-cooked and portioned grains, and let overs that I want to save for another day.

Every couple days I will look in my fridge, and plan a meal based on what needs to be eaten first (bell peppers looking wilty... time for a crustless quiche or a stir fry).

I rarely need to throw away produce, and never meat (minus that my kids don't eat for supper, as they are young and unpredictable with how much they will eat).