Eating Healthy is Too Expensive

jbuehrer

I agree....

jbuehrer

I do apologize if this sounds ignorant, or maybe it's just because the area of the country I'm in hasn't really seen any effects of a recession, but I find that eating unhealthy is way more expensive than eating healthy. In my area the junk food is way more expensive than the fruits and veggies. I spend around $50-75 a week on groceries (depends on how much wine and special cheeses I buy), but it's more than enough for me and BF to eat all week (3 meals each) and for 2-3 snacks a day. If I tried to spend $50-75 on junk food, I wouldn't get enough food to eat and it would all be crap.

Could it be that it's more due to the recession than the actual food?

yes it is!! I agree!!

There is three adults living in my home.

We just Stopped going out to eat... a dinner at a restaurant can cost us anywhere between $20-$60 (depending on where we go of course) $60 can buy us about 4 days of food. So buying the expensive health food wasn't so bad.

We stopped buying snacks... That helps a lot!!

And we buy bulk meat from local farms and in the summer we buy fruit from stands and can them for the winter... We are not from a big city so this can be difficult some years... we often have to travel to find blueberries and cherries Blueberries fresh here are $1 a quart and Black Cherries are $3 a quart rather than the $6-8 a quart at the store

twin2

I think Icandoit needs to take us shopping with her. I have started thegrocerygame.com and it has helped on what I spend but with the prices going up so much I am acutally spending about the same every week for - 2 adults, 2 children (1 teenage), 1 cat, 1 dog, 1 fish and 3 rabbits. Usually close to $120.00, and that is being reserved on fresh fruit and veggies, and meat. I buy frozen veggies and usually just apples and bananas each week. Then you have to consider the rising gas prices too, especially if you have to drive far.:explode:

jbuehrer

I think Icandoit needs to take us shopping with her. I have started thecoupongame.com and it has helped on what I spend but with the prices going up so much I am acutally spending about the same for 2 weeks, 2 adults, 2 children (1 teenage), 1 cat, 1 dog, 1 fish and 3 rabbits. I would like to know where uwhuskygirl lives, milk here is almost $5.00 a gallon. (georiga)

Milk is about $5 here in Michigan. I buy Soy milk at $3 a half gallon and organic milk is about the same.

uwhuskygirl

I think Icandoit needs to take us shopping with her. I have started thecoupongame.com and it has helped on what I spend but with the prices going up so much I am acutally spending about the same for 2 weeks, 2 adults, 2 children (1 teenage), 1 cat, 1 dog, 1 fish and 3 rabbits. I would like to know where uwhuskygirl lives, milk here is almost $5.00 a gallon. (georiga)

I live in Seattle and just got my milk on Sunday for $3 a gallon.

kerrilucko

I see where you're coming from but......... Eating unhealthy is expensive too. I used to be a poor college student but please, think of all those 20$ pizzas u ordered for 1 night of munching or the 2 burgers for 6$ you picked up at A&W.

MontanaGirl

Yup milk here at Walmart is $4.85/gallon at Costco its $5.70 or so for 2 gallons. When we can get to Costco, we buy it there with a 12 y/o and a 4 y/o.

The cheese making kit sounds interesting and fun. The kids would love it!! We also have a little icecream maker so when we have free milk etc., we can make our own. So much better and healthier than buying it for the most part - cheaper too!! Do you have any more info about where to find the kits ms213804?

Helawat

Thanks for all the advice! It's just that living off $600.00 a month and paying for rent and utilities makes healthy eating seem almost impossible sometimes.

REB89

one suggestion i would have too is to not have too much meat. It's pretty expensive and there are plenty of other cheaper ways to get protein such as eggs and canned tuna. Just a suggestion!

littlespoon

Yup - when we move to the ranch I told hubby we are getting chickens and a milk cow!! The price of milk has gone up over $2 a gallon here and eggs have gone up like 40%. Its insane!! We will also have a large garden. Won't be there in time for that this year, but next year!!

I live in Perth Australia and our milk is $3.59 for 2 litres (thats just over half a gallon). Cheese is $10 a kilo!!
Crazy!!!

lietee

well i live up north in canada in a small town in manitoba and here the groceries is incredibly expensive. Our milk here is sometimes more then 5 dollars for 4 liters. And a loaf of bread is 2.99 and if you want whole wheat your looking at more. I spend around 200 a week on groceries. I wish it could be less but its not!

lockedcj7

I'll have to chime in here about expense. If you do a real comparison between the cost of raw ingredients and prepared junk, then I think you'll see that it's actually much cheaper to eat healthy if you're willing (and able) to do the work.

Helpful hints:
Shop as much as possible from the perimeter of the store. That's where the fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy are located. Processed foods are on the isles so you should only go there to get spices and staples. Plan your menu ahead of time, clip coupons and look for sales. Shop only for the items on your list. Don't just wander the isles picking up the stuff that looks good. Check into food Co-Ops and Pantries run by churches and other NGO's. We have a local church that uses bulk buying power and then divides up the food. $20 will usually get you $40-50 worth of food and there is no income minimum to use the program. Buy generic (or store brand) whenever possible and never shop on an empty stomach. I also feed my family on a lot of wild game. Even when I factor in the expenses incurred, it still works out to about $1/lb for lean, organic meat. If you're not a hunter, check into "Hunters for the Hungry" and other organizations where hunters donate all or part of their game.

Prepared foods (in any form) are going to be more expensive and less healthy than their raw/unprocessed counterparts. If you compare frozen dinners, the healthier varieties are virtually always more expensive than the regular brands. The trick is to spend more time in the kitchen, as others have said. In the long-run, it's much cheaper to cook for yourself. I know it seems more expensive at first because you have to stock up on spices and staples but you have to consider how long they last.

A bag of dried beans costs less than a dollar and will make several meals, possibly for several people, depending on the size of the bag. A bag of self-rising flour by itself is fairly useless but with eggs and milk, it can be used to make all kinds of things at very little expense. Dried spices may not have the flavor of fresh but they last forever. It's also surprisingly easy to grow your own spices in a window box. Fresh vegetables may work out to be more expensive than canned but you can always visit the farmer's market or grow your own. We actually use a mixture of canned, fresh and home-grown depending on what we can get the cheapest.

I know that fruits and vegetables can seem expensive but you have to compare that to the alternatives like granola bars and prepared snacks or even chips, candy and cokes. It really is cheaper to eat healthy.

Shannon023

One thing I've noticed is the chicken that is behind the butcher's case in the grocery store is markedly cheaper then the pre-packaged (Tyson, Holly Farms etc) chicken.

Last time I went to the grocery store, the Tyson & store brand chicken was $5.40 a pound and the fresher chicken was $3.49/lb.

Check it out next time you go shopping.

Phatmomma

Preaching to the choir sister lol!:laugh: But one thing I have found is Costco's buying in bulk! You can get a tub of organic mix green spring salad for like 3 and a half bucks where one little bag at Wal-Crooks is $3.99! You can buy bulk fruit and organic and you can eat for 2 weeks!

cobra1368

If you live in or near a big city (for me, it is Atlanta), there are farmers markets everywhere.

Sometimes their deals are great, depending on what is in season. I go there all the time for produce. I filled up my basket with strawberries, blueberries, bell peppers, onions, sweet potatoes, cilantro, broccoli, lettuce, mushrooms, pears, apples and a few other things, and the total was only around $40!!

Also, go to these places, or ethnic markets, like asian and mexican markets, for spices. I can get things like turmeric and other really expensive spices for pennies on the dollar!!

I was amazed! I just look for what is on sale and I make it a point to use those in my meals. I buy a lot of squash and zucchini too, because it is usually available at a good price.

I've been getting strawberries there for around $1.29 a carton. Try to find a farmers market in your area. You may be pleasantly surprised!

P.S. I was a college student for years. Can someone say "Ramen?" Or, in other words, "Enough sodium to kill about 500 horses per package?"

ali106

Wow great thread!!!

I agree w/ you all!

there are three adults and one child and a dog in my household and sometimes the weekends even more neices, brothers, my mom will come for the weekend so we're alway ready...or need to be rather!

I usually spend about 200 every two weeks and then still have to go for staples like milk or something I run out of...

fruit we buy what is in season and although I would love organic we don't unless its on sale...which is almost never...in the warm seasons I hit the farmers market....am actually considering a co-op this year and starting our garden which will bring us tomatos, zucchini, peppers and eggplant and anything else I can think of...like spices etc...so hopefully that will help!

Veggies I love our grocery store because when veggies are a little more ripe they put them out on the racks, I buy tons of peppers, and squash that way and then use it for stir fries and its amazing! potatos and fruit are there too so I always check that and save big bucks that way...just have to be smart about it and think it through....like will I use this soon, what can I make w/ that....

I buy my grains and beans in bulk and dry its worth it and less sodium too! Nothing canned tastes as good as rice and bean or lentil soup!! The meat, well we are not big red meat eaters but my son loves chicken breasts so I always wait for the sales and freeze what I can....meat that costs 3.99 lb I'll get for 1.69 lb and then buy double....

Milk, we have found a store that has the cheapest milk 3.29 for a gallon of hood 2 and 1 percent so when we go shopping I'll hold off on the milk and then take my son for a jogger ride and pick up the milk later and save 1.99 and get some exercise too! lol....

We have like four markets we shop at and don't waste too much gas they are all close by....but we scan the papers, clip coupons, Iove those spend 60 get 6 bucks off ones....

but all and all we don't do the processed food really, a few snacks for my son...all healthy as they can be lol...but other than that I cook and bake from scratch....and work too so its not always easy, but what can you do....its healthier and much more affordable!!!

hugs and good luck to us all!
Ali

dragonscapes24

I've also been thinking of trying one of the organic food box delivery services, which gives you a big ol' crate of local and/or organic goodies once a week for $30 or so.

hey mehughes... where can I get info about this... I would definitly be interested... Thanks in advance
Jenn

MontanaGirl

Thanks for all the advice! It's just that living off $600.00 a month and paying for rent and utilities makes healthy eating seem almost impossible sometimes.

Yipes, that is one tight budget!! I know when things are that tight for me, the fresh stuff gets sacraficed cuz just can't afford it. I'm guessing what some of the posters say they spend for 1 week or 2 maybe is more than your budget for the whole month!! If you have a pressure cooker, dried beans cook pretty quickly. If you don't have a Costco membership maybe someone you know has one and would be willing to take you so you can get salad mixes cheaper - they have a 3 lb bag of general lettuce mix that is like $2, as opposed to Walmart 1 lb for $3. And their canned green beans are pretty cheap, but have to buy a case. Wish I could send the food fairy your way and give you great sales everytime you go shopping!! Hang in there!

lotusfromthemud

Yes, mehughes, If you have the room, plant a garden! Even a terrace garden will give you a surprising amount of cheap produce. Basil grows like a weed. Tomatoes are also easy if you can keep the giant green marshmallow worms of death away from them. Cucumbers are easy.

And, if you plant zucchini, well, just prepare yourself to eat a lot of zucchini. I'm going to try a tomato plant and some basil on my back (tiny tiny tiny) balcony this summer.

Not to mention, gardening burns calories! I remember being around six or seven years old and seeing the produce section of the grocery store for the first time, I thought everybody just sent their kids out the veg. patch for tomatoes and cucumbers!

I'm also looking into an organic delivery service. . .the catch is they send you what they have, so you don't control what's coming.

Yeah, where is the "food fairy" when we need it.

yoginimary

Yes, mehughes, If you have the room, plant a garden! Even a terrace garden will give you a surprising amount of cheap produce. Basil grows like a weed. Tomatoes are also easy if you can keep the giant green marshmallow worms of death away from them. Cucumbers are easy.

Those giant worms turn into hummingbird moths - I think they are called Tomato horn worms in that stage. They are nocturnal, so if you are in a garden of night blooming flowers in deep summer, you might see one.

I need to go get zucchini! Thanks for the reminder.